Chemical Kinetic Modeling of a Methane Opposed Flow Diffusion Flame and - Comparison to Experiments

The chemical structure of an opposed flow, methane diffusion flame is studied using a chemical kinetic model and the results are compared to experimental measurements. The chemical kinetic paths leading to aromatics and polycyclic aromatics hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the diffusion flame are identified. These paths all involve resonantly stabilized radicals which include propargyl, allyl, cyclopentadienyl, and benzyl radicals. The modeling results show reasonable agreement with the experimental measurements for the large hydrocarbon aliphatic compounds, aromatics, and PAH’s. The benzene was predicted to be formed primarily by the reaction sequence of Allyl+Propargyl~Fulvene+H+H followed by fulvene isomerization to benzene. Naphthalene was modeled using the reaction of benzyl with propargyl, while the combination of cyclopentadienyl radicals were shown to be a minor contributor in the diffusion flame. The agreement between the model and experiment for the four-ring PAH’s was poor.