Support is provided to study the effect of pressure on low and intermediate temperature oxidation of C4 hydrocarbon fuels. The current project will continue and completeprevious NSF work and extend it to examine the effects of pressure in some detail. An important and unique goal of this new program will be to develop and demonstrate in situ FTIR capability for monitoring stable and radical species. Three separate and complementary bench scale experiments (a pressurized flow reactor, an atmospheric pressure flow reactor, and a static reactor) are available and will be used to examine the oxidation chemistry of hydrocarbons over a range of temperatures, pressures, and equivalence ratios. Gas chromatography, GC/MS, and GC/FTIR will be used for chemical analysis of the stable reaction intermediates and products. In situ measurements of stable and radical species are planned using FTIR spectroscopy. Specifically, the objectives are to (1) develop and implement techniques for making in situ measurements of concentrations of stable and radical species with Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy; (2) obtain kinetic information in the low and intermediate temperatures regimes (500-1000 K) over a range of pressures (up to 20 atm) for the oxidation of pure C4 hydrocarbons. This research will focus on developing and demonstrating FTIR capabilities and on mechanistic studies using flow reactors with particular emphasis on pressure effects of hydrocarbon combustion. Successful completion of the program will provide important new data and results showing the effects of pressure on hydrocarbon oxidation, and eventually, lead to a comprehensive understanding of fuel factors and physical effects in hydrocarbon oxidation systems.
