Modeling of Soot Precursors in Rich Premixed Ethylene/Oxygen/Argon Flames

The combustion of ethylene was studied experimentally in rich premixed flat flames of ethylene/oxygen/argon burning at low pressure (50 mbar). Species are detected and measured for the equivalence ratios of 2.25 and 2.50, by molecular beam mass spectrometry and gas chromatography. A detailed chemical mechanism, including 400 elementary reactions and 77 species has been developed to simulate the formation of aromatic compounds in rich premixed laminar flames of ethylene. The kinetic model is reasonably successful in predicting mole fraction profiles of key intermediate species, including aromatic molecules in the equivalence ratio range from 1.0 to 2.5, and gives the main pathways leading to benzene formation.