PUB - Publikationen an der Universität Bielefeld

In view of the steady increase in the use of oxygenated fuels, aldehydes play an increasingly important role as intermediates in combustion. The combustion chemistry of propanal (CH3CH2CHO) was studied in a stoichiometric low-pressure, premixed flat flame. Species mole fraction profiles were measured by electron-ionization molecular beam mass spectrometry (MBMS) for the combustion products, the majority of stable reaction intermediates and several radical species. Based on the mole fraction profiles reactions of the aldehyde fuel are discussed. A number of oxygenated species with a molecular mass exceeding that of the fuel suggests that addition reactions are formed during the early stages of the combustion process. Their presence of small radicals to fuel derived molecules with aldehyde functions play an important role in this flame. (C) 2009 The Combustion Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.