Laminar flame speed measurements of propane/DME/air mixtures
2022-01-0624
03/29/2022
- Event
- Content
- An experimental study on the laminar flame speeds (LFS) of premixed propane/dimethyl-ether (DME)/air flames was conducted inside a constant-volume chamber at UCF. Mixtures of propane and DME were selected for this study as they show promise as a fuel source that can be utilized in the automotive diesel industry as a low emission alternative fuel. The LFS of a fuel mixture is a key characteristic of combustion for its application in the design process of engines, as it can be used as a metric for fuel performance. Further underscoring the importance of gathering LFS data for these mixtures is its use in validating chemical kinetic mechanisms that can be utilized for further research in the field. LFS is dependent on fuel/oxidant mixture temperature, pressure, and equivalence ratio. While some studies exist examining other characteristics of combustion with regards to propane/DME fuel mixtures, there is minimal information pertaining to the laminar flame speed of the mixtures. This study tested mixtures of propane and DME across a wide range of equivalence ratios from 0.7-1.5 to examine its effects on LFS. In order to capture data relevant to engine conditions, a temperature of 373K under pressures ranging from 1, 2, and 5 atm were selected. To examine the variation of LFS with DME concentration, the composition of DME/propane mixtures were varied from 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% DME. Testing was conducted in a spherical constant volume combustion chamber, using schlieren imaging and high-speed photography to capture experimental data. The presented results were also compared against available chemical kinetic mechanisms for further experimental validation.
- Citation
- Weiner, J., kim, G., and Ghorpade, R., "Laminar flame speed measurements of propane/DME/air mixtures," SAE Technical Paper 2022-01-0624, 2022, .