High-pressure single-pulse shock tube investigation of rich and stoichiometric ethane oxidation

A high-pressure, single-pulse shock tube was used to study the oxidation of ethane/oxygen mixtures, phi = 1 and phi = 5, between 1000 and 1400 K at reaction pressures of 40 bar. Gas chromatographic techniques were used to quantify the major stable species formed in the reactions. The experimental data were simulated using two models for ethane combustion that bad previously been tested against very high pressure (300-600 bar) oxidation and pyrolysis experimental data obtained in the same apparatus. Good agreement with the stoichiometric data was obtained; however, neither model was capable of simulating the phi = 5 data. Several modifications to one of the models were made, and these modifications are discussed. The final version of the model provides much more accurate predictions of the experimental data and forms the first step in developing a comprehensive model for ethane oxidation that has been tested against experimental data covering a pressure range from 1 to 600 bar.