Experimental determination of counterflow ignition temperatures and laminar flame speeds of C₂-C₃ hydrocarbons at atmospheric and elevated pressures

Experimental data were acquired for the ignition temperatures of nitrogen-diluted ethylene and propylene by counterflowing heated air for various strain rates and system pressures ≤ 7 atm; and the laminar flame speeds of mixtures of air with acetylene, ethylene, ethane, propylene, and propane, deduced from an outwardly propagating spherical flame in a constant-pressure chamber, for extensive ranges of lean/rich equivalence ratio and system pressure ≤ 5 atm. These data were compared with calculated results using a published C₁-C₃ mechanism and an ethylene mechanism. Noticeable differences were observed in the comparison for both mechanisms, and sensitivity analyses were conducted to identify the reactions of importance. This is an abstract of a paper presented at the 30th International Symposium on Combustion (Chicago, IL 7/25-30/2004).