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Combustion and Flame, Vol.110, No.1-2, 1-13, 1997
Radical species profiles in low-pressure methane flames containing fuel nitrogen compounds
Relative concentration profiles of CN, NH, NCO, NH2, and NO are recorded for a 10 torr, premixed CH4/O-2/Ar flame doped with the following compounds: 0.35% NH3, CH3NH2, and CH3CN, and 0.86% NO. Profiles were measured by laser-induced fluorescence and compared between the different dopants. The experimental data are compared to detailed kinetic calculations based on the Gas Research Institute mechanism 2.11 for the NH3 and NO dopants, with added submechanisms for CH3CH and CH3NH2. The kinetic model underpredicts the amount of CN and NCO formed from the ammonia dopant; if we postulate a reaction between CH3 and NH, these discrepancies are largely resolved. Comparison of CN and NCO profiles between the NO and NH, dopants indicates that HCN is the primary product of the CH + NO reaction. Extrapolation of measured rates for CH3CN destruction reactions to combustion temperatures predicts a rate of CH3CN removal which is far too slow. Previously published mechanisms for methylamine combustion overpredict the amount of NH2 produced, indicating that cleavage of the C-N bond is less likely in the initial attack than the kinetic mechanisms predict. We propose modifications to the CH3CN and CH3NH2 submechanisms which correct these deficiencies and lead to good agreement with the measured intermediate profiles for all dopants.