MORE | Spring 2019
Reduction in Soot Emission with Micro-Combustion
This study aims to analyze the effect of temperature on critical sooting equivalence ratio, precursor formation, soot inception and growth. A propane/air mixture at atmospheric pressure with temperatures ranging from 750-1000℃ was investigated using a micro flow reactor of diameter 3.6mm, equivalence ratios of 1-5.5 and inlet flow rates of 10-300sccm. The gas species were analysed using a gas chromatograph. At 950-1000℃ thermal radiation from soot formation was observed. At 750-900℃, no soot formation was observed despite operating beyond critical equivalence ratio. This has a lot of potential in terms of soot mitigation at lower temperatures in automotive as well as commercial applications.
Student researcher
Abdul Hannan Khalid
Aerospace engineering
Hometown: TEMPE, Arizona, United States
Graduation date: Spring 2019