EXPERIMENTAL-STUDY OF LOW-PRESSURE PREMIXED METHANE AND ETHANE FLAMESBY MOLECULAR-BEAM SAMPLING AND MASS-SPECTROMETRY ANALYSIS

Mole fractions profiles of stable and reactive species are reported in low-pressure premixed laminar CH4/O-2/Ar (0.69 less than or equal to Phi less than or equal to 1.18) and C2H6/O-2/Ar (Phi = 1) flat flames. A new experimental facility coupling molecular beam sampling with mas s spectrometry analysis and the procedure developed for species calibr ation are described in details. The temperature profiles are measured by using the thermocouple method in the sampling conditions. The effec ts of the equivalence ratio on species evolution in the methane flame are first outlined. A thorough comparison between methane and ethane f lames is described with a special focus on the intermediate species fo rmation and the linkage between the C-1, C-2 and C-3 oxidation routes.