Pressure-Dependent OH Yields in Alkene + HO2 Reactions: A Theoretical Study

The kinetic model of cyclohexene-air combustion over a wide temperature range

Cyclohexene is an important intermediate during the combustion process of hydrocarbon and oxygenated fuels. In view of the lack of study on the combustion of cyclohexene in air, an experimental and modeling study is performed to investigate the chemistry of cyclohexene–air mixtures under a wide temperature range. The shock tube experiments are conducted at pressures of 2 and 10 atm with equivalence ratios of 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 to determine the ignition delay times. The ignition data under 10 atm cover a wide temperature range varying from a low temperature of 770 K to a high temperature of 1222 K. No typical negative-temperature-coefficient is observed, but the ignition at low temperatures is shorter than the extrapolation at high temperatures. A detailed kinetic model of cyclohexene oxidation is proposed based on the low temperature mechanism of 1,3-cyclohexadiene and the existing high temperature mechanism of cyclohexene. The developed model reproduces the ignition delay times in air well, but it over predicts the ignition delays in argon conditions at higher temperatures. Sensitivity analyses under different temperatures and equivalence ratios are carried out to identify the key reactions affecting ignition. The reactions of H + O₂ = O + OH and hydrogen abstraction reaction of cyclohexene with oxygen (CYHEXEN + O₂ = CYHEXEN-3J + HO₂) explain the change of ignition delay time of cyclohexene with equivalence ratios. Flux analysis gives the change of main reaction pathways under wide temperatures and different pressures. The retro-Diels–Alder reaction as the most important consumption channel of cyclohexene at the pressure of 2 atm and temperature of 1350 K is greatly suppressed when the pressure is increased to 10 atm, while the hydrogen abstraction reaction becomes the main consumption channel of cyclohexene at the high pressure. The proposed kinetic model for cyclohexene oxidation can be used to develop models of hydrocarbon and oxygenated fuels.

The model developed in this work provides a better understanding for the combustion chemistry of cyclohexene. Flux analysis gives the change of main reaction pathways under wide temperatures and different pressures.

Accidental Combustion Phenomena at Cryogenic Conditions

The presented state of the art can be intended as an overview of the current understandings and the remaining challenges on the phenomenological aspects involving systems operating at ultra-low temperature, which typically characterize the cryogenic fuels, i.e., liquefied natural gas and liquefied hydrogen. To this aim, thermodynamic, kinetic, and technological aspects were included and integrated. Either experimental or numerical techniques currently available for the evaluation of safety parameters and the overall reactivity of systems at cryogenic temperatures were discussed. The main advantages and disadvantages of different alternatives were compared. Theoretical background and suitable models were reported given possible implementation to the analyzed conditions. Attention was paid to models describing peculiar phenomena mainly relevant at cryogenic temperatures (e.g., para-to-ortho transformation and thermal stratification in case of accidental release) as well as critical aspects involving standard phenomena (e.g., ultra-low temperature combustion and evaporation rate).

Kinetic Analysis for Reaction of Cyclopentadiene with Hydroperoxyl Radical under Low- and Medium-Temperature Combustion

The kinetic data of cyclopentadiene C₅H₆ oxidation reactions are significant for the construction of aromatics oxidation mechanism because cyclopentadiene C₅H₆ has been proved to be an important intermediate in the aromatics combustion. Kinetics for the elementary reactions on the potential energy surface (PES) relevant for the C₅H₆ + HO₂ reaction are studied in this work. Stationary points on the PES are calculated by employing the CCSD(T)/cc-pVTZ//B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level of theory. High-pressure limit and pressure-dependent rate constants for elementary reactions on this PES are calculated using conventional transition state theory (TST), variational transition-state theory (VTST) and Rice-Ramsberger-Kassel-Marcus/master equation (RRKM/ME) theory. In this work, the reaction channels for the C₅H₆ + HO₂ reaction_, which include H-abstraction channels from C₅H₆ by HO₂ to form the C₅H₅ + H₂O₂ and the addition channels through well-skipping pathways to form the bimolecular products C₅H₇ + O₂ or C₅H₆O + OH, or through C₅H₇O₂ stabilization and its unimolecular decomposition to form the bimolecular products C₅H₇ + O₂ or C₅H₆O + OH, namely sequential pathways, are studied. Also, the consuming reaction channels for the compounds C₅H₆O and C₅H₇ in the addition products are studied. The dominant reaction channels for these reactions are unraveled through comparing the energy barriers and rate constants of all elementary reactions and it is found: (1) HO₂ addition to cyclopentadiene C₅H₆ is more important than direct H-abstraction. (2) in the HO₂ addition channels, the well-skipping pathways and sequential pathways are competing and the well-skipping pathways will be favor in the higher pressures and the sequential pathways will be favor in the higher temperature. (3) The major consumption reaction channel for the five-member-ring compound C₅H₆O is the reaction channel to form C₄H₆ + CO and the major consumption reaction channel for the five-member-ring compound C₅H₇ is the reaction channel to form C₃H₅ + C₂H₂. High-pressure limit rate constants and pressure-dependent rate constants for elementary reactions on the PES are calculated, which will be useful in modeling the oxidation of aromatic compounds at low- and medium-temperatures.

H-Abstraction reactions by OH, HO2, O, O2 and benzyl radical addition to O2 and their implications for kinetic modelling of toluene oxidation

Alkylated aromatics constitute a significant fraction of the components commonly found in commercial fuels. Toluene is typically considered as a reference fuel. Together with n-heptane and iso-octane, it allows for realistic emulations of the behavior of real fuels by the means of surrogate mixture formulations. Moreover, it is a key precursor for the formation of poly-aromatic hydrocarbons, which are of relevance to understanding soot growth and oxidation mechanisms. In this study the POLIMI kinetic model is first updated based on the literature and on recent kinetic modelling studies of toluene pyrolysis and oxidation. Then, important reaction pathways are investigated by means of high-level theoretical methods, thereby advancing the present knowledge on toluene oxidation. H-Abstraction reactions by OH, HO2, O and O2, and the reactivity on the multi well benzyl-oxygen (C6H5CH2 + O2) potential energy surface (PES) were investigated using electronic structure calculations, transition state theory in its conventional, variational, and variable reaction coordinate forms (VRC-TST), and master equation calculations. Exploration of the effect on POLIMI model performance of literature rate constants and of the present calculations provides valuable guidelines for implementation of the new rate parameters in existing toluene kinetic models.

Barriometry – an enhanced database of accurate barrier heights for gas-phase reactions

The kinetics of many reactions are critically dependent upon the barrier heights for which accurate determination can be difficult. More than 100 accurate barriers are obtained with the high-level W3X-L composite procedure.

First-Principles Chemical Kinetic Modeling of Methyl trans-3-Hexenoate Epoxidation by HO2

The design of innovative combustion processes relies on a comprehensive understanding of biodiesel oxidation kinetics. The present study aims at unraveling the reaction mechanism involved in the epoxidation of a realistic biodiesel surrogate, methyl trans-3-hexenoate, by hydroperoxy radicals using a bottom-up theoretical kinetics methodology. The obtained rate constants are in good agreement with experimental data for alkene epoxidation by HO₂. The impact of temperature and pressure on epoxidation pathways involving H-bonded and non-H-bonded conformers was assessed. The obtained rate constant was finally implemented into a state-of-the-art detailed combustion mechanism, resulting in fairly good agreement with engine experiments.

Theoretical and kinetic study of the reaction of C2H3 + HO2 on the C2H3O2H potential energy surface

We systematically investigate the C₂H₃ + HO₂ reaction combined with conventional transition state theory, variable reaction coordinate transition state theory and Rice–Ramsberger–Kassel–Marcus/master-equation theory.

Temperature and pressure dependent rate coefficients for the reaction of C2H4 + HO2 on the C2H4O2H potential energy surface

The potential energy surface (PES) for reaction C2H4 + HO2 was examined by using the quantum chemical methods. All rates were determined computationally using the CBS-QB3 composite method combined with conventional transition state theory(TST), variational transition-state theory (VTST) and Rice-Ramsberger-Kassel-Marcus/master-equation (RRKM/ME) theory. The geometries optimization and the vibrational frequency analysis of reactants, transition states, and products were performed at the B3LYP/CBSB7 level. The composite CBS-QB3 method was applied for energy calculations. The major product channel of reaction C2H4 + HO2 is the formation C2H4O2H via an OH(···)π complex with 3.7 kcal/mol binding energy which exhibits negative-temperature dependence. We further investigated the reactions related to this complex, which were ignored in previous studies. Thermochemical properties of the species involved in the reactions were determined using the CBS-QB3 method, and enthalpies of formation of species were compared with literature values. The calculated rate constants are in good agreement with those available from literature and given in modified Arrhenius equation form, which are serviceable in combustion modeling of hydrocarbons. Finally, in order to illustrate the effect for low-temperature ignition of our new rate constants, we have implemented them into the existing mechanisms, which can predict ethylene ignition in a shock tube with better performance.

Concerted HO2 Elimination from α-Aminoalkylperoxyl Free Radicals: Experimental and Theoretical Evidence from the Gas-Phase NH2(•)CHCO2(-) + O2 Reaction

We have investigated the gas-phase reaction of the α-aminoacetate (glycyl) radical anion (NH2(•)CHCO2(-)) with O2 using ion trap mass spectrometry, quantum chemistry, and statistical reaction rate theory. This radical is found to undergo a remarkably rapid reaction with O2 to form the hydroperoxyl radical (HO2(•)) and an even-electron imine (NHCHCO2(-)), with experiments and master equation simulations revealing that reaction proceeds at the ion-molecule collision rate. This reaction is facilitated by a low-energy concerted HO2(•) elimination mechanism in the NH2CH(OO(•))CO2(-) peroxyl radical. These findings can explain the widely observed free-radical-mediated oxidation of simple amino acids to amides plus α-keto acids (their imine hydrolysis products). This work also suggests that imines will be the main intermediates in the atmospheric oxidation of primary and secondary amines, including amine carbon capture solvents such as 2-aminoethanol (commonly known as monoethanolamine, or MEA), in a process that avoids the ozone-promoting conversion of (•)NO to (•)NO2 commonly encountered in peroxyl radical chemistry.