Improvement of the modeling of the low-temperature oxidation of n-butane: study of the primary reactions

The multichannel i-propyl + O2 reaction system: A model of secondary alkyl radical oxidation

The i-propyl + O2 reaction mechanism has been investigated by definitive quantum chemical methods to establish this system as a benchmark for the combustion of secondary alkyl radicals. Focal point analyses extrapolating to the ab initio limit were performed based on explicit computations with electron correlation treatments through coupled cluster single, double, triple, and quadruple excitations and basis sets up to cc-pV5Z. The rigorous coupled cluster single, double, and triple excitations/cc-pVTZ level of theory was used to fully optimize all reaction species and transition states, thus, removing some substantial flaws in reference geometries existing in the literature. The vital i-propylperoxy radical (MIN1) and its concerted elimination transition state (TS1) were found 34.8 and 4.4 kcal mol-1 below the reactants, respectively. Two β-hydrogen transfer transition states (TS2, TS2') lie above the reactants by (1.4, 2.5) kcal mol-1 and display large Born-Oppenheimer diagonal corrections indicative of nearby surface crossings. An α-hydrogen transfer transition state (TS5) is discovered 5.7 kcal mol-1 above the reactants that bifurcates into equivalent α-peroxy radical hanging wells (MIN3) prior to a highly exothermic dissociation into acetone + OH. The reverse TS5 → MIN1 intrinsic reaction path also displays fascinating features, including another bifurcation and a conical intersection of potential energy surfaces. An exhaustive conformational search of two hydroperoxypropyl (QOOH) intermediates (MIN2 and MIN3) of the i-propyl + O2 system located nine rotamers within 0.9 kcal mol-1 of the corresponding lowest-energy minima.

Stereoisomer-dependent unimolecular kinetics of 2,4-dimethyloxetane peroxy radicals

2,4,dimethyloxetane is an important cyclic ether intermediate that is produced from hydroperoxyalkyl (QOOH) radicals in low-temperature combustion of n-pentane. However, reaction mechanisms and rates of consumption pathways remain unclear. In...

Mechanism and kinetics for the reaction of methyl peroxy radical with O2

Quantum chemical calculations and dynamics simulations were performed to study the reaction between methyl peroxy radical (CH₃O₂) and O₂. The reaction proceeds through three different pathways (1) H-atom abstraction, (2) O₂ addition and (3) concerted H-atom shift and O₂ addition reactions. The concerted H-atom shift and O₂ addition pathway is the most favourable reaction both kinetically and thermodynamically. The major product channel formed from these reactions is H₂CO + OH + O₂. Trajectory calculations also confirm that H₂CO + OH + O₂ is the main product channel. An estimated rate constant expression for this reaction from master equation calculations is 4.20 × 10¹³ e^-8676/T cm³ mole^-1 s^-1.

High-Pressure-Limit and Pressure-Dependent Rate Rules for Unimolecular Reactions Related to Hydroperoxy Alkyl Radicals in Normal-Alkyl Cyclohexane Combustion. 2. Cyclization Reaction Class

The hydroperoxy alkyl radicals are important intermediates in the low-temperature combustion for normal-alkyl cycloalkanes, and the cyclization reactions of hydroperoxy alkyl radicals to form cyclic ethers are responsible for a major fraction of the OH formation, which has the potential to promote ignition. In most of the previous modeling studies for normal-alkyl cycloalkane combustion, the kinetic data of the cyclization reactions in the detailed combustion mechanism were mainly taken from the analogous reactions in cyclohexane, methyl cyclohexane, and alkanes in published literature studies. In this work, the kinetics of the cyclization reaction class of hydroperoxy alkyl radicals in normal-alkyl cycloalkanes is studied, where the reaction class is divided into subclasses depending upon the ring size of the transition states, the types of the carbons on which the -OOH site is located and the types of the carbons on which the radical site is located, and the positions of the cyclization (on the alkyl side chain, on the cycle, or between the alkyl side chain and the cycle). Energy barriers and high-pressure-limit site rate constants and pressure-dependent rates for reactions in all subclasses are calculated, and rate rules for all subclasses are developed. The high-pressure-limit rate constants are determined from CBS-QB3 electronic structure calculations combined with canonical transition-state theory calculations, and pressure-dependent rate constants are calculated by using the Rice-Ramsberger-Kassel-Marcus/Master Equation theory at pressures varying from 0.01 to 100 atm. Comparisons of the rate constants for cyclization reactions of hydroperoxy alkyl cyclohexylperoxy radicals calculated in this work with the values of the corresponding reactions in some of the popular combustion mechanisms show that it is unreasonable to use the kinetic data of analogous reactions in alkanes, cyclohexanes, or smaller normal-alkyl cyclohexanes. Therefore, the accurate kinetic calculations and the construction of rate rules for normal-alkyl cycloalkanes are necessary and significant for the reliable modeling of the low-temperature combustion of normal-alkyl cyclohexanes.

Development of a Detailed Kinetic Model for the Oxidation of n-Butane in the Liquid Phase

The chemistry underlying liquid-phase oxidation of organic compounds, the main cause of their aging, is characterized by a free-radical chain reaction mechanism. The rigorous simulation of these phenomena requires the use of detailed kinetic models that contain thousands of species and reactions. The development of such models for the liquid phase remains a challenge as solvent-dependent thermokinetic parameters have to be provided for all the species and reactions of the model. Therefore, accurate and high-throughput methods to generate these data are required. In this work, we propose new methods to generate these data, and we apply them for the development of a detailed chemical kinetic model for n-butane autoxidation, which is then validated against literature data. Our approach for model development is based on the work of Jalan et al. [J. Phys. Chem. B 2013, 117, 2955-2970] who used Gibbs free energies of solvation [ΔsolvG(T)] to correct the data of the gas-phase kinetic model. In our approach, an equation of state (EoS) is used to compute ΔsolvG as a function of temperature for all the chemical species in the mechanism. Currently, ΔsolvG(T) of free radicals cannot be computed with an EoS and it was calculated for their parent molecule (H-atom added on the radical site). Theoretical calculations with the implicit solvent model were performed to quantify the impact of this assumption and showed that it is acceptable for radicals in n-butane and probably in all n-alkanes. New rate rules were proposed for the most important reactions of the model, based on theoretical calculations and the literature data. The developed detailed kinetic model for n-butane autoxidation is the first proposed model in the literature and was validated against the experimental data from the literature. Simulations showed that the main autoxidation products, sec-butyl hydroperoxides and 2-butanol, are produced from H-abstractions from n-butane by sec-C4H9OO radicals and the C4H9OO + C4H9OO reaction, respectively. The uncertainty of the product ratio ("butanone + 2-butanol"/"2-butoxy + 2-butoxy") of the latter reaction remains high in the literature, and our simulations suggest a 1:1 ratio in n-butane solvent.

Sparsity Facilitates Chemical-Reaction Selection for Engine Simulations

Analysis of large-scale, realistic models incorporating detailed chemistry can be challenging because each simulation is computationally expensive, and a complete analysis may require many simulations. This paper addresses one such problem of this type, chemical-reaction selection in engine simulations. In this computationally challenging case, it is demonstrated how the important concept of sparsity can facilitate chemical-reaction selection, which is the process of finding the most important chemical reactions for modeling a chemical process. It is difficult to perform accurate reaction selection for engine simulations using realistic models of the chemistry, as each simulation takes processor weeks to complete. We developed a procedure to efficiently accomplish this selection process with a relatively small number of simulations using a form of global sensitivity analysis based on sparse regression. The chemical-reaction selection leads to an analysis of the ignition chemistry as it evolves within the compression-ignition engine simulations and allows for the spatial development of the selected chemical reactions to be studied in detail.

Flash Pyrolysis of t-Butyl Hydroperoxide and Di-t-butyl Peroxide: Evidence of Roaming in the Decomposition of Organic Hydroperoxides

Thermal decomposition of t-butyl hydroperoxide and di-t-butyl peroxide was investigated using flash pyrolysis (in a short reaction time of <100 μs) and vacuum-ultraviolet (λ = 118.2 nm) single-photon ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (VUV-SPI-TOFMS) at temperatures up to 1120 K and quantum computational methods. Acetone and methyl radical were detected as the predominant products in the initial decomposition of di-t-butyl peroxide via O-O bond fission. In the initial dissociation of t-butyl hydroperoxide, acetone, methyl radical, isobutylene, and isobutylene oxide products were identified. The novel detection of the unimolecular formation of isobutylene oxide, as supported by the computational study, was found to proceed via a roaming hydroxyl radical facilitated by a hydrogen-bonded intermediate. This new pathway could provide a new class of reactions to consider in the modeling of the low temperature oxidation of alkanes.

Intramolecular effects on the kinetics of unimolecular reactions of β-HOROO˙ and HOQ˙OOH radicals

A theoretical study describing the influence of intramolecular effects on the energy barriers and rate constants of unimolecular reactions involving β-HOROO˙ and HOQ˙OOH radicals is proposed. The reactions considered are HO2˙ elimination, the Waddington mechanism, H-shift, cyclic ether formation and β-scission. All the calculations are performed at the CBS-QB3 level of theory along with canonical transition state theory and statistical thermodynamics, including a specific treatment of hindered rotors. Several structural parameters are investigated, such as the location of the hydroxyl function in the cyclic transition states or the substitution of H atoms by alkyl groups on carbon atoms involved in the reaction coordinate. It is shown that these molecular systems involve numerous transition states, especially for reactions such as 1,5 or 1,6 H-shift, and that, a priori simplification is not possible. It is also shown that the position of the -OH group in the transition state can largely modify both the barrier heights and the rate constants. However, opposite trends can be observed depending on the competition between energetic and entropic effects. Similar observations are made when H atoms are replaced by methyl or alkyl groups. These results can largely be explained by intramolecular effects such as hydrogen bonds, stabilization effects (from -OH or -CH3 groups), steric influences and by the coupling between them. The last point renders the classic establishment of the structure-reactivity relationship challenging.

Global Sensitivity Analysis with Small Sample Sizes: Ordinary Least Squares Approach

A new version of global sensitivity analysis is developed in this paper. This new version coupled with tools from statistics, machine learning, and optimization can devise small sample sizes that allow for the accurate ordering of sensitivity coefficients for the first 10-30 most sensitive chemical reactions in complex chemical-kinetic mechanisms, and is particularly useful for studying the chemistry in realistic devices. A key part of the paper is calibration of these small samples. Because these small sample sizes are developed for use in realistic combustion devices, the calibration is done over the ranges of conditions in such devices, with a test case being the operating conditions of a compression ignition engine studied earlier. Compression-ignition engines operate under low-temperature combustion conditions with quite complicated chemistry making this calibration difficult, leading to the possibility of false positives and false negatives in the ordering of the reactions. So an important aspect of the paper is showing how to handle the trade-off between false positives and false negatives using ideas from the multiobjective optimization literature. The combination of the new global sensitivity method and the calibration are sample sizes a factor of approximately 10 times smaller than were available with our previous algorithm.

Performance of First-Principles-Based Reaction Class Transition State Theory

Performance of the Reaction Class Transition State Theory (RC-TST) for prediction of rates constants of elementary reactions is examined using data from its previous applications to a number of different reaction classes. The RC-TST theory is taking advantage of the common structure denominator of all reactions in a given family combined with structure activity relationships to provide a rigorous theoretical framework to obtain rate expression of any reaction within a reaction class in a simple and cost-effective manner. This opens the possibility for integrating this methodology with an automated mechanism generator for "on-the-fly" generation of accurate kinetic models of complex reacting systems.

Initiation Chemistries in Hydrocarbon (Aut)Oxidation

For the (aut)oxidation of toluene to benzyl hydroperoxide, benzyl alcohol, benzaldehyde, and benzoic acid, the thermochemical profiles for various radical-generating reactions have been compared. A key intermediate in all of these reactions is benzyl hydroperoxide, the heat of formation of which has been estimated by using results from CBS-QB3, G4, and G3B3 calculations. Homolytic O-O bond cleavage in this hydroperoxide is strongly endothermic and thus unlikely to contribute significantly to initiation processes. In terms of reaction enthalpies the most favorable initiation process involves bimolecular reaction of benzyl hydroperoxide to yield hydroxy and benzyloxy radicals along with water and benzaldehyde. The reaction enthalpy and free energy of this process is significantly more favorable than those for the unimolecular dissociation of known radical initiators, such as dibenzoylperoxide or dibenzylhyponitrite.

Flow reactor studies of non-equilibrium plasma-assisted oxidation of n-alkanes

The oxidation of n-alkanes (C1-C7) has been studied with and without the effects of a nanosecond, non-equilibrium plasma discharge at 1 atm pressure from 420 to 1250 K. Experiments have been performed under nearly isothermal conditions in a flow reactor, where reactive mixtures are diluted in Ar to minimize temperature changes from chemical reactions. Sample extraction performed at the exit of the reactor captures product and intermediate species and stores them in a multi-position valve for subsequent identification and quantification using gas chromatography. By fixing the flow rate in the reactor and varying the temperature, reactivity maps for the oxidation of fuels are achieved. Considering all the fuels studied, fuel consumption under the effects of the plasma is shown to have been enhanced significantly, particularly for the low-temperature regime (T<800 K). In fact, multiple transitions in the rates of fuel consumption are observed depending on fuel with the emergence of a negative-temperature-coefficient regime. For all fuels, the temperature for the transition into the high-temperature chemistry is lowered as a consequence of the plasma being able to increase the rate of fuel consumption. Using a phenomenological interpretation of the intermediate species formed, it can be shown that the active particles produced from the plasma enhance alkyl radical formation at all temperatures and enable low-temperature chain branching for fuels C3 and greater. The significance of this result demonstrates that the plasma provides an opportunity for low-temperature chain branching to occur at reduced pressures, which is typically observed at elevated pressures in thermal induced systems.

Experimental and modeling study of the oxidation of n-butane in a jet stirred reactor using cw-CRDS measurements

The gas-phase oxidation of n-butane has been studied in an atmospheric jet-stirred reactor (JSR) at temperatures up to 950 K. For the first time, continuous wave cavity ring-down spectroscopy (cw-CRDS) in the near-infrared has been used, together with gas chromatography (GC), to analyze the products formed during its oxidation. In addition to the quantification of formaldehyde and water, which is always difficult by GC, cw-CRDS allowed as well the quantification of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). A comparison of the obtained mole fraction temperature profiles with simulations using a detailed gas-phase mechanism shows a good agreement at temperatures below 750 K, but an overestimation of the overall reactivity above this temperature. Also, a strong overestimation was found for the H2O2 mole fraction at higher temperatures. In order to improve the agreement between model and experimental results, two modifications have been implemented to the model: (a) the rate constant for the decomposition of H2O2 (+M) ↔ 2OH (+M) has been updated to the value recently proposed by Troe (Combust. Flame, 2011, 158, 594-601) and (b) a temperature dependent heterogeneous destruction of H2O2 on the hot reactor walls with assumed rate parameters has been added. The improvement (a) slows down the overall reactivity at higher temperatures, but has a negligible impact on the maximal H2O2 mole fraction. Improvement (b) has also a small impact on the overall reactivity at higher temperatures, but a large effect on the maximal H2O2 mole fraction. Both modifications lead to an improved agreement between model and experiment for the oxidation of n-butane in a JSR at temperatures above 750 K.

An experimental and modeling study of the low- and high-temperature oxidation of cyclohexane

The experimental study of the oxidation of cyclohexane has been performed in a jet-stirred reactor at temperatures ranging from 500 to 1100 K (low- and intermediate temperature zones including the negative temperature-coefficient area), at a residence time of 2 s and for dilute mixtures with equivalence ratios of 0.5, 1, and 2. Experiments were carried out at quasi-atmospheric pressure (1.07 bar). The fuel and reaction product mole fractions were measured using online gas chromatography. A total of 34 reaction products have been detected and quantified in this study. Typical reaction products formed in the low-temperature oxidation of cyclohexane include cyclic ethers (1,2-epoxycyclohexane and 1,4-epoxycyclohexane), 5-hexenal (formed from the rapid decomposition of 1,3-epoxycyclohexane), cyclohexanone, and cyclohexene, as well as benzene and phenol. Cyclohexane displays high low-temperature reactivity with well-marked negative temperature-coefficient (NTC) behavior at equivalence ratios 0.5 and 1. The fuel-rich system (ϕ = 2) is much less reactive in the same region and exhibits no NTC. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first jet-stirred reactor study to report NTC in cyclohexane oxidation. Laminar burning velocities were also measured by the heated burner method at initial gas temperatures of 298, 358, and 398 K and at 1 atm. The laminar burning velocity values peak at ϕ = 1.1 and are measured as 40 and 63.1 cm/s for Ti = 298 and 398 K, respectively. An updated detailed chemical kinetic model including low-temperature pathways was used to simulate the present (jet-stirred reactor and laminar burning velocity) and literature experimental (laminar burning velocity, rapid compression machine, and shock tube ignition delay times) data. Reasonable agreement is observed with most of the products observed in our reactor, as well as the literature experimental data considered in this paper.

Study of the low temperature oxidation of propane

The low-temperature oxidation of propane was investigated using a jet-stirred reactor at atmospheric pressure and two methods of analysis: gas chromatography and synchrotron vacuum ultraviolet photoionization mass spectrometry (SVUV-PIMS) with direct sampling through a molecular jet. The second method allowed the identification of products, such as molecules with hydroperoxy functions, which are not stable enough to be detected by gas chromatography. Mole fractions of the reactants and reaction products were measured as a function of the temperature (530-730 K), with a particular attention to reaction products involved in the low temperature oxidation, such as cyclic ethers, aldehydes, alcohols, ketones, and hydroperoxides. A new model has been obtained from an automatically generated one, which was used as a starting point, with a large number of re-estimated thermochemical and kinetic data. The kinetic data of the most sensitive reactions, i.e., isomerizations of alkylperoxy radicals and the subsequent decompositions, have been calculated at the CBS-QB3 level of theory. The model allows a satisfactory prediction of the experimental data. A flow rate analysis has allowed highlighting the important reaction channels.