Experimental and Kinetic Modeling Study on Self-Ignition of α‑Methylnaphthalene in a Heated Rapid Compression Machine

As an important component
of diesel and kerosene surrogates, the
experimental study and chemical kinetic modeling of α-methylnaphthalene
(AMN) are still very insufficient. The ignition delay of an AMN/O2/Ar mixture in a heated rapid compression machine (RCM) was
measured in this study. The data were obtained for equivalence ratios
of 0.7, 1, and 1.2, at pressures of 12, 15, and 20 bar, over the temperature
range of 860–1040 K. A semi-detailed kinetic mechanism for
the oxidation of AMN was established, which consists of 196 species
and 1330 reactions. In comparison to the different previous mechanism,
the new mechanism can more accurately predict the ignition delay of
AMN in RCM and shock tube experiments. It can also accurately predict
the experimental data obtained in a jet-stirred reactor from the literature.
The ignition delays using adiabatic constant-volume simulation and
RCM simulation were compared, which indicated that RCM simulation
could better predict the experimental data. Sensitivity and reaction
path analysis were also carried out to explore the effect of key reactions
and paths on AMN ignition.