The Effect of Hydrocarbon Structure Upon Fuel Sooting Tendency in a Turbulent Spray Diffusion Flame

The sooting tendencies of various hydrocarbon structures have been studied in a model gas turbine combustor at a pressure of 0.35 MPa and a preheated air temperature of 530 K. The results of this study have indicated that the sooting tendencies of fuels containing only single ring aromatics, fused bicyclic saturates, and unsaturated nonaromatics will be related to the overall hydrogen content of the fuel. However, experimental fuel blends with high concentrations (> 20 percent wt) of naphthalenes or tetralins exhibit sooting properties that are dependent upon the presence of such components. It is suggested that a kinetic scheme utilizing aromatic rings as nuclei upon which reactive fragments may stabilize can explain the present results.