A PRIORI ESTIMATION OF CHEMICAL RELAXATION OSCILLATIONS VIA A SINGULAR PERTURBATION TECHNIQUE

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Abstract
The application of a zeroth order singular perturbation technique to certain models of chemically reacting systems exhibiting relaxation oscillation behavior is presented. Resultant estimates of amplitudes and periods for two well-studied systems—viz., CO oxidation on platinum and the nth order reaction in the CSTR—are shown to be in good agreement with values determined by numerical integration of the respective model equations. Also presented is a method by which regions in parameter space where limit cycles exist may be determined a priori. This method, coupled with accurate experimental data, could prove to be a powerful tool in the critical evaluation of and discrimination between candidate models of chemical oscillations.