Methyl Radical Concentrations and Production Rates in a Faminar Methane/Air Diffusion Flame

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Methyl radicals have been detected in a laminar methane/air diffusion flame via an application of the scavenger probe technique. In these experiments, a quartz microprobe was modified such that iodine vapor was pumped from a storage side arm into the inside tip of the probe. Sampled methyl radicals react quantitatively with iodine to produce methyl iodide, which was detected by a mass spectrometer. The resulting quantitative profiles are compared to profiles of stable intermediate hydrocarbons which have been observed in this flame, as well as to profile signals which are due to methyl radical ionization by laser radiation. The concentrations of methyl are combined with velocity and temperature data to calculate the net rate of chemical reactions of methyl radical in the flame. The use of methyl radical concentration and rate data to estimate the concentrations of other reactive species is discussed.