- Author
- Vranos, A. | Liscinsky, D. S.
- Title
- Pyrolysis of n-Tetradecane in Free Droplet Vaporization
- Coporate
- United Technologies Research Center, East Hartford, CT
- Journal
- Combustion Science and Technology, Vol. 38, No. 3, 145-160, 1984
- Keywords
- pyrolysis
- Abstract
- The pyrolysis of n-tetradecane in free droplet vaporization was studied in a laminar flow furnace. Furnace exhaust products were sampled as a function of furnace temperature, process gas flow rate, and droplet spacing. The principal pyrolysis products in a helium environment were C1-C4 hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and soot. The light products were methane, ethane, ethylene, propylene, and acetylene, primarily. PAH were identified using high resolution, quartz capillary gas chromatography and high pressure liquid chromatography. A high distribution of PAH was found, but most of the PAH four fused rings or less. At 600 deg. C the droplets vaporized completely without pyrolysis. At 800 deg. C all the tetradecane is converted to light gases and PAH are first detected. PAH attain a maximum level near 1100 deg. C before appreciable soot production commences. Pyrolysis product levels are also a strong function of residence time and droplet spacing; maximum PAH levels shift to higher temperature at reduced residence time, and PAH levels are increased substantially at reduced droplet spacing. A rough estimate of the overall activation energy for soot production in the range 1000- 1400 deg. C is 35 kcal/mole.