Soot suppression by ferrocene in laminar ethylene / air nonpremixed flames

An experimental investigation is presented on the origin of the soot suppressing role of ferrocene additive in laminar, coannular, ethylene/air nonpremixed flames. The conditions examined involve laminar flames operating above and below their smoke point. In-flame diagnostics are employed to discern the interaction between the soot matrix and additive combustion products. The data presented in a previous study, as produced by thermophoretic sampling, transmission electron microscopy and high-resolution microanalysis techniques, are supplemented by soot volume fraction, temperature, and soot primary size measurements to unravel the mechanisms through which ferrocene combustion products influence soot formation processes. Furthermore, Z-contrast scanning/transmission electron microscopy is used to examine the over-fire aerosol and, in turn, provide insight on the fine-scale dispersion of iron fragments within the carbonaceous soot matrix. It is shown that ferrocene seeding of the fuel stream accelerates the particulate inception mechanisms, but does not influence soot loadings when soot growth is dominant. Ferrocene is also found to enhance soot oxidation rates near the flame terminus. It is concluded that the fine-scale incorporation of iron compounds within the soot matrix is a primary factor for the soot suppressing role of ferrocene in nonpremixed flames.

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