U.S.-Germany Cooperative Research on Mechanisms of Formationof Benzene in Laminar Counterflow Flames

该奖项支持Kalyanasundaram Seshadri教授， 加州大学圣地亚哥分校（UCSD）， 与研究所的诺伯特·彼得斯教授合作 在亚琛技术大学（RWTH）的力学， 德国。 他们联合研究的主要目标是 是为了阐明流体施加的应变的影响 流动对层流火焰中苯生成速率的影响。 他们将把研究重点放在扩散火焰上， 作为测试燃料甲烷乙烷和丙烷 实验 测量将在UCSD进行，以表征 反应区的结构和应变值 火焰中黄色发光区的速率 消失. 德国小组将进行数字 计算以确定火焰的结构， 应变率的各种值。 两个小组将 在渐近分析中一起工作，以确定 结构的反应区，并预测率 在火焰中形成苯。 这种分工 将有效地利用 两个研究小组。 这项研究与煤烟的形成直接相关， 以及苯，在扩散火焰中。 烟尘反映， 并且加剧了燃烧效率的降低 机. 更好地理解 苯和烟灰的形成可能表明 减少污染物形成和改善 柴油和燃气涡轮机发动机的效率。

This award supports Professor Kalyanasundaram Seshadri of the University of California at San Diego (UCSD), to collaborate with Professor Norbert Peters of the Institute for Mechanics at the Technical University of Aachen (RWTH), Germany. The principal objective of their joint research is to clarify the influence of strain imposed by the fluid flow on the rate of formation of benzene in laminar flames. They will focus their research on diffusion flames, and use as test fuels methane, ethane and propane. Experimental measurements will be made at UCSD to characterize the structure of the reaction zone and the values of strain rates beyond which the yellow luminous zone in the flame disappears. The German group will carry out the numerical calculations to determine the structure of the flame for various values of the rate of strain. The two groups will work together in the asymptotic analysis to determine the structure of the reaction zone and predict the rates of formation of benzene in the flame. This division of labor will effectively exploit the complementary strengths of the two research groups. This research is directly related to the formation of soot, as well as benzene, in diffusion flames. Soot reflects as well as exacerbates reduced efficiency in combustion engines. An improved understanding of the mechanisms of the formation of benzene and soot could suggest improved techniques for reducing pollutant formation and improving efficiency in diesel and gas turbine engines.