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

该奖项支持加州大学圣地亚哥分校（UCSD）的Kalyanasundaram Seshadri教授与德国亚琛工业大学（RWTH）力学研究所的Norbert Peters教授合作。他们共同研究的主要目的是阐明流体流动所施加的应变对层流火焰中苯的形成速率的影响。他们将把研究重点放在扩散火焰上，并使用甲烷、乙烷和丙烷作为测试燃料。实验测量将在UCSD进行，以表征反应区的结构和应变率值，超过该值火焰中的黄色发光区就会消失。德国小组将进行数值计算，以确定不同应变率值下火焰的结构。这两个小组将共同进行渐近分析，以确定反应区的结构，并预测火焰中苯的形成速率。这种分工将有效地发挥两个研究小组的优势互补。这项研究直接关系到烟灰的形成，以及苯，扩散火焰。煤烟反映并加剧了内燃机效率的降低。提高对苯和烟灰形成机制的理解，可以提出改进技术，减少污染物的形成，提高柴油和燃气涡轮发动机的效率。

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.