Experimental and modelling study of laminar burning velocity of aqueous ethanol

Laminar burning velocities of ethanol-water-air mixtures have been determined using the heat flux method. Aqueous ethanol contained 0–40% of water by mole fraction. Laminar premixed flat flames were stabilized on a perforated burner under adiabatic conditions for the equivalence ratio range from 0.7 to 1.4. Burning velocity measurements were performed for the initial gas temperature of 358 K and at atmospheric pressure. The results for ethanol-air flames are in good agreement with the previous data obtained using the same heat flux method. The present and literature experimental data were compared against predictions using four different kinetic models. All models show uniform behaviour over the range of ethanol dilution by water covered in the present study. However, model predictions significantly diverge from the experimental data obtained in spherical flames. To quantify the effect of dilution on the laminar burning velocity, an empirical dimensionless correlation has been derived from the experimental data and predictions of the models tested. Further numerical analyses were performed to identify the effects of water addition on laminar burning velocities. Results suggested that water strongly interacts with the H₂/O₂ and C₁ oxidation/recombination routes.