Formation and destruction of nitric oxide in methane flames doped with NO at atmospheric pressure

A study of formation and destruction of NO in adiabatic laminar premixed flames of CH4 + O2 mixtures diluted with N2 or Ar (with various dilution ratios) in a range of equivalence ratios at atmospheric pressure is presented. Nitric oxide was seeded into the flames using mixtures of diluent gas + 100 ppm of NO. The heat flux method was employed to measure adiabatic burning velocities of these flames. Nitric oxide concentrations in the post-flame zone at 10, 15 and 20 mm above the burner surface were measured using probe sampling. Burning velocities and NO concentrations simulated using a previously developed chemical kinetic mechanism were compared with the experimental results. The conversion ratio of NO seeded into the flames was determined. The kinetic mechanism accurately predicts burning velocities over the range of equivalence ratios and NO conversion in the rich flames. Significant discrepancies between measured and calculated NO conversion in the lean and near-stoichiometric flames were observed and discussed.