Shock tube study of ethylamine pyrolysis and oxidation

Ethylamine (CH3CH2NH2) pyrolysis and oxidation were studied using laser absorption behind reflected shock waves. For ethylamine pyrolysis, NH2 time-histories were measured in 2000 ppm ethylamine/argon mixtures. For ethylamine oxidation, ignition delay times, and NH2 and OH time-histories were measured in ethylamine/O2/argon mixtures. Measurements covered the temperature range of 1200–1448 K, with pressures near 0.85, 1.35 and 2 atm, and fuel mixtures with equivalence ratios of 0.75, 1 and 1.25 in 0.2%, 0.8% and 4% O2/argon. Simulations using the recent Li et al. mechanism gave significantly shorter ignition delay times and higher intermediate radical species concentrations than the experimental results. The reaction rate constants for the two major ethylamine decomposition pathways were modified in the Li et al. mechanism to improve the prediction of the time-histories of NH2 and OH in ethylamine pyrolysis. In addition, recommendations from recent studies of ethylamine + OH reactions were implemented. With these modifications, the Modified Li et al. mechanism provides significantly improved agreement with the species time-history measurements and the ignition delay time data.