Laser ignition of methane-air mixtures: An investigation of the lean limit and minimum ignition energy
- Ciprian Dumitrachea(Author),
- Andrew Boissierea(Author),
- ,
- Anthony J. Marchesea(Author),
- Azer P. Yalina(Author),
- Amir Mariab(Author)
- aColorado State University,
- bChevron Corporation
Research Output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding Conference contribution
Abstract
This study examines the laser ignition of methane-air mixtures in a Rapid Compression Machine (RCM). The lean limit and the minimum ignition energy (MIE) were investigated in the engine-like conditions provided by the RCM. A lean limit of ϕ90=0.47 was found experimentally for a laser spark energy of 5 mJ (corresponding to 90% combustion efficiency). MIE was found to exhibit a stochastic behavior and results can only be interpreted statistically. The MIE study was conducted at an equivalence ratio of ϕ=0.4 yielding an MIE (90% probability) of MIE90=7.2 mJ.