LAUSR

Abstract A fast pyrolysis biofuel, mainly consisting to 98% of ethanol, ethyl acetate, diethyl ether, acetone and 2-butanone with mass ratios of 9:6:2:1:1, was catalytically produced from rice husk. A preliminary engine test demonstrated this biofuel has the possibility of being a gasoline blending stock. However, its fundamental burning features are not fully understood. This work presents the experimental investigations of the spherical propagating flame of a surrogate fuel representing the biofuel in a constant volume combustion chamber (CVCC). Tests were conducted at initial pressures of 0.1–0.4 MPa, initial temperatures of 358–418 K, and equivalence ratios of 0.7–1.4. Employing the constant volume method (CVM) allows determining laminar burning speeds (Su) of this surrogate at conditions far beyond the initial conditions (0.1–0.8 MPa, 358–490 K). Power law fitting correlations between Su and pressure were obtained via the constant volume method (CVM). Cellularity appears when pressure or temperature is high, and cellular burning speed was calculated by CVM as well. Su determined via the constant pressure method (CPM) were compared with those from the CVM. Discrepancies between the results from the CVM and the CPM are within 15%, except at the conditions where flame cellularity appeared. Additionally, an explicit correlation of Su was obtained from the experimental results.