Effects of an Iron Pentacarbonyl Additive on Counterflow Natural Gas and Ethanol Flames

The addition of metallic precursors to flames evinces interest because of their potential ability to catalyze methane and ethanol combustion by means of supplemental gas-phase and surface reactions. A counterflow flame burner is used to spatially characterize and analyze the emissions from iron-pentacarbonyl-borne ethanol and methane combustion. Samples of the flue gases are obtained from these laminar and planar flames and are quantified using gas chromatography (GC) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, while solid particles are examined through X-ray diffraction (XRD). Measurements from ethanol and methane flames are compared and analyzed, to investigate the role of metal particles derived from iron pentacarbonyl. Experimental data demonstrate, in both flames, a significant influence of the additive on combustion emissions, such as NO and soot precursors. The addition of iron pentacarbonyl is found to be more effective in restricting soot precursors in methane flames compared to ethanol f...