Kinetics of isothermal ignition and combustion of some oxygenated VOCs on platinum wire

Abstract

Three oxygenated Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): acetone, ethanol, and methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), frequently used in both industrial and domestic activities, were subjected to a kinetic study of catalytic oxidation with air on a platinum wire heated in isothermal regime. An isothermal technique previously described for volatile hydrocarbons was extended to the oxygenated volatile compounds obtaining valuable information on the ignition and subsequent combustion on and around the platinum surface. From the measurements of the electrical characteristics of the heating circuit, several properties like the critical ignition temperature, thermal flux emitted by the chemical reaction and induction time were measured. Their dependence on the gaseous mixture pressure, fuel concentration and platinum catalyst temperature resulted in the overall activation parameters of the combustion process.