This paper investigated the laminar flame speed behavior of a matrix of ten spark-ignition fuels and fuel components using a spherical combustion bomb. The analysis methodology relied solely on the in-bomb pressure data. For each fuel measurements were performed at five different air-fuel ratios covering a mixture range from lean to rich. Six repeat combustion pressure traces were recorded for each air-fuel ratio, with each record containing approximately 90 data points. The entire sequence was performed at two initial temperatures resulting in a database of over 5000 individual calculations of laminar flame speed per fuel. A regression technique was employed to determine the relevant flame-speed parameters.
The fuel matrix included synthetic and conventional crude-derived gasoline fuels as well as a selection of blend components that could be used in the formulation of synthetic gasoline. The laminar flame speed results were interpreted against standard fuel specification analyses as well as the molecular weights, RON, MON results and detailed chemical compositional analyses obtained with two-dimensional gas chromatography.
Discernible differences were found in the laminar flame speed results of the test fuels. Furthermore the synthetic gasoline components revealed distinct laminar flame speed characteristics which suggested the potential for optimizing fuel formulations through the blending of synthetic fuel blends.