A Study on Evolution and Modelling of Soot Formation in Diesel Jet Flames

Abstract

Soot emitted by diesel engines causes severe urban air pollution in the form of smog. Particularly in cities like New Delhi in India, smog presents a health risk for millions of people. To counter this problem diesel engines are to be designed with combustion systems which can minimize smoke formation, and if possible cheap and effective exhaust treatment devices are to be fitted in the exhaust of these engines. Hence, understanding of the chemistry and physical events in the soot formation is the starting point in solving this problem. Particularly, the soot formation studies on high-pressure diffusion flames burners issuing turbulent hydrocarbon fuel jets are relevant for this study. In this article, the various theories associated with the soot formation like soot inception, coagulation, agglomeration, oxidation are discussed. Also, the results of the numerical studies carried out by the authors on diesel-air flames at laboratory conditions are briefly presented.