Experimental and modeling studies of rich Benzene/O2/Ar and Benzene/Ethanol/O2/Ar flames at low pressure

Two premixed rich benzene/oxygen/argon (11.5% C6H6, 43.2% O2, 45.3% Ar) and benzene/ ethanol/oxygen/argon (10.7% C6H6, 2.1% C2H5OH, 43.2% O2, 44.0% Ar) flat flames are stabilized at low pressure (45 mbar) on a burner with the same equivalence ratio of 2.00. The substitution of some C6H6 by C2H5OH is responsible for a reduction of the maximum concentrations of main intermediate species such as C2H2, C4H2, C4H4 and C5H6. The UCL mechanism is extended to heavier hydrocarbons, tested against these flames to check its validity and to underline the effect of ethanol on soot precursors formation