In recent years the interest in renewable energy resources is increasing.
Ethanol is considered as one of the promising alternative fuels. It has many
advantages that make it an excellent motor fuel, Ethanol combustion
relatively yields much lower
amounts of poisonous carbon monoxide (that is
very important in crowded cities), and it is also CO2-neutral in regards to
the greenhouse effect. In comparison with gasoline, ethanol needs less
amount of air for combustion, so the stoichiometric ratio for gasoline is
15:1, but for ethanol is 9:1.
The burning velocity and flame structure of ethanol –air mixtures over a
wide range of pressure and temperature have been studied using both a
constant volume spherical and a cylindrical chamber with end windows. A
thermodynamic model was used to calculate the burning velocity from the
measured dynamic pressure rise in the spherical chamber. Photographic
observations were made through the end windows in the cylindrical
chamber. Smooth and cracked flames were all observed by using a highspeed
camera.
