A Detailed Chemical Kinetics Simulation of Engine Knock

Abstract

–Engine knock was simulated for a stoichiometric ethane-air mixture in which the ethane oxidized according to the detailed chemical kinetics mechanism of Westbrook, Dryer, an co-workers. The simulation, using experimental temperature and pressure histories to drive the reaction kinetics, predicted times of knock occurrence that agreed to within two crank-angle degrees of available experimental engine data. In add ition, general comparisons of the species involved in the preknock reactions with limited experimental data available in the literature for other fuels showed consistent trends between prediction and experiment. The important species, including radicals, and reactions that lead to knock with ethane as the fuel are discussed.