Two-route formation of soot nuclei: experimental and modeling evidence

The results of shock-tube measurements of acetylene concentration and characteristics of the ensemble of soot particles during the pyrolysis of benzene, ethylene, ethylene-methane and ethylene-propane diluted with argon are compared with the predictions of the unified kinetic model of soot formation implemented in the MACRON program based on the Galerkin method. The simulation results demonstrate good agreement with experimental data for the pyrolysis of ethylene alone and with the specified additives, thereby confirming the two- route mechanism of soot nuclei formation. The agreement for benzene pyrolysis is less satisfactory.