Raman Spectra of Methane, Ethylene, Ethane, Dimethyl ether, Formaldehyde and Propane for Combustion Applications

Spontaneous Raman scattering measurements of temperature and major species concentration in hydrocarbon-air flames require detailed knowledge of the Raman spectra of the hydrocarbons present when fuels more complex than methane are used. Although hydrocarbon spectra have been extensively studied at room temperature, there are no data available at higher temperatures. Quantum mechanical calculations, when available are not sufficiently accurate for combustion applications. This work presents experimental measurements of spontaneous Stokes-Raman scattering spectra of methane, ethylene, ethane, dimethyl ether, formaldehyde and propane in the temperature range 300-860 K. Raman spectra from heated hydrocarbons jets have been collected with a higher resolution than is generally employed for Raman measurements in combustion applications. A set of synthetic spectra have been generated for each hydrocarbon, providing the basis for extrapolation to higher temperatures. The spectra provided here will enable simultaneous measurements of multiple hydrocarbons in flames. This capability will greatly extend the range of applicability of Raman measurements in combustion applications. In addition, the experimental spectra provide a validation dataset for quantum mechanical models.