Diethyl ether pyrolysis study in a jet-stirred reactor

This paper reports new experimental measurements for the pyrolysis of diethyl ether at temperatures between 600 and 1100 K under dilute conditions. This work was performed using a jet-stirred reactor at pressures from 26.7 kPa (200 Torr) to 107.7 kPa (800 Torr) with dilution in helium, for residence time from 1 to 10 s and an inlet fuel concentration from 1 to 5%. Temperature was the parameter with the largest influence on reactivity. The complete destruction of diethyl ether was observed from 1080 K. A decrease of residence time and pressure also slightly decreased reactivity, but the effect of pressure remained very limited. Major products were carbon monoxide, methane, ethylene and acetaldehyde. Minor products were ethane, acetylene, propane, propene, ethanol, 1,3-butadiene, and benzene. Two literature models including diethyl ether reactions have been used to simulate these results, with in both cases a satisfactory agreement between experiments and simulations for fuel conversion and the formation of most of the products. Simulations using a literature model for the thermal decomposition of diethyl sulfide indicated that in the studied conditions, the sulfur compound would be completely decomposed at a temperature about 100 K lower than the oxygenated reactant.