Experimental study of the structure of a lean premixed indane/CH$_4$/O$_2$/Ar flame

In order to better understand the chemistry involved during the combustion of diesel fuel components, the structure of a laminar lean premixed methane flame doped with indane has been investigated. This flame contains 7.1% (molar) of methane, 36.8% of oxygen, and 0.90% of indane, corresponding to an equivalence ratio of 0.74 and a C$_9$H$_{10}$/CH$_4$ ratio of 12.75%, with argon used as a dilutant. The flame has been stabilized on a burner at a pressure of 6.7 kPa, with the gas velocity at the burner exit equal to 49.2 cm/sec at 333 K. Quantified species include usual methane combustion products C$_0$–C$_2$, but also eleven C$_3$–C$_5$ hydrocarbons and three C$_1$–C$_3$ oxygenated compounds, as well as 17 aromatic products, namely benzene, toluene, phenylacetylene, styrene, ethylbenzene, xylenes, trimethylbenzenes, ethyltoluenes, indene, methylindane, methylindene, naphthalene, phenol, benzaldehyde, and benzofuran. The temperature has been measured by a PtRh(6%)-PtRh(30%) thermocouple settled inside the enclosure: from 800 K close to the burner up to 2000 K in the burned gases.