Minimum ignition energies have been calculated for alkane-air mixtures at standard ambient conditions. The governing conservation equations have been solved using approximate transport properties and chemistry. A six-species, four-step global reaction scheme for combustion of alkane hydrocarbons up to butane (Jones and Lindstedt, 1988) was employed. Radiative heat loss due to band emission from the ignition kernel which is included in the calculations was found to be negligible at equivalence ratios where ignition energy is a minimum. The important effect of energy input radius on minimum ignition energy is discussed in some detail for a propane-air mixture. After establishing a methodology for finding the minimum ignition energy for a specific fuel and equivalence ratio, results are presented for methane through butane over a wide range of equivalence ratios. A comparison is made with experimental results, and the similarities and differences are discussed.
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