The Use of Mass Spectrometry to Study the Structure of Flames and Combustion Processes

The general characteristic methods of the mass-spectrometric study of flames and combustion processes, and the latest achievements in experimental technique in the molecular-beam diagnostics of flames have been examined. The problems associated with the use of probe methods – the effects of freezing the chemical reactions, translational–vibrational relaxation, and perturbations introduced by the probe in the combustion process – have been analysed. The possibilities provided by the technique have been demonstrated for various examples in the study of the combustion of gaseous, liquid, and solid fuels, including that in various technical arrangements – internal combustion engines and liquid rocket motors. Questions related to the use of mass-spectrometric probes for the study of the mechanism and kinetics of chemical reactions in flames and for the determination of the rate constants of the elementary stages have been discussed. The bibliography contains 53 references.