A review of mechanistic and mathematical modeling of n-heptane and cyclohexane pyrolysis

An extensive literature review of the mechanistic modeling of n-heptane and cyclohexane pyrolysis was carried out. It was shown that Rice–Kossiakoff free radical theory does not adequately account for product distributions of n-heptane pyrolysis in the high conversion regime. Secondary reactions of alpha higher olefins and di-olefins accounted for the major products (ethene, propene and 1-butene) of n-heptane pyrolysis. Predicted product distributions (CH₄, C₂H₄, C₃H₆, 1-C₄H₈ and 1,3-C₄H₆) of n-heptane pyrolysis showed very good agreement with experimental data. The product distributions of cyclohexane pyrolysis in the high conversion regime were rationalized and adequately accounted for using decomposition reactions of cyclohexyl bi-radicals followed by secondary reactions of major primary products such as C₃H₆ and 1,3-C₄H₆. The latter expanded mechanism can be used to model cyclohexane pyrolysis in the high conversion regime. Rate parameters (pre-exponential factors and activation energy) for each of the elementary reactions of n-heptane mechanistic model were either obtained from the literature or estimated using thermochemical parameters. The use of steady state approximation in mathematical modeling of n-heptane pyrolysis led to erroneous results.