Ethane autoignition temperature

For straight paraffinic hydrocarbons (i.e., methane, ethane, propane, etc.) the commonly accepted autoignition temperatures decrease as the paraffinic carbon atoms increase (e g., methane 540 °C (1004 °F) and octane 220 °C (428 °F)). 

In 1985 Leppard [156] reported engine measurements, for stoichiometric ethane-air, of pressure and end gas temperature, the latter derived from the energy equation. The occurrence of autoignition agreed closely with prediction based on an earlier chemical model of Westbrook and Dryer [52]. From their engine experiments, Cowart et al. [59] also compared, for iso-octane and -pentane, the predictions of the simplified models of Hu and Keck [75] and Chun et al. [157], and the more detailed kinetic predictions of Westbrook et al. [158]. These were found to simulate the time of knock occurrence if the kinetic data were re-calibrated. This, and the subsequent work of Brussovansky et al. [76], showed the need for accurate allowances for heat transfer and piston blow-by, because of their important effect on the derived end gas temperature. Where end gas temperature can be measured directly this problem is circumvented. 

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