The San Diego Mechanism

Chemical-Kinetic Mechanisms for Combustion

Applications
Philosophy
The detailed chemistry posted here is designed to focus on conditions relevant
to flames, high temperature ignition and detonations. It was derived by
beginning with simple chemical systems then proceeding gradually to more
complex systems. In this approach, the numbers of species and reactions are
kept to the minimum needed to describe the systems and phenomena
addressed, thereby minimizing as much as possible the uncertainties in the rate
parameters employed. The philosophy thus differs from that underlying a
number of other data bases, many of which seek completeness, attempting to
include all potentially relevant elementary steps. In following the plan based on
the present philosophy, the experience has been that the rate parameters of a
relatively small number of elementary steps are of crucial importance to the
predictions and that cumulative effects of small contributions from a large
number of steps are seldom of much significance. This is advantageous
because the many uncertainties in rate parameters of many steps increase the
uncertainties in predictions when large number of steps are included. As the
database for the present mechanism evolves, it should be applicable to an
increasing number of combustion and detonation processes.