Reactions of fuel-nitrogen compounds under conditions of inert pyrolysis

As part of a study of the chemical mechanisms involved in the conversion of fuel-nitrogen compounds to nitric oxide during combustion, fossil fuels and model nitrogen compounds were pyrolysed in helium in a small quartz flow reactor. Hydrogen cyanide was the major nitrogen-containing product obtained in all cases indicating that hydrogen cyanide is formed during the initial pre-flame stages of combustion and is the principal intermediate in the formation of fuel nitric oxide. At a nominal residence time of one second, 50% decomposition of pyrrole, quinoline, benzonitrile and pyridine occurs at 905, 910, 922 and 954 °C, respectively. The fraction of the nitrogen in pyridine that is converted to hydrogen cyanide increases from 40% at 960 °C to 100% at 1100 °C. Benzonitrile produces similar amounts of hydrogen cyanide (49 and 82%). The hydrogen cyanide yields from coals and residual fuel oils increase from the range of 15–25% at 950 °C to 23–42% at 1100 °C. It is not possible to determine from these single-stage experiments if most of the hydrogen cyanide forms in the primary pyrolysis process or in secondary reactions.