The potential future massive utilisation of bio-syngas asks for a
reliable prediction of its burning behaviour in complex combustion
systems. To this end, computational modelling is a considerably
useful and promising strategy since it strongly reduces the related
experimental costs. The first step in such a process consists of the
determination of a reliable detailed reaction mechanism and this
has been the topic of the present study, along with drawing implications
from such an analysis. A widely used model for the combustion
of methane, namely the GRI mechanism, has been
compared with its own skeleton mechanism (DRM) and an extensive
reaction mechanism encompassing the combustion of C1–C4
hydrocarbons (Heghes) with respect to experimental ignition delay
times for various mixtures. Experiments concerning the ignition of
methane alone and methane with considerably smaller quantities
of hydrogen have first been simulated. Heghes’ mechanism overpredicts
generally the measurements whereas they are always
underpredicted by the GRI and DRM