Atmospheric pressure flow reactor: gas phase chemical kinetics under tropospheric conditions without wall effects

A method for determining the interaction of first and second reactants in simulation of atmospheric interactions, the method comprising:

• (a) providing a carrier gas, a first reactant, and a second reactant;
• (b) mixing the first reactant with the carrier gas containing the first reactant and delivering the carrier gas for flow of the carrier gas containing the first reactant through a duct;
• (c) directing the flow through said duct to form laminar flow of carrier gas containing the first reactant;
• (d) directing the laminar flow of carrier gas containing the first reactant including the first reactant into a second duct in fluid communication with said first duct;
• (e) introducing the second reactant into the laminar flow of carrier gas containing the first reactant into the second duct wherein the introduction is accomplished through a diffusion means relatively centered with respect to the second duct that the diffusion is accomplished substantially without disturbing the laminar flow of the first reactant, and further wherein the second duct is defined by walls which are spaced sufficiently from the introduction of the second reactants that laminar flow carries the first and second reactants along with the laminar flow and permits molecular scale diffusion and interaction of the first and second reactants while moving in laminar flow;
• and
• (f) determining the interaction of the first and second reactants in the second duct.