In　order　to　investigate　the　combustion　characteristics　of　methane　(CH4),　effects　of　the　driving　gas　pressure,　initial　pressure　and　equivalence　ratio　on　the　ignition　delay　time　of　CH4/O2/Ar　mixture　were　investigated　using　a　rapid　compression　machine　(RCM)　at　initial　temperature　288K,　driving　gas　pressure　of　0.25-0.65　MPa,　initial　pressure　of　0.06-0.10　MPa　and　equivalence　ratio　of　0.57-1.33　in　this　study.　Kinetics　model　was　built　to　simulate　effects　of　the　compressed　temperature　on　the　ignition　delay　time　of　CH4/O2/Ar　mixture　and　to　simulate　the　combustion　process　with　the　same　initial　pressure　and　equivalence　ratio　as　experiments.　The　results　show　that　the　ignition　delay　time　of　CH4/O2/Ar　mixture　has　a　mild　fluctuation　within　a　narrow　range　under　a　certain　range　of　driving　gas　pressure.　The　ignition　delay　time　slightly　extends　under　a　high　driving　gas　pressure.　However,　it　has　a　significant　increase　when　the　driving　gas　pressure　is　extremely　low.　The　ignition　delay　time　of　CH4/O2/Ar　mixture　shortens　with　increasing　compressed　temperature.　With　increasing　initial　pressure,　the　ignition　delay　time　of　CH4/O2/Ar　mixture　shortens　under　different　equivalence　ratios,　with　increasing　equivalence　ratio,　and　the　ignition　delay　time　of　CH4/O2/Ar　mixture　extends　under　different　initial　pressures.　©　2016,　Beijing　University　of　Technology.　All　right　reserved.