Spark ignition of propane-air mixtures near the minimum ignition energy. Part 1; An experimental study

Journal Article · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1991 · Combustion and Flame; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0010-2180(91)90204-O· OSTI ID:5513134

Ko, Y; Arpaci, V S ^[1]; Anderson, R W ^[2]

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1. Michigan Univ., Ann Arbor, MI (USA). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics
2. Ford Motor Co., Dearborn, MI (USA). Engine Research Dept.

Kernel growth from a spark in propane-air mixtures at atmospheric pressure is studied in a constant volume bomb with a high-speed laser schlieren system. The spark current and voltage waveforms of an inductive ignition source are simultaneously recorded with the photographic recordings. The temporal growth of the measured equivalent radii at conditions near the minimum ignition energy shows the existence of a critical radius and the influence of the critical radius on kernel development. In addition, it is shown that the net spark power for ignition can be estimated using data from minimum ignition energy, electrode fall energy losses, and spark calorimetry experiments.

• OSTI ID: 5513134
• Journal Information: Combustion and Flame; (USA), Vol. 83:1 and 2; ISSN 0010-2180
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
PROPANE
COMBUSTION KINETICS
AIR
IGNITION
PHOTOGRAPHY
ALKANES
CHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
FLUIDS
GASES
HYDROCARBONS
KINETICS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
REACTION KINETICS
034000* - Natural Gas- Combustion