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Flammability of mixed gases

Journal Article · · Rep. Invest. - U.S., Bur. Mines; (United States)
OSTI ID:6069398

Flammability limits under stagnant initial conditions were investigated for single, binary, and ternary component fuels of H/sub 2/, CH/sub 4/, and CO that were premixed with air and ignited at ambient temperature and pressure; the primary emphasis was on the lower or lean limits of flammability, which are of greatest interest in safety applications. Results suggest that (1) the LeChatelier mixture law approximations of the limits of downward propagation were uniformly conservative, (2) the use of the LeChatelier law for upward flame propagation limits in any situation involving perferential diffusion could not be justified, (3) the observed upward limit for methane-air mixtures was less than the widely accepted lean limit for this fuel, (4) the observed upward limits for lean hydrogen-air and carbon monoxide-air mixtures agree with the lowest accepted values, and (5) the combustion community should be provided with more information on the many practical aspects of diffusional demixing.

Research Organization:
Bureau of Mines, Pittsburgh, PA
OSTI ID:
6069398
Journal Information:
Rep. Invest. - U.S., Bur. Mines; (United States), Journal Name: Rep. Invest. - U.S., Bur. Mines; (United States) Vol. RI-8709; ISSN XBMIA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English