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The stability limits of the catalytically stabilized thermal combustion of methane and ethane

Journal Article · · Ind. Eng. Chem. Res.; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/ie00080a008· OSTI ID:6219160

The lean stability limits for the catalytically stabilized thermal combustion of various mixtures of methane/ethane over supported platinum catalyst were determined. The reference inlet velocity of the flow over the catalyst was maintained at 97 cm/s, and the catalytic bed was well-insulated to achieve adiabatic conditions. When ambient air is used as the oxidizer, the results show that the minimum operating temperatures required for stable combustion were 1680 and 1510 K for pure methane and pure ethane, respectively. It was found that the minimum stable operating temperature for methane combustion could be reduced by nearly 80 K by adding ethane as approximately 20% of the total fuel flow. Comparisons with heterogeneous/homogeneous ignition characteristics of methane/ethane mixtures over a flat catalytic plate, also determined in this study, demonstrate that ethane extends the methane stability limits by decreasing the ignition delay time of the homogeneous gas-phase reactions.

Research Organization:
Dept. of Chemical Engineering, Yale Univ., New Haven, CT (US)
OSTI ID:
6219160
Journal Information:
Ind. Eng. Chem. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: Ind. Eng. Chem. Res.; (United States) Vol. 27:8; ISSN IECRE
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English