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Detonation cell widths in hydrogen-air-diluent mixtures

Conference ·
OSTI ID:6562805
In this paper I report on the influence of steam and carbon dioxide on the detonability of hydrogen-air mixtures. Data were obtained on the detonation cell width in a heated detonation tube that is 0.43 m in diameter and 13.1 m long. The detonation cell widths were correlated using a characteristic length calculated from a chemical kinetic model. The addition of either diluent to a hydrogen-air mixture increased the cell width for all equivalence ratios. For equal diluent concentrations, however, carbon dioxide not only yielded larger increases in the cell width than steam, but its efficacy relative to steam was predicted to increase with increasing concentration. The range of detonable hydrogen concentrations in a hydrogen-air mixture initially at 1 atm pressure was found to be between 11.6 percent and 74.9 percent for mixtures at 20{degree}C and 9.4 percent and 76.9 percent for mixtures at 100{degree}C. The detonation limit was between 38.8 percent and 40.5 percent steam for a stoichiometric hydrogen-air-steam mixture initially at 100{degree}C and 1 atm. 10 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab.
Research Organization:
Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
Sponsoring Organization:
NRC
DOE Contract Number:
AC04-76DP00789
OSTI ID:
6562805
Report Number(s):
SAND-90-2251C; CONF-9010207--1; ON: DE91000771
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English