Chemistry of Combustion of Fuel-Water Mixtures.
Abstract
The continuation of an experimental flame study concerning the nonphysical processes that lead to soot suppression when water is added to fuel, begun in a previous program is reported. The study included a mapping of temperature, chemical species and soot profiles of laminar diffusion flames with and without water added. Fuels studied included ethylene and a benzene/hydrogen mixture. Flames with nonreactive gases added (argon, nitrogen), were also studied for comparison purposes. The study concludes that the reduction of soot by water in an ethylene diffusion flame can be completely explained by thermal effects. The results are not as definitive for benzene. The addition of water causes a greater reduction in soot than does a thermally equivalent addition of argon, but no noticeable differences in chemical species profiles are observed. There is evidence, however, that water addition causes an increase in concentration of an oxygen-containing tarry substance present in the flame prior to soot formation. During the course of the study it was also possible to estimate both soot particle diameters (1-2 x .000001 cm at the beginning of the oxidation zone) and an activation energy for soot oxidation by the OH radical (7-8 kcal/mole). In addition, it was possible to confirm the presence of and quantify the oxygen concentration in the center of diffusion flames, first reported under the previous program. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1981
- Accession Number
- ADA105401
Entities
People
- Edward G. Skolnik
- Edward T. Mchale
- Harley L. Heaton
Organizations
- ARCO