Relationship between the dust flame propagation velocity and the combustion mode of fuel particles

A possibility of determining the regime of combustion of individual fuel particles on the basis of the dependence of the flame velocity on the fuel and oxidizer concentrations is considered by an example of a dust flame of microsized metal particles with diameters d ₁₀ < 15 μm and particle concentrations from ≈10¹⁰ to 10¹¹ m^?3 in oxygen-containing media at atmospheric pressure. The combustion mode (kinetic or diffusion) is responsible for the qualitative difference in the character of the normal velocity of the flame as a function of the basic parameters of the gas suspension. The analysis of such experimental dependences for fuel-rich mixtures shows that combustion of zirconium particles (d ₁₀ = 4 μm) in a laminar dust flame is controlled by oxidizer diffusion toward the particle surface, whereas combustion of iron particles of a similar size is controlled by kinetics of heterogeneous reactions. For aluminum particles with d ₁₀ = 5–15 μm, there are no clearly expressed features of either kinetic or diffusion mode of combustion. To obtain more information about the processes responsible for combustion of fine aluminum particles, the flame velocity is studied as a function of the particle size and initial temperature of the gas suspension. It is demonstrated that aluminum particles under the experimental conditions considered in this study burn in the transitional mode.     

Combustion Aspects of Sodium Azide and its mixtures with potassium perchlorate and burning catalysts

Linear burning rate, thermal aualysis, temperature profile, flame structure and cryogenic burnability for the mixtures of sodium azide (SA) of different particle sizes (3.5 μm, 22 μm, and 67 μm), potassium perchlorate (KP) and with or without three kinds of burning catalysts (GeO₂, Er₂O₃, and Y₂O₃) have been investigated. The linear burning rates increase with the KP content up to 33Wt% for similar SA particle size. The temperature-time histories in the vicinity of burning surface were obtained with 20 μm Type K thermocouple embedded in a Strand. The burning surface temperaturres of neat SA and of the SA/KP mixtures are nearly 350°C and 350°C ∼ 550°C, respectively, while the existence of the decomposition surface at 250 °C and condensed layer was suggested with SA/KP mixtures. In visual observation for the flame structure, the front of luminous flame zone appers to be in contact with the condensed phase surface. For example, however, the temperature profile suggests that there exists finitc distance from decomposition surface to flame front in the order of 0.05 mm ∼ 0.1 mm at 1 MPa for SA/KP = 80/20. The differential thermal analysis indicates that the tested catalysts have retarding effect on SA combustion, but a positive effect on neat KP decomposition in spite of being impotent for the burning rate increase of the SA/KP mixture. It was also found that SA strands containing appropatiae fractions of KP can hurn even in liquid nitrogen.     

Condensed combustion products of aluminized propellants. IV. Effect of the nature of nitramines on aluminum agglomeration and combustion efficiency

The condensed combustion products of two model propellants consisting of ammonium perchlorate, aluminum, nitramine, and an energetic binder were studied by a sampling method. One of the propellants contained HMX with a particle size D ₁₀ ≈ 490 μm, and the other RDX with a particle size _{D 10} ≈ 380 μm. The particle-size distribution and the content of metallic aluminum in particles of condensed combustion products with a particle size of 1.2 μm to the maximum particle size in the pressure range of 0.1–6.5 MPa were determined with variation in the particle quenching distance from the burning surface to 100 mm. For agglomerates, dependences of the incompleteness of aluminum combustion on the residence time in the propellant flame were obtained. The RDX-based propellant is characterized by more severe agglomeration than the HMX-based propellant — the agglomerate size and mass are larger and the aluminum burnout proceeds more slowly. The ratio of the mass of the oxide accumulated on the agglomerates to the total mass of the oxide formed is determined. The agglomerate size is shown to be the main physical factor that governs the accumulation of the oxide on the burning agglomerate. __________ Translated from Fizika Goreniya i Vzryva, Vol. 42, No. 4, pp. 78–92, July–August, 2006.     

扩散过滤燃烧火焰特性

扩散过滤燃烧是新的燃烧技术,具有扩散燃烧和预混过滤燃烧的某些特性。通过二维双温模型,使用单步总包反应,数值研究氮气稀释的甲烷和氧气同轴同平板扩散过滤燃烧特性。模型中考虑热弥散和组分弥散效应。研究小球直径、气体混合物速度和甲烷质量分数对火焰高度和火焰形态的影响。结果表明,与预混过滤燃烧不同,气体和固体高温区存在于燃烧器的不同位置;而在高温区域之外,气体和多孔介质固体的温差很小。当填充床小球直径从6.66 mm减小到2.02 mm,火焰高度从0.048 m增大到0.12 m。增大混合物速度,甲烷的质量分数导致火焰变宽,火焰高度增大。数值模型的有效性得到了实验验证。     

Combustion of residual steel gases: laminar flame analysis and turbulent flamelet modeling

In recovery combustion systems operating in the steel industry, energy is provided by boilers burning residual gases of blast furnace and coke oven. To help understand combustion of this particular type of fuels, a numerical study is conducted where the major chemical properties of steel gas flames are collected. The chemical composition of representative fuel and oxidizer steel gas is varied over a large range in calculations using detailed chemistry and complex transport properties. The chemical equilibrium compositions, premixed flame speeds and diffusion flame extinction strain rates are determined. The advantages and shortcomings of the use of vitiated air emerge, and its introduction into the boiler appears as an interesting alternative to reduce NO_x emission. The detailed information obtained with laminar flame calculations is also introduced in flamelet turbulent combustion modeling. Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) simulations of a test case burner are performed and some comparisons between numerical predictions and experimental results are presented.     

Formation mechanism of a wrinkled and textured Al2O3-ZrO2 nanoeutectic rapidly solidified from oxy-acetylene flame remelting

A highly wrinkled and textured Al₂O₃-ZrO₂ nanoeutectic induced by oxy-acetylene flame remelting was elaborated for the first time from the perspective of morphological evolution and formation mechanism. The rapidly solidified Al₂O₃-ZrO₂ ceramic exhibits a wrinkled cellular nanoeutectic structure with a minimum interphase spacing of 0.12 μm. The Jackson-Hunt (JH) eutectic theory is more appropriate to predict the growth of Al₂O₃-ZrO₂ nanoeutectic induced by oxy-acetylene flame remelting than the Trivedi-Magnin-Kurz (TMK) model. The bulk growth rate of 7.8 μm³/s is close to the theoretically predicted value of 11.0 μm³/s by the JH model. The eutectic growth rates of Al₂O₃-ZrO₂ with average interphase spacings of 0.12 and 0.3 μm are estimated to be 763.8 and 122.2 μm/s, respectively. Especially, a mesoscopic insight into formation mechanism of the wrinkled and textured eutectic was proposed from a three-dimensional perspective based on both the crystal growth orientation and the airflow effect.     

Atomization and combustion of canola methyl ester biofuel spray

The spray atomization and combustion characteristics of canola methyl ester (CME) biofuel are compared to those of petroleum based No. 2 diesel fuel in this paper. The spray flame was contained in an optically accessible combustor which was operated at atmospheric pressure with a co-flow of heated air. Fuel was delivered through a swirl-type air-blast atomizer with an injector orifice diameter of 300 μm. A two-component phase Doppler particle analyzer was used to measure the spray droplet size, axial velocity, and radial velocity distributions. Radial and axial distributions of NO, CO, CO₂ and O₂ concentrations were also obtained. Axial and radial distributions of flame temperature were recorded with a Pt–Pt/13%Rh (type R) thermocouple. The volumetric flow rates of fuel, atomization air and co-flow air were kept constant for both fuels. The droplet Sauter mean diameter (SMD) at the nozzle exit for CME biofuel spray was smaller than that of the No. 2 diesel fuel spray, implying faster vaporization rates for the former. The flame temperature decreased more rapidly for the CME biofuel spray flame than for the No. 2 diesel fuel spray flame in both axial and radial directions. CME biofuel spray flames produced lower in-flame NO and CO peak concentrations than No. 2 diesel fuel spray flames.     

Emissionspectroscopy of Boron Ignition and Combustion in the range of 0.2 m̈m to 5.5 m̈m

Boron particle combustion is retarded by initial presence of an oxide coating. In current boron ignition models, oxygen is assumed to desolve in the oxide and diffuse to the B/B₂O₃ interface for reaction. One method to observe the reaction of boron with its surrounding atmosphere is the time resolved emission spectroscopy we applied in the range of 0.2 m̈m to 5.5 m̈m for different burning processes. In one experiment boron powder was burned in oxygen atmosphere initiated by an efficient pyrotechnic device. The energy transfer by the hot gases led to a glowing phase of the boron particles which then changed to a high temperature combustion and ended in a further glowing phase. The two glowing phases emitted continuous emission spectra, while the burning phase emitted the bands of BO and BO₂. Another experimental setup was used to feed boron particles in a hot oxidizing atmosphere provided by a propane/air flame which flew into a combustion chamber. Herein the reaction of boron was recorded with high speed cinematography and time resolved emission spectroscopy. The flame contained a small amount of background radiation and we could identify emitted bands of BO, BO₂, HBO₂, CO and CO₂.     

Flame retardance and origin of bismaleimide resin composites with green and efficient aluminum phosphates

Developing green and high efficiency inorganic flame retardants is the trend of preparing flame retarding polymer composites. Aluminum phosphates (t‐hAP) with uniform, small dimension, and hexagonal structure were facilely synthesized, which have similar size (1–2 μm) but different structures from commercial spherical‐like aluminum phosphate (cAP). The flame retardance of bismaleimide (BD)/t‐hAP and BD/cAP composites were intensively investigated. t‐hAP is proved to have much better flame retarding effect than cAP, but also exhibits advantages over Mg(OH)₂ and Al(OH)₃. With only 5 wt % addition of t‐hAP into BD resin, the peak and total heat releases as well as total smoke production significantly reduce 42.3, 47.8, and 67.3%, respectively; besides, better data are obtained as the loading of t‐hAP increases to 10 wt %. These attractive data result from three effects induced by t‐hAP. Besides the better protection role of sheet structure, the strong hydrogen bonding between t‐hAP and BD resin endows the composite with good dispersion of t‐hAP and high crosslinking density; moreover, t‐hAP releases H₂O and NH₃, diluting flammable gases during combustion. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 41089.     

Combustion characteristics of coal in a mixture of oxygen and recycled flue gas

The combustion of coal in a mixture of pure O₂ and recycled flue gas is one variant of a novel combustion approach called oxy-fuel combustion. With the absence of N₂, this approach leads to a flue gas stream highly enriched in CO₂. For many applications, this flue gas stream can then be compressed and sequestered without further separation. As a result, oxy-fuel combustion is an attractive way to capture CO₂ produced from fossil fuel combustion. When coal is burned in this O₂ and CO₂ rich environment, its combustion characteristics can be very different from conventional air-fired combustion. In CETC-O, a vertical combustor research facility has been used in the past years to investigate the combustion characteristics of several different coals with this variant of oxy-fuel combustion. This included flame stability, emissions of NO_x, SO_x and trace elements, heat transfer, in-furnace flame profiles and flue gas compositions. This paper will report some of the major findings obtained from these research activities.     

Ultra-high temperature ablation behavior of MoAlB ceramics under an oxyacetylene flame

The ultra-high temperature ablation of a polycrystalline, fully dense, predominantly single phase MoAlB ceramic discs under an oxyacetylene flame is examined. The linear ablation rate decreases from 1.3 μm/s during the first 30 s to - 0.7 μm/s after 60 s when the surface temperature reached about 2050 °C (with a flame temperature around 3000 °C). Up to 60 s, the MoAlB is ablation resistant due to the formation of a protective and viscous surface Al₂O₃ layer. As the ablation time is prolonged, the protective Al₂O₃ scale becomes porous and is almost fully destroyed at the central ablation region after 120 s. This accelerates the formation of large amounts of volatile species (mainly B and Mo oxides), resulting in a reduction in the ablation resistance.     

Fast Burning Rocket Propellants Based on Silicone Binders – New Aspects of an Old System

Fast burning rocket propellants based on ammonium perchlorate (AP) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) binders have been formulated and basically characterized in aluminized and non aluminized versions. The thermodynamic performance of PDMS bound propellants is limited by the evaporation point of silicon dioxide (crystobalite at 2863 K), which is formed during the combustion. The maximum specific impulses calculated with an expansion ratio of 70 : 1 are I_SP = 2340 N s/kg (238 s) for AP/PDMS and I_SP = 2430 N s/kg (247 s) for AP/Al/PDMS formulations. With a tri‐modal AP‐fraction of 200 μm, 30 μm and 2 μm it was possible to achieve processable propellants with 83% and 84% solid loading. They give burning rates close to 60 mm/s at 10 MPa and pressure exponents between 0.5 and 0.6 in the range of 7–25 MPa. The thermodynamic specific impulse of these systems was calculated to I_SP=2319 N s/kg (236 s) for AP/PDMS and I_SP=2403 N s/kg (245 s) for AP/Al/PDMS formulations at 70 : 1 expansion ratio. Measurements of the glass transition point by DMA and TMA detected a time dependent partial crystallization of the used PDMS close to T_G in the temperature range from −44 °C to −60 °C. Basic tests reveal high thermal and chemical stability with flash points over 300 °C and zero detonation sensitivity at 50 mm diameter. The property profile, so far determined, tends to fulfil the demands for applications as propellants with high burning rates and operating pressures together with a high thermal stability and a low vulnerability.     

The behaviour of coal mineral carbonates in a simulated coal flame

The flame behaviour of the most important carbonates in European import coals has been investigated. The flame tests were performed in a laboratory facility in which the environment of a coal burner was simulated. For the tests the coal minerals were separated from the coal by float-sink separation. Electron microscopy was used to determine the size and morphology of the particles sampled from the flame. The viscosity of the particles was derived from tests of their adherence to refractory deposit plates placed in the flame. Calcite (CaCO₃) particles of 60 μm, a typical size in pulverized coal, broke up into fragments approximately ten times smaller. The time taken for complete fragmentation corresponded to the time calculated for the decomposition of the calcite. None of the ‘siderite’ samples tested showed fragmentation. Detailed analyses with TGA MS (thermogravimetry coupled with mass spectrometry) were performed to determine the actual fraction of FeCO₃ in the ‘siderite’ samples. Flame products of siderite proper had high viscosity. Siderite particles with embedded silicates had flame products of low viscosity. Ankerite (CaFe(CO₃)₂) did not fragment and the flame product was fluid.     

Study on flame structures and emissions of CO and NO in Various CH<Subscript>4</Subscript>/O<Subscript>2</Subscript>/N<Subscript>2</Subscript>–O<Subscript>2</Subscript>/N<Subscript>2</Subscript> counterflow premixed flames

An oxygen-diluted partially premixed/oxygen-enriched supplemental combustion (ODPP/OESC) counterflow flame is studied in this paper. Flame images are obtained through experiments and numerical simulations with the GRI-Mech 3.0 chemistry. The oxygen dilution effects are revealed by comparing the flame structures and emissions with those of a premixed flame and partially premixed flame (PPF) at the same equivalence ratio (?_Σ = 0.95 and ? _f = 1.4). The results show that both PPF and ODPP/OESC flames have distinct double flame structures; however, the location of the premixed combustion zone and the distance between premixed/nonpremixed combustion zone are significantly different for these two cases. For the ODPP/OESC flame, the temperature in the premixed combustion zone is lower and the premixed zone itself is located farther downstream from the fuel nozzle, which leads to reduction of NO and CO emissions, as compared to those of the PPF. Therefore, by adjusting the distribution of the oxygen concentration in the premixed and nonpremixed combustion zones, the ODPP/OESC can effectively balance the chemical reaction rate in the entire combustion zone and, consequently, reduce emissions.     

Regimes of Unstable Expansion and Diffusion Combustion of a Hydrocarbon Fuel Jet

Results of an experimental study of hydrodynamics and diffusion combustion of hydrocarbon jets are presented. Various regimes of instability development both in the jet flame proper and inside the source of the fuel jet are considered. The experiments are performed for the case of subsonic gas jet expansion into the air from a long tube 3.2 mm in diameter in the range of Reynolds numbers from 200 to 13 500. The fuel is the propane–butane mixture in experiments with a cold jet (without combustion) and pure propane or propane mixed with an inert dilutant (CO₂ or He) for the jet flame. The mean velocity and velocity fluctuations in the near field of the jet without combustion are measured. Among four possible regimes of cold jet expansion (dissipative, laminar, transitional, and turbulent), three last regimes are investigated. The Hilbert visualization of the reacting flow is performed. The temperature profiles in the near field of the jet are measured by a Pt/Pt–Rh thermocouple. An attached laminar flame is observed in the transitional regime of propane jet expansion from the tube. In the case of combustion of C₃H₈ mixtures with CO₂ or with He in the range of Reynolds numbers from 1900 to 3500, the transitional regime is detected in the lifted flame. Turbulent spots formed in the tube in the transitional regime exert a significant effect on the flame front position: they can either initiate a transition to a turbulent flame or lead to its laminarization.     

Glycine-nitrate solution combustion synthesis of lithium zirconate: Effect of fuel-to oxidant ratio on phase,microstructure and sintering

Pure monoclinic lithium zirconate (Li₂ZrO₃) powder was synthesized by solution combustion route using glycine as fuel and nitrates as oxidants. Effect of fuel-to-oxidizer ratio (φ = 0.5–1.25) on synthesis condition, phase, powder morphology, sintering and thermodynamic aspects was systematically investigated. Thermodynamic analysis reveals; mode of combustion, adiabatic flame temperature, amount of gases and powder characteristics can be controlled by adjusting φ. The crystallite size of Li₂ZrO₃ powder was in the range of 18–40 nm. The powders consist of micrometric soft-agglomerates of irregular flake shape particles. The residual Li₂O in Li₂ZrO₃ powder was found to be in the range 155–469 μg/g. The Li₂ZrO₃ powder synthesized by present method shows significantly enhanced sinter-ability as compared to conventional solid-state method. The Li₂ZrO₃ pellets were sintered close to 98% of T.D. at 1000 °C with grain size 1–2 μm. Increase of sintering temperature to 1050 °C results abnormal grain growth with large number of closed pores.     

Aerosol-Generating Pyrotechnic Compositions with Components Interacting in the Combustion Wave

Observations were performed of the burning surface of the pyrotechnic aerosol-generating KNO₃/melamine/iditol system. Its effectiveness in suppressing a diffusion hydrocarbon flame and the quantity of the combustion residue were measured. An extremal dependence of the flame suppression effectiveness on the KNO₃/melamine ratio was obtained. The maximum effectiveness corresponds to the disappearance of the melt from the burning surface. This is due to the formation of nonmelting organometallic compounds in the combustion wave. The maximum flame-suppression effectiveness is achieved when the entire metal of the oxidizer is involved in the reaction. Possible versions of such reactions are discussed. Examples of calculation of optimal compositions of this type are discussed.__________Translated from Fizika Goreniya i Vzryva, Vol. 41, No. 3, pp. 86–89, May–June, 2005.     

Effect of particle size on flame retardancy and mechanical properties of hydroxyethyl diphosphate modified aluminum hydroxide intrinsic polyethylene terephthalate

Organic–inorganic hybrid flame retardant was obtained by modifying aluminum hydroxide with different particle size with 1-hydroxyethylidene-1,1-diphosphonic acid. The structure of the organic–inorganic hybrid flame retardant is characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy, while ¹H-NMR spectroscopy only characterizes specific samples. The thermal stability and flame retardancy of the samples were analyzed by thermogravimetric analysis, limiting oxygen index (LOI), vertical combustion of UL-94 and cone calorimeter. The results show that the modified 10 μm aluminum hydroxide has a better effect than the 25 μm aluminum hydroxide and 100 nm aluminum hydroxide. Compared with pure polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the LOI value of the best sample is increased by 24.4%, and UL-94 V reaches V-0 level. Heat release rate, total heat release rate, and carbon monoxide production rate decreased by 45.8%, 33.2%, and 41.5%, respectively, compared to pure PET. The results showed that the aluminum hydroxide with a particle size of 10 μm exhibited the best flame retardant effect, which could be attributed to the decomposition of organic phosphoric acid and the dehydration of aluminum hydroxide, yielding a higher amount of residual carbon.     

Catalysis of coal hydroliquefaction by synthetic iron catalysts

The following synthetic iron catalyst precursors were investigated: FeOOH and FeOOH-Al₂O₃ (90:10 wt%) co-precipitated by ammonia, washed and dried either in an oven or by spray-drying, and Fe₂O₃ prepared by flame decomposition of FeCl₃ in the gas phase. These catalyst precursors were sulphided in situ by CS₂ during the hydroliquefaction of a highly volatile bituminous coal. An increasing catalytic activity of the iron sulphide was observed as its particle size decreases down to a very low value (0.05 μm), compared to 2–3 μm and to ? 5 μm. Al₂O₃ did not act as an efficient promoter, even if it gives rise to a decrease of the iron sulphide crystallite size. Diffusional limitations and/or plugging by carbonaceous or mineral solids could result in a low efficiency of the iron sulphide crystallites which lie inside one iron catalyst particle. The above cited flame method, allowing the preparation of pure or doped Fe₂O₃ with particle size even less than 0.05 μm, is worthwhile for further work in coal hydroliquefaction catalysis, where the catalyst acts as Fe_1?xS.     

Adhesiveness of an epoxy oligomer filled with aluminum oxide powders

Concentration dependences of the strength of filled epoxy resin-steel wire (diameter 150 μm) adhesive joints are studied. Nanostructural powders of aluminum oxide with cylindrical particles (diameter 4–6 μm and length 30–40 μm) are used as fillers. The structure of cured compositions is studied by X-ray diffraction techniques and it is established that nanostructural Al₂O₃ fibers are porous. The effect of the scale factor is studied. It is shown that the breaking force increases nonlinearly and the strength of the adhesive joint decreases with an increase in the bonding area. It is established that the dependences of adhesive strength on concentration are described by curves with maxima. This makes it possible to recommend highly dispersed fillers as a method for the control of interfacial strength.