The effect of steam on flame temperature, burning velocity and carbon formation in hydrocarbon flames

✍ Scribed by K. Müller-Dethlefs; A.F. Schlader

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1976
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 921 KB
• Volume: 27
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0010-2180
• DOI: 10.1016/0010-2180(76)90023-7

✦ Synopsis

The effect on flame temperature, burning velocity and carbon limit of adding water vapor to a premixed flame has been investigated using a Bunsen-type burner operated at atmospheric pressure and employing propane and ethylene as fuels. The results'indicate that water vapor does not act as an inert diluent but instead inhibits carbon formation and gives rise to a greater heat release than in its absence. The additional heat release, in turn, partly counteracts the cooling effect of the added steam, so that the flame temperature and burning velocity do not decrease with steam addition to the extent they would if water vapor were an inert heat sink, provided the equilibrium state is attained. The shift of the carbon limit towards higher C/O ratios with steam addition gives evidence of the major role of OH radicals in inhibiting carbon formation.