Flame Speed

Recall
2
Flame Thickness and Flame Speed S Lo RR chem
1Y f ,1

Just a scaling law not exact

Example for HC/air STP reactants
AE/ME 6766: Combustion ~ 10-5 10-4 m2/s
Wenting Sun
chem ~ 10-4 10-3

S Lo ~ O(0.01 1 m/s)
1 2

Flame Thickness Zeldovich Number

define Compare preheat and reaction zone thickness
preheat and reaction zones
Match heat flux at interface
f ph R Assume stepwise linear T profiles
Estimate from preheat zone Ti T1 T2 Ti
energy balance at interface ph R
T2

o dT T2 T1 R ph T2 Ti Ti T1
S c Ti T1
1 L P
dx d RR T2 RR Ti
i f
Gets 2 because What is (T2-Ti)? dT
RR T2
T2 Ti
1
f o f o chem
assuming ph R RR T2 Ce Ea RT2

1cP S L S L Zeldovich #
RR T2 1 R
RT22 Ea 1
T2 Ti
Consider time scales Ea RT22 RR T2 Ea RT22 ph T2 T1 Ze
0
S L
1
diff f High Ea (and q) thin
f chem
3
Ze=O(10) for HC flames ph 10 R reaction zone 4
chem chem
 Physical/Chemical Effects Scaling Models

Scaling laws for S Lo , f S Lo RR 1 f S Lo Reaction Rate

n Ea RT2
Predicts how premixed flame parameters will RR A fuel , ox e
be influenced by changes in chemical and Diffusivity
physical properties of the reactants Kinetic theory Atoms triatomics
m
T MW m 0.5 0.8
1cP
P cP cP MW
MW1
T1T m 1 1
T1
PcP MW m

5 6

Pressure Dependence Pressure Dependence

n 2
o 1 n 1 n 2
S L RR 1 P P 2
S Lo P 2
P P
CH4/air Most hydrocarbons, n 2, S Lo as P
P>2 atm n based on global kinetics
S Lo ~ P 0.5
Can change with , P as important chemical steps
SL (ft/s)

n ~1 change
Propane
P ~ 0.1-0.5 S Lo S Lo,ref P Pref
0.16 0.22( 1)

atm
H2
S Lo ~ P 0.25

S Lo as P for lean, S Lo as P for rich,

n ~ 1.5 Pressure (atm)
7 8
 Initial Temperature Dependence Initial Temperature Dependence

From our model S Lo T1T m 2T n /2

e Ea 2 RT2
m 0.5 0.8 From HC
2
experiments
However, T2 also
changes with T1 Compare to model
Ea 2 RT2
Though not too S Lo T1T m 2T2 n /2
e
strongly Suggests T1 effect is
e.g., methane mostly preheating
T1 300 600 K Less preheating
T2 2230 2360 K required before
reaction zone
T1 300 600 K, gives ~4 increase in SL
9 10

Final Temperature Dependence Gas Properties

Nonchemical properties MW , cP
From From models
1
models S Lo m 0.5 0.8
cP MW m
Measured SL/SLref

o m2 n /2 Ea 2 RT2
S T T2 e
L
Light gases increase (faster mean molecular
Typically speed, more diffusion)
dominated Molar specific heat range limited
by expon. Cold atoms 1500 K H2O
term 5 2 cP R 11 2
Ea 2 RT2
S Lo e
Also hard to change specific heat without changing
adiabatic flame temperature
Ea/R ~ 15-30 103 K Adiabatic Flame Temperature (K)
for HC fuels
11 12
 Equivalence Ratio Equivalence Ratio

H2-air CH4-air
Peaks quite rich Peaks slightly
(~ =1.7) rich (~ =1.1-
1.2)
Adiabatic flame For H-C fuels,
temperature (T2) primarily
Also diffusion influence on
Molec. Weight of adiabatic flame
H2 temperature (T2)
Minor cP Reasonable
influence match to model

13 14

Fuel Type Fuel Type

By organic type
Primary
S Lo ( STP )
Alkanes
S L ,max
cm/ s
influence of fuel
C-C ~1.1 10-40 type is adiabatic
Alkenes flame
~1.2 20-70
C=C temperature
Alkynes change
~1.2 50-140
H2 ~1.6 280 SL dependence
with fuel scales
with Tad

15 16
 Additives Diluents

Many fuel additives intended to change other Using Ar, He, N2 as diluent
fuel properties small effect on S Lo
Reduce knock/preignition by raising ignition T
Increase lubricant properties of fuel
Reduce fuel line coking
Improve emissions
If they influence reactions that control heat
release or chain branching steps, can change S Lo How about
e.g., small amounts of H2O added to CO flames
burning flux?
17 18

Flame Thickness 1D Laminar Flame Structure

Recall assumed flame structure
Can show
n2
Pressure f P
Ea / R
T2 f T 2
m2
e 2T2

cP, MW f 1 cP MW m

f minimum roughly at where SL maximum

19 20
 H2 Flame Structure H2 Flame Structure

Calculations Calculations
using Premix using Premix
(Chemkin) (Chemkin)
Stoich. H2/air Stoich. H2/air
298 K, 1 atm 298 K, 1 atm
Full Full
mechanism mechanism

O2 peaks at H2 drops H2 diffuses faster Peaks H production well into heat release zone
21 22
Heat release widely distributed Diffusion of H upstream into reactants

H2 Flame Structure CH4 Flame Structure

Calculations Calculations
using Premix using Premix
(Chemkin) (Chemkin)
H2/air =0.6 Stoich.
298 K, 1 atm CH4/air
Full 298 K, 1 atm
mechanism Full
mechanism

Preheat Primary Slow Secondary Heat

Heat Release
23 Release 24
 CH4 Flame Structure Flame Structure

Calculations Most hydrogen/hydrocarbon flames have at

using Premix least three discernible zones
(Chemkin) 1. a preheat/diffusion dominated zone
Stoich. Can include (low q) reactions due to radical diffusion
CH4/air 2. a primary reaction zone
298 K, 1 atm Major radical/intermediate production, intense q
Full 3. a final oxidation (burnout zone)
mechanism
Thicker than primary reaction zone
Slow approach to final equilibrium
Final heat release
CH4 CH3 CH2O
25 26