Experimental and Numerical Burning Rates of Premixed Methane-Air Flames Inhibited by Fluoromethanes.
Experimental and Numerical Burning Rates of Premixed
Methane-Air Flames Inhibited by Fluoromethanes.
(297 K)
Linteris, G. T.; Truett, L.
Combustion Institute/Eastern State Section.
Proceedings. December 5-7, 1994, Clearwater Beach, FL,
1-4 pp, 1994.
Keywords:
premixed flames; methane; air; burning rate;
experiments; inhibitors; hydrocarbons; fire
extinguishing agents
Abstract:
The agents which are currently being considered as
replacements for fire suppressant agent CF3Br are mostly
fluorinated hydrocarbons and perfluorinated alkanes.
This abstract describes measurements of the reduction in
burning rate of premixed methane-air flames by the
single carbon inhibitors CF4, CF3H, and CF2H2. Early
studies of the inhibitory effects of halogenated
hydrocarbons on flames were conducted in premixed
systems. The premixed laminar burning rate is a
fundamental parameter describing the overall reaction
rate, heat release, and heat and mass transport in a
flame. In addition, the reduction in the premixed flame
burning rate is useful for understanding the mechanism
of chemical inhibition of fires since diffusion flames
often have a stabilization region which is premixed, and
good correlation has been found between the reduction in
burning rate and the concentration of inhibitors found
to extinguish diffusion flames. Premixed flame burners
have flow fields which are relatively easily
characterized, making interpretation of the inhibitor's
effect on the overall reaction rate straightforward.
The present burning rate measurements allow an early
assessment of the performance of the NIST fluorinated
species chemical kinetic mechanism in premixed flames
and are considered to be an initial step in the
validation and refinement of the mechanism. The
mechanism is being used to gain insight into the
possible modes of inhibition of these agents in
premixed-methane air flames.
Building and Fire Research Laboratory
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Gaithersburg, MD 20899