Velocity and number density profiles of particles across upward and downward flame propagating through iron particle clouds

Behaviors of particles across upward and downward flame propagating through iron particle clouds have been recorded on photomicrographs by using a high-speed video camera with a microscopic optical system. The velocity profiles of iron particles across flames were measured by using the high-speed photomicrographs, and the number density profiles of iron particles near the flames were calculated by using the velocity profiles. It is shown that the number density of iron particles changes in the range of x smaller than 11.0 mm, where x is the distance from the leading edge of the combustion zone. The number density increases with the decrease of x in the range 0<x<11.0 mm, reaches a maximum at leading edge of the combustion zone, and then decreases. For upward propagating flame, the maximum value of the number density is about 3.5 times larger than that at the region far ahead of the flame (x>10.0 mm), however, for downward propagating flame, it is only 2.3 times larger than that at the region far ahead of the flame.     

Behavior of flames propagating through lycopodium dust clouds in a vertical duct

The structure of flame propagating through lycopodium dust clouds has been investigated experimentally. Upward propagating laminar flames in a vertical duct of 1800 mm height and 150×150 mm square cross-section are observed, and the leading flame front is also visualized using by a high-speed video camera. Although the dust concentration decreases slightly along the height of duct, the leading flame edge propagates upwards at a constant velocity. The maximum upward propagating velocity is 0.50 m/s at a dust concentration of 170 g/m³. Behind the upward propagating flame, some downward propagating flames are also observed. Despite the employment of nearly equal sized particles and its good dispersability and flowability, the reaction zone in lycopodium particles cloud shows the double flame structure in which isolated individual burning particles (0.5–1.0 mm in diameter) and the ball-shaped flames (2–4 mm in diameter; the combustion time of 4–6 ms) surrounding several particles are included. The ball-shaped flame appears as a faint flame in which several luminous spots are distributed, and then it turns into a luminous flame before disappearance. In order to distinguish these ball-shaped flames from others with some exceptions for merged flames, they are defined as independent flames in this study. The flame thickness in a lycopodium dust flame is observed to be 20 mm, about several orders of magnitude higher than that of a premixed gaseous flame. From the microscopic visualization, it was found that the flame front propagating through lycopodium particles is discontinuous and not smooth.     

Detailed analysis of flame propagation during dust explosions by UV band observations

It is important to sufficiently understand the phenomena during the dust explosions in order to take appropriate measures preventing dust explosion accidents. However, at present basic knowledge on flame propagation mechanisms during dust explosions is not enough. In this study, therefore, the flame propagation mechanisms during dust explosions are examined by detailed analyses using a special observation at UV band. Small scale experiments were performed to analyze flame propagating processes in detail. In the experiments, the stearic acid was used as the combustible particle, suspended particles were ignited by an electric spark, and flame propagation through the combustible dust was observed by using a special observation system at UV band. The leading combustion zone is observed to consist of discrete burning blue spot flames by the observation using ordinary photograph system. It is questionable how the leading flame of such discrete structure propagates. In this study, high-speed video images at UV band through a band-pass filter were taken to detect OH emission from combustion reaction zone. Using this method, the propagating flame could be detected clearly and the flame propagation mechanism could be examined in detail. In the conditions performed in this study, discrete flame propagation was not observed and the leading flame was observed to propagate continuously. This result is of importance for understanding the flame propagation phenomena during dust explosion.     

Reaction zone structures and propagation mechanisms of flames in stearic acid particle clouds

Reaction zone structures and propagation mechanisms of two representative flames established in stearic acid (CH₃(CH₂)₁₆CO₂H) particle clouds have been investigated. The reacting zone structure was examined by using a micro-electrostatic probe and a high-speed schlieren system. A distinct difference was observed in the ion current fluctuations recorded across the two representative flames propagating through the clouds of the same total mass density of particles and different mass densities of the particles smaller than 60 μm in diameter. When the mass density of smaller particles was high, a single peak was recorded in the ion current fluctuation. On the other hand, when the mass density of smaller particles was low, multi-peaks of various heights and widths were recorded. In the former case, the single peak was considered to be attributable to a unitary and a relatively thin flame started burning in vapor generated by the evaporation of smaller particles in the preheat zone. The flame propagation mechanism in this case was inferred to be similar to that of a usual hydrocarbon–air premixed flame, although the reaction zone thickness is much larger than that of the premixed flame. In the latter case, the multi peaks of various shapes were considered to be attributable to strong combustion at blue spots far behind the schlieren front. The flame propagation in this case was inferred to be supported by the heat release due to combustion at the blue spots.     

Flame propagation behaviors of nano- and micro-scale PMMA dust explosions

Flame propagation behaviors of nano- and micro-polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) dust explosions were experimentally studied in the open-space dust explosion apparatus. High-speed photography with normal and microscopic lenses were used to record the particle combustion behaviors and flame microstructures. Simple physical models were developed to explore the flame propagation mechanisms. High-speed photographs showed two distinct flame propagation behaviors of nano- and micro-PMMA dust explosions. For nano-particles, flame was characterized by a regular spherical shape and spatially continuous combustion structure combined with a number of luminous spot flames. The flame propagation mechanism was similar to that of a premixed gas flame coupled with solid surface combustion of the agglomerates. In comparison, for micro-particles, flame was characterized by clusters of flames and the irregular flame front, which was inferred to be composed of the diffusion flame accompanying the local premixed flame. It was indicated that smaller particles maintained the leading part of the propagating flame and governed the combustion process of PMMA dust clouds. Increasing the mass densities from 105 g/m³ to 217 g/m³ for 100 nm PMMA particles, and from 72 g/m³ to 170 g/m³ for 30 μm PMMA particles, the flame luminous intensity, scale and the average propagation velocity were enhanced. Besides, the flame front became more irregular for 30 μm PMMA dust clouds.     

Propagation and extinction of dust flames in narrow channels

This article has investigated the propagation and extinction of aluminum dust cloud flame in a narrow channel. The burned and burning dust particles act as heat sources and the channel walls act as heat sinks. In this method, discrete heat source has been used to analyze dust combustion in a narrow channel. Using the superposition of sources and sinks, the preheat zone temperature is predicted as an indicator of flame propagation or extinction. Dust concentration and channel width are two major parameters which affect the quenching distance and flame propagating speed. Wall temperature affects the heat loss; and by preheating the walls, quenching distance is reduced and flame propagation speed is increased.     

Effects of thermal radiation heat transfer on flame acceleration and transition to detonation in particle-cloud hydrogen flames

The current work examines regimes of the hydrogen–oxygen flame propagation and ignition of mixtures heated by radiation emitted from the flame. The gaseous phase is assumed to be transparent for the radiation, while the suspended particles of the dust cloud ahead of the flame absorb and reemit the radiation. The radiant heat absorbed by the particles is then lost by conduction to the surrounding unreacted gaseous phase so that the gas phase temperature lags that of the particles. The direct numerical simulations solve the full system of two phase gas dynamic time-dependent equations with a detailed chemical kinetics for a plane flames propagating through a dust cloud. It is shown that depending on the spatial distribution of the dispersed particles and on the value of radiation absorption length the consequence of the radiative preheating of the mixture ahead of the flame can be either the increase of the flame velocity for uniformly dispersed particles or ignition either new deflagration or detonation ahead of the original flame via the Zel'dovich gradient mechanism in the case of a layered particle-gas cloud deposits. In the latter case the ignited combustion regime depends on the radiation absorption length and correspondingly on the steepness of the formed temperature gradient in the preignition zone that can be treated independently of the primary flame. The impact of radiation heat transfer in a particle-laden flame is of paramount importance for better risk assessment and represents a route for understanding of dust explosion origin.     

Effect of scale on freely propagating flames in aluminum dust clouds

The majority of experimental tests done on combustible dusts are performed in constant volume vessels that have limited or no optical access. Over the years, McGill University has been developing alternative experimental techniques based on direct observation of dust flames, yielding reliable fundamental parameters such as flame burning velocity, temperature and structure. The present work describes two new experimental set-ups allowing direct observation of isobaric and freely propagating dust flames at two sufficiently different scales to test the influence of scale on dust flame phenomena. In the laboratory-scale experiments, a few grams of aluminum powder are dispersed in transparent, 30 cm diameter latex balloons that allow for full visualization of the spherical flame propagation. In the field experiments, about 1 kg of aluminum powder is dispersed by a short pulse of air, forming a conical dust cloud with a total volume of about 5 m³. High-speed digital imaging is used to record the particle dispersal and flame propagation in both configurations. In the small-scale laboratory tests, the measured flame speed is found to be about 2.0 ± 0.2 m/s in fuel-rich aluminium clouds. The burning velocity, calculated by dividing the measured flame speed by the expansion factor deduced from thermodynamic equilibrium calculations, correlates well with the previously measured burning velocity of about 22–24 cm/s from Bunsen dust flames. Flame speeds observed in field experiments with large-scale clouds, however, are found to be much higher, in the range of 12 ± 2 m/s. Estimations are presented that show that the presumably greater role of radiative heat transfer in larger-scale aluminium flames is insufficient to explain the six-fold increase in flame speed. The role of residual large-eddy turbulence, as well as the frozen-turbulence effect leading to large-scale dust concentration fluctuations that cause flame folding, are discussed as two possible sources for the greater flame speed.     

Temperature profile across the combustion zone propagating through an iron particle cloud

Knowledge of the mechanism of combustion zone propagation during dust explosion is of great importance to prevent damage caused by accidental dust explosions. In this study, the temperature profile across the combustion zone propagating through an iron particle cloud is measured experimentally by a thermocouple to elucidate the propagation mechanism. The measured temperature starts to increase slowly at a position about 5 mm ahead of the leading edge of the combustion zone, increases quickly at a position about 3 mm ahead of the leading edge, reaches a maximum value near the end of the combustion zone, and then decreases. As the iron particle concentration increases, the maximum temperature increases at lower concentration, takes a maximum value, and then decreases at higher concentration. The relation between the propagation velocity of the combustion zone and the maximum temperature is also examined. It is found that the propagation velocity has a linear relationship with the maximum temperature. This result suggests that the conductive heat transfer is dominant in the propagation process of the combustion zone through an iron particle cloud.     

Flame propagation through dust clouds of nano and micron scale aluminum particles

Temperature measurement on propagating flame and minimum explosible concentration are investigated. The dust explosion experiments of nano-particle dust clouds exhibit higher temperature gradient in preheat zone and lower MEC than those of micron particle dust clouds. A heterogeneous model is proposed to describe the oxidation process under two extreme conditions: whether the alumina film is involved in the reaction or not. The new methodology allows the estimation of oxidation kinetics of growing alumina. For micron particle, the model clarifies that the activation energy which has been wrongly considered to be for aluminum oxidation should be for lattice diffusion, and the initial reaction rate is proved to be dominated by the diffusion rate of oxygen through alumina shell as diffusion controlled reaction. For nano-particle, the model explained that why the reported activation energy shows significantly lower than that for micron particle, due to initially ignorable alumina film or considered as kinetically controlled reaction. However, as reaction occurs and alumina builds up on the surface, the interference of alumina somewhat increases the activation energy.     

铝粉尘云燃烧火焰形态分析实验研究

为探索铝粉尘云燃烧火焰形态和灾变演化,基于改造的竖直开口实验管道,借助高速摄像仪和离子探针,研究火焰结构及变化,分析粒径因素对铝粉火焰前锋形态的影响.实验结果表明:铝粉燃烧能量的释放和空间束缚使燃烧转为爆燃,火焰前锋下方存在大片的燃烧反应区;铝粉粒径越小,颗粒氧化层破裂需要的热应力越小,越容易被点燃;随着铝粉粒径减小,...     

Effect of monoammonium phosphate particle size on flame propagation of aluminum dust cloud

The effect of monoammonium phosphate (NH₄H₂PO₄) particles on 5 μm aluminum dust flames is investigated experimentally and computationally. NH4H2PO4 in three particle size is employed to determine the inhibition efficiency on aluminum flame propagation. Flame inhibition mechanism considering both gas and surface chemistry of aluminum particles is developed. Results show that the inhibition effectiveness monotonously increases as NH₄H₂PO₄ particle size is reduced to 25 μm. Flame morphology and flame microstructure change with the addition of different particle size NH₄H₂PO₄. Small NH₄H₂PO₄ particles within the range studied have a greater reduction in average flame propagation compared to the coarser one. Meanwhile, the fine NH₄H₂PO₄ particles almost decompose completely during the penetration of aluminum flame and then undergo a sufficient chemical interaction with the flame. The simulations indicate that the decomposition products of NH₄H₂PO₄ particles obstruct the oxidation of aluminum particles through flame radical consumption. Additionally, the addition of NH₄H₂PO₄ can reduce the vaporization rate and surface reaction rate of aluminum particles.     

水雾抑制气体爆炸火焰传播的实验研究

利用自行设计的全程透明的火焰加速管系统和细水雾实验系统 ,对不同水雾条件下的气体火焰传播现象进行了实验研究。运用光电传感器与CCD摄像技术 ,笔者分析了不同水雾条件下的甲烷预混气体火焰传播速度、传播火焰阵面轨迹 ;探讨了水雾抑制气体火焰传播的机理及条件。实验发现了在一定条件水雾作用下的气体传播火焰阵面拉伸与火焰驻留的现象与条件 ,实验结果表明 :水雾对气体爆炸火焰传播的抑制是由于水雾作用于火焰阵面反应区 ,降低了反应区内火焰温度和气体燃烧速度 ,减缓了火焰阵面传热与传质的进行 ,从而使传播火焰得以抑制 ;而水雾对气体爆炸火焰传播的抑制效果与水雾通量、雾区浓度、水雾区长度以及火焰到达水雾区的火焰传播速度有关     

Flame propagation mechanisms in dust explosions

To reveal the effects of particle characteristics, including particle thermal characteristics and size distributions, on flame propagation mechanisms during dust explosions clearly, the flame structures of dust clouds formed by different materials and particle size distributions were recorded using an approach combining high-speed photography and a band-pass filter. Two obviously different flame propagation mechanisms were observed in the experiments: kinetics-controlled regime and devolatilization-controlled regime. Kinetics-controlled regime was characterized by a regular shape and spatially continuous combustion zone structure, which was similar to the premixed gas explosions. On the contrary, devolatilization-controlled regime was characterized by a complicated structure that exhibited heterogeneous combustion characteristics, discrete blue luminous spots appeared surrounding the yellow luminous zone. It was also demonstrated experimentally that the flame propagation mechanisms transited from kinetics-controlled to devolatilization-controlled while decreasing the volatility of the materials or increasing the size of the particles. Damköhler number was defined as the ratio of the heating and devolatilization characteristic time to the combustion reaction characteristic time, to reflect the transition of flame propagation mechanisms in dust explosions. It was found that the kinetics-controlled regime and devolatilization-controlled regime can be categorized by whether Damköhler number was less than 1 or larger than 1.     

Combustion characteristics of pure aluminum and aluminum alloys powders

In this work, the explosion and combustion characteristics of aluminum and some aluminum alloys AlSi7Mg0.6, AlSi10Mg, AlMg5 under powders conditioning were studied. The idea was to compare the combustion of pure aluminum and aluminum alloys. The Minimum Ignition Energy (MIE) and explosion severity ΔP_max and (dP/dt)_max which represents the dust explosion parameters were measured for all powders using Hartman tube and 20 L spherical bomb. The particles temperature and flame temperature were determined by using IR pyrometer and spectroscopy respectively. The results showed that pure aluminum was more sensitive and severe than its alloys. MIE were: 4 mJ for pure aluminum, 13–23 mJ for aluminum alloys. For severity parameters, the overpressure ΔP_max were around 7–8 bars with maximum rate of pressure rise at 1170 bar/s for aluminum and 5–7 bars with 250–360 bar/s for alloys. However, it has been observed that flame temperatures were similar for aluminum and alloys and vary around 2800–3300 K as a function of concentration.     

Modeling quenching distance and flame propagation speed through an iron dust cloud with spatially random distribution of particles

In this research combustion of iron dust particles in a medium with spatially discrete sources distributed in a random way has been studied using a numerical approach. A new thermal model is generated to estimate flame propagation speed and quenching distance in a quiescent reaction medium. The flame propagation speed is studied as a function of iron dust concentration and particle diameter. The predicted propagation speeds as a function of these parameters are shown to agree well with experimental measurements. In addition, the minimum ignition energy has also been investigated as a function of equivalence ratio and particle diameter. The quenching distance has been studied as a function of particle diameter and validated by the experiment. Considering random distribution of particles, the obtained results provide more realistic and reasonable predictions of the combustion physics compared to the results of the uniform distribution of particles.     

2,5-二甲基呋喃-空气燃烧过程研究

利用球形发展火焰研究了常温常压下不同当量比,不同相态时2,5-二甲基呋喃-空气的层流燃烧速度和马克斯坦长度,分析了火焰拉伸对火焰传播速度的影响。研究结果表明:随着当量比的增加,2,5-二甲基呋喃-空气混合气的马克斯坦长度减少,火焰的稳定性减弱。并且分别计算出当量比为1.25和1.5的层流燃烧速度,分别为:1.189m/s,1.135m/s.。对于同一当量比1.5的情况下,不同相态的2,5-二甲基呋喃-空气混合物,在相同时刻的气液两相混合物的火焰半径已经拉伸火焰传播速度远远大于纯气相的混合物。     

Effects of particle thermal characteristics on flame microstructures during dust explosions of three long-chain monobasic alcohols in a half-closed chamber

To reveal clearly the effects of particle thermal characteristics on flame microstructures during organic dust explosions, three long-chain monobasic alcohols, solid at room temperature and similar in physical-chemical properties, were chosen to conduct experiments in a half-closed chamber. In the experiments, the dust materials were dispersed into the chamber by air to form dust clouds and the hybrids were ignited by an electrical spark. A high-speed optical schlieren system was used to record the flame propagation behaviors. A fine thermocouple and an ion current probe were respectively used to measure the flame temperature profile and the reaction behaviors of the combustion zone. Based on the experimental results, combustion behaviors and flame microstructures in dust clouds with different thermal characteristics were analyzed in detail. As a result, it was found that the dust flame surfaces were completely covered by cellular structures that significantly increased the flame frontal areas. Flame propagated more quickly and the number of the cellular cells increased as increasing the volatility of the particles. On the contrary, maximum temperature and the thickness of the preheated zone decreased as increasing the volatility of the particles. According to the ion current profile, the particles in the preheat zone were pyrolyzed to intermediate radicals and the radicals' fraction in the higher volatile dust flame was higher than that in the lower volatile dust flame.     

Suppression of premixed flames with inert particles

Dispersal of inert particles on a flame front is one of the techniques employed to suppress explosions. The current study investigates the influence of micron-sized (75–90 μm) inert (sand) particles on the laminar burning velocity of methane-air premixtures of different equivalence ratios (0.9–1.2) and reactant temperatures (297, 350, 400 K) using a Bunsen-burner type experimental apparatus. When an inert particle interacts with the flame zone, it extracts energy from the flame, thereby acting like a heat sink and hence reducing the flame temperature. Results show that for sand particle size in the range of 75–90 μm, a concentration of 380–520 g/m³ is necessary for extinction of a methane-air flame at ambient temperature. An increase in reactant temperature reduces the heat-sink effect necessitating a higher concentration of sand to extinguish the flame. A mathematical model is developed to generalize the results and make them applicable to a wide range of parameters.     

Determination of turbulent burning velocities of dust air mixtures with the open tube method

Correlating turbulent burning velocity to turbulence intensity and basic flame parameters-like laminar burning velocity for dust air mixtures is not only a scientific challenge but also of practical importance for the modelling of dust flame propagation in industrial facilities and choice of adequate safety strategy. The open tube method has been implemented to measure laminar and turbulent burning velocities at laboratory scale for turbulence intensities in the range of a few m/s. Special care has been given to the experimental technique so that a direct access to the desired parameters was possible minimising interpretation difficulties. In particular, the flame is propagating freely, the flame velocity is directly accessible by visualisation and the turbulence intensity is measured at the flame front during flame propagation with special aerodynamic probes. In the present paper, those achievements are briefly recalled. In addition, a complete set of experiments for diametrically opposed dusts, starch and aluminium, has been performed and is presented hereafter. The experimental data, measured for potato dust air mixtures seem to be in accordance with the Bray Gülder model in the range of 1.5 m/s<u′<3.5 m/s. For a further confirmation, the measurement range has been extended to lower levels of turbulence of u′<1.5 m/s. This could be achieved by changing the mode of preparation of the dust air mixture. In former tests, the particles have been injected into the tube from a pressurised dust reservoir; for the lower turbulence range, the particles have been inserted into the tube from above by means of a sieve–riddler system, and the turbulence generated from the pressurised gas reservoir as before. For higher levels of turbulence, aluminium air mixtures have been investigated using the particle injection mode with pressurised dust reservoir. Due to high burning rates much higher flame speeds than for potato dusts of up to 23 m/s have been obtained.