Open AccessThe reaction between gas and pole in the electrical ignition of gaseous mixtures
Author(s) -
W.M. Thornton
Publication year - 1915
Publication title -
proceedings of the royal society of london. series a, containing papers of a mathematical and physical character
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2053-9150
pISSN - 0950-1207
DOI - 10.1098/rspa.1915.0050
Subject(s) - ignition system , voltage , aluminium , mechanics , current (fluid) , materials science , spark (programming language) , electrode , chemistry , thermodynamics , electrical engineering , composite material , physics , engineering , computer science , programming language
Every inflammable gaseous mixture has a definite lower electrical limit, of current or voltage or capacity, at which ignition fails. Previous measurements on this have been confined to the observation of least sparking distance or lowest gas pressure at which inflammation ceases to be possible, and in almost every case the sparks used have been disruptive discharge between platinum or aluminium points. The results of Emich, who made the first systematic observations, led to the view that ignition is independent, or nearly so, of the metal of the poles between which the igniting spark is produced, and this is generally accepted. There appear to be no previous observations of ignition by low voltage conderser discharge, or by break-sparks, as being affected by the metals of the poles.