Open AccessGaseous combustion at high pressures. Part IX.—The influence of pressure upon the "explosion limits" of inflammable gas-air, etc., mixtures
Author(s) -
William A. Bone,
D. M. Newitt,
C. M. Smith
Publication year - 1928
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.1928.0019
Subject(s) - combustion , ignition system , atmospheric pressure , chemistry , oxygen , mechanics , thermodynamics , meteorology , organic chemistry , physics
It has long been known that for mixtures of any particular combustible gas and air (or oxygen) there are, under given physical conditions, certain limits of composition within (but not outside of) which self-propagation of flame will occur indefinitely after ignition has once been effected. These limits, usually referred to as the “lower” and “upper” limits of inflammability, respectively, at given temperature and pressure vary somewhat (i) with the position of the source of ignition, since the progress of the flame may be assisted or retarded by convection currents according as it has to pass in an upward, horizontal, or downward direction, and (ii) according to the size and material of the containing vessel. It has also been established during recent years that what may be termed the “range of inflammability” of mixtures of any particular gas and air (oxygen) is widened when the temperature is raised. Thus, for example, according to H. G. White, the “ranges of inflammability” for downward propagation of flame at atmospheric pressure of gas-air mixtures steadily widen with increasing temperature,*e. g . :—