Engineering topics

Axelbaum, R L

Publications and source records attributed to Axelbaum, R L.

3 records

DOE OSTI2010

Extremely weak hydrogen flames

Hydrogen jet diffusion flames were observed near their quenching limits. These involved downward laminar flow of hydrogen from a stainless steel hypodermic tube with an inside diameter of 0.15 mm. Near their quenching limits these flames had hydrogen flow rates of 3.9 and 2.1 {mu}g/s in air and oxygen, respectively. Assuming complete combustion, the associated heat release rates are 0.46 and 0.25 W. To the authors' knowledge, these are the weakest self-sustaining steady flames ever observed. (author)

08 HYDROGEN↗

DOE OSTI2010

Characteristics of non-premixed oxygen-enhanced combustion: II. Flame structure effects on soot precursor kinetics resulting in soot-free flames

A detailed computational study was performed to understand the effects of the flame structure on the formation and destruction of soot precursors during ethylene combustion. Using the USC Mech Version II mechanism the contributions of different pathways to the formation of benzene and phenyl were determined in a wide domain of Z{sub st} values via a reverse-pathway analysis. It was shown that for conventional ethylene-air flames two sequential reversible reactions play primary roles in the propargyl (C{sub 3}H{sub 3}) chemistry, namely (1) C{sub 2}H{sub 2}+CH{sub 3}= pC{sub 3} H{sub 4}+H, (2) pC{sub 3} H{sub 4}= C{sub 3} H{sub 3}+ H with the corresponding overall endothermic reaction of propargyl formation (3) C{sub 2} H{sub 2}+CH{sub 3}= C{sub 3} H{sub 3}+2H. The contributions of these reactions to propyne (pC{sub 3}H{sub 4}) and propargyl formation and propargyl self-combination leading to benzene and phenyl were studied as a function of physical position, temperature, Z{sub st}, and H concentration. In particular, the role of H radicals on soot precursor destruction was studied in detail. At low Z{sub st}, Reactions 1 and 2 contribute significantly to propyne and propargyl formation on the fuel side of the radical pool at temperatures greater than approx. 1600 K. At higher local temperatures near the radical pool where the concentration of H is significant, the reverse reactions begin to dominate resulting in soot precursor destruction. As Z{sub st} is increased, these regions merge and only net propargyl consumption is observed. Based on the equilibrium constant of Reaction 3, a Z{sub st} value was estimated above which the rate of propargyl formation as a soot precursor is greatly reduced (Z{sub st} = 0.3). This condition compares well with the experimental results for permanently blue counterflow flames in the literature. (author)

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2010

Characterization of diffusion flames for synthesis of single-walled carbon nanotubes

Recent studies have shown that Fe/Si/O catalysts on the fuel side of an oxygen-enriched inverse diffusion flame produce micron-length single-walled carbon nanotubes at rapid rates (>100{mu}m/s). Despite the favorable catalyst/flame interaction for nanotube nucleation and growth, the catalyst lifetimes are only a few milliseconds. To increase catalyst lifetime and hence, carbon nanotube length, it is necessary to know how the local environment changes as the catalyst moves through the flame. A 2-D computational fluid dynamics model with detailed chemistry is employed to investigate the nature of the flame environment along various catalyst trajectories. The results indicate that temperature and species concentrations do not change significantly along individual catalyst trajectories, although not all trajectories experience the same environment due to the steep gradients in the radial direction. On the other hand, analysis of catalyst particle composition before and after nanotube growth shows that catalyst oxygen content decreases significantly during nanotube growth. This change in catalyst composition could affect the relative rates of carbon supply versus removal from the catalyst surface, such that carbon encapsulation and thus poisoning of the catalyst is favored after sufficient time. The results of this work indicate that catalyst deactivation, not a changing catalyst environment, is responsible for rapid encapsulation of the catalyst by amorphous carbon and thus, the short catalyst lifetimes observed in oxygen-enriched diffusion flames. (author)

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗