Experimental and Numerical Burning Rates of Premixed Methane-Air Flames Inhibited by Fluoromethanes

Published

December 5, 1994

Author(s)

Gregory T. Linteris, L Truett

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.

Proceedings Title

Combustion Institute/Eastern State Section

Conference Dates

December 5-7, 1994

Conference Location

Clearwater Beach, FL

Pub Type

Conferences

Download Paper

Local Download

Keywords

premixed flames, methane, air, burning rate, experiments, inhibitors, hydrocarbons, fire extinguishing agents

Citation

Linteris, G. and Truett, L. (1994), Experimental and Numerical Burning Rates of Premixed Methane-Air Flames Inhibited by Fluoromethanes, Combustion Institute/Eastern State Section, Clearwater Beach, FL, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=914172 (Accessed April 19, 2024)