Effects of Oxidants on Hydrogen Spontaneous Ignition: Experiments and Modelling

Experiments were performed on the influence of oxidants (air, pure oxygen O2 and pure nitrous oxide N2O at atmospheric pressure) in the straight expansion tube after the burst disk on the hydrogen spontaneous ignition. The lowest pressure at which the spontaneous ignition is observed has been researched for a 4 mm diameter tube with a length of 10 cm for the two oxidant gases. The ignition phenomenon is observed with a high speed camera and the external overpressures are measured. Numerical simulations have also been conducted with the high resolution CFD approach detailed chemistry formerly developed by Wen and co-workers. Comparison is made between the predictions and the experimental data.