Experiments on the Combustion Behaviour of Hydrogen-Carbon Monoxide-Air Mixtures

As a part of a German nuclear safety project on the combustion behaviour of hydrogen-carbon monoxide-air mixtures small scale experiments were performed to determine the lower flammability limit and the laminar burning velocity of such mixtures. The experiments were performed in a spherical explosion bomb with a free volume of 8.2 litre. The experimental set-up is equipped with a central spark ignition and quartz glass windows for optical access. Further instrumentation included pressure and temperature sensors as well as high-speed shadow-videography. A wide concentration range for both fuel gases was investigated in numerous experiments from the lower flammability limits up to the stoichiometric composition of hydrogen, carbon monoxide and air (H2-CO-air) mixtures. The laminar burning velocities were determined from the initial pressure increase after the ignition and by using high-speed videos taken during the experiments.