Evaluation of limits for effective flame acceleration in hydrogen mixtures

Results of experiments and data analysis on turbulent flame propagation in obstructed channels are presented. The data cover a wide range of mixtures: H-2/air, H-2/air/steam (from lean to rich) at normal and elevated initial temperatures (from 298 to 650 K) and pressures (from 1 to 3 bar); and stoichiometric H-2/O-2 mixtures diluted with N-2, Ar, He and CO2 at normal initial conditions. The dataset chosen also covers a wide range of scales exceeding two orders of magnitude. It is shown that basic flame parameters, such as mixture expansion ratio sigma, Zeldovich number beta and Lewis number Le, can be used to estimate a priori a potential for effective flame acceleration for a given mixture. Critical conditions for effective flame acceleration are suggested in the form of correlations of critical expansion ratio sigma* versus dimensionless effective activation energy. On this basis, limits for effective flame acceleration for hydrogen combustibles can be estimated. Uncertainties in determination of critical sigma* values are discussed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.