Combustion inhibition by methyl chloride and the effects of steam injection in a two stage turbulent flow reactor

An experimental and modeling study of the combustion inhibition of CH3Cl and the effects of steam injection in a two stage, turbulent flow reactor is presented. Premixed C2H4, air, and nitrogen with or without CH3Cl were fed to the first stage of the reactor. Steam was injected into the second stage. The feed fuel equivalence ratio was kept constant at 0.6 or 1.3. The loading of CH3Cl was changed from a feed molar CH3Cl/C2H4 ratio of 0 to 0.4. Reactor temperatures and CO, CO2, and light hydrocarbon concentrations were measured at various locations along the reactor. Experiments showed that the presence of CH3Cl inhibited CO burnout and increased the yield of light hydrocarbons. Predicted species concentrations from detailed reaction modeling agree well with the experimental observations. Rate-of-production (ROP) calculations indicate that OH + HCl = Cl + H2O is a major channel for OH consumption. The resulting depletion of OH inhibits the CO burnout reaction OH + CO = CO2 + H2O. Experiments showed that steam injection into the second stage of the reactor increased CO and light hydrocarbon burnout. The ROP calculations indicate that OR supply enhancement from the injected steam was responsible.