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Variation of Burning Velocity with Pressure

Citation

Pardee, William McKnight (1953) Variation of Burning Velocity with Pressure. Engineer's thesis, California Institute of Technology. doi:10.7907/C95P-BV39. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-04292003-095800

Abstract

A review of some of the recent theories of steady state flame propagation in gaseous mixtures reveals a considerable difference in their prediction of the effect of pressure on burning velocity. Furthermore, the experimental data obtained by various workers in the field indicate widely different trends. In some cases burning velocity appears to be independent of pressure whereas in other cases it appears to increase as the pressure is reduced below atmospheric. Hence, as a possible aid in discovering more about the mechanism of flame propagation, the burning velocity of several gaseous mixtures was studied over the general pressure range from 100 to 700 mm Hg absolute. The mixtures used were acetylene-oxygen, acetylene-air, acetylene-oxygen-nitrogen, ammonia-oxygen, ammonia-oxygen-nitrogen, carbon monoxide-oxygen, carbon monoxide-air, and propane-air. Using the burner-visual cone-area method with burners of various sizes, the following results were obtained: for all the above mixtures, except propane-air, the burning velocity is independent of pressure; for propane-air mixtures, the burning velocity varies as P[superscript -.13]. These results are valid provided the burner size is large enough to nullify the effect of quenching. It is concluded that these results definitely do not support the Tanford and Pease theory that burning velocity varies as P[superscript -.25].

Item Type:Thesis (Engineer's thesis)
Subject Keywords:Aeronautical Engineering
Degree Grantor:California Institute of Technology
Division:Engineering and Applied Science
Major Option:Aeronautics
Thesis Availability:Public (worldwide access)
Research Advisor(s):
  • Marble, Frank E.
Group:GALCIT
Thesis Committee:
  • Unknown, Unknown
Defense Date:1 January 1953
Record Number:CaltechETD:etd-04292003-095800
Persistent URL:https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-04292003-095800
DOI:10.7907/C95P-BV39
Default Usage Policy:No commercial reproduction, distribution, display or performance rights in this work are provided.
ID Code:1537
Collection:CaltechTHESIS
Deposited By: Imported from ETD-db
Deposited On:29 Apr 2003
Last Modified:25 May 2023 20:32

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