Generalised Correlations of Blow-off and Flame Quenching for Sub-sonic and Choked Jet Flames

Dimensionless groups suggested by the mathematical modelling of subsonic fuel jet flames, and extensive experimental data, have been reasonably successsful in correlating dimensionles flame heights and flame lift-off distances in terms of a dimensionless flow number. This approach is extended to the more exacting correlations that define regimes of flame quenching, blow-off, and lifted flames. Experimental data from these diverse sources are analysed, and the bounds of these regimes are expressed in terms of the critical minimum jet pipe diameter to avoid blow-off, normalised by the laminar flame thickness for the maximum burning velocity mixture, and the flow number. The regimes extend from low Reynolds number laminar flows in hypodermic tubes to high Reynolds number choked flows, with supersonic shocks. Data are well corrrelated in the subsonic regime for a range of hydrocarbon gases, in which critical pipe diameters for the avoidance of blow-off increase with flow number. Matters are more complex in the extended choked flow regime, in which there are less data. This regime of supersonic flow and shock waves is one of improved fuel/air mixing and enhanced reactivity, to such an extent that the critical pipe diameter, after reaching a maximum, decreases. Data are presented in this regime, and indeed over the full range of conditions, for methane, propane and hydrogen jet flames. Hydrogen exhibits more reactive characteristics than the hydrocarbons. In terms of the correlating parameters, whereas laminar flame thickness is related to that of the non-reacting preheat zone, such a zone is difficult to define with hydrogen, as a consequence of the upstream diffusion of H atoms, and this aspect is discusssed

Vent burst pressure effects on vented gas explosion reduced pressure

The overpressure generated in a 10 L cylindrical vented vessel with an L/D of 2.8 was investigated, with end ignition opposite the vent, as a function of the vent static burst pressure, Pstat, from 35 to 450 mb. Three different Kv (V2/3/Av) of 3.6, 7.2 and 21.7 were investigated for 10% methaneeair and 7.5% ethylene eair. It was shown that the dynamic burst pressure, Pburst, was higher than Pstat with a proportionality constant of 1.37. For 10% methaneeair Pburst was the controlling peak pressure for K Pburst in the literature and in EU and US standards. For higher Kv the overpressure due to flow through the vent, Pfv, was the dominant overpressure and the static burst pressure was not additive to the external overpressure. Literature on the influence of Pstat at low Kv was shown to support the present finding and it is recommended that the influence of Pstat in gas venting standards is revised

Ferroelectric nanofibers with an embedded optically nonlinear benzothiazole derivative

We report measurements of the molecular first hyperpolarizability, thermal stability, photophysical, piezoelectric and ferroelectric properties of a benzothiazole derivative bearing an arylthiophene π-conjugated bridge both in solution and when embedded into a poly (L-lactic acid) (PLLA) matrix in the form of electrospun fibers with an average diameter of roughly 500 nm. The embedded nanocrystalline phenylthienyl-benzothiazole derivative, with crystal sizes of about 1.4 nm resulted in a good piezoelectric response from these functionalized electrospun fibers, indicative of a polar crystalline structure.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT