Combustion processes and chemical kinetics
- Paper ID
IAF-56-22
- author
- company
- year
1956
- abstract
The application of chemical reaction rates to combustion process is necessary to remedy the lack of the time variable in combustion thermodynamics. The first and second law which form our thermodynamic foundation permit the prediction of energy transformations from one form to another, but fail to predict the fates at which energy transformations can occur. The introduction of the time variable into combustion systems, in which chemical energy is converted to thermal energy, is made through the study of rates at which various radicals or compounds appear or disappear. The introduction of the concept of the homogeneous reactor as a model of a simplified combustion system was a first step. This model assumes that unburned but homogeneous mixture of fuel and oxidant enters the reaction zone and mixes instantly with material contained in the reaction zone. The totally or partially oxidized mixture, now considered, as the products of combustion leave the reactor at a composition and temperature identical to that maintained within the reactor by the oxydation of the incoming mixture. This concept was originally introduced independently by Avery and the writer (1) and used successfully by Avery and Hart (2), Longwell and co-workers (3) (4) (5) and by the writer (6) (7) and his collaborator (7) (8).