Propane flames

The treatment with a fuel gas-oxygen flame (propane/butane or acetylene with excess oxygen, recognizable by the blue coloration of the flame) results in a chemical and physical surface modification, also with oxidative effects. This method is particularly suitable for handycraft applications, because of its low effort and expenditures. The flame treatment time is in the range of seconds, the distance of the flame to surface should be approximately 5-10 cm. In the case of thermoplastics like polyethylene and polypropylene, care should be taken that surface melting is avoided. 

The hydrocarbons are separated in another column and analyzed by a flame ionization detector, FID. As an example, Figure 3.13 shows the separation obtained for a propane analyzed according to the ISO 7941 standard. Note that certain separations are incomplete as in the case of ethane-ethylene. A better separation could be obtained using an alumina capillary column, for instance. 

The main problem in this technique is getting the atoms into the vapour phase, bearing in mind the typically low volatility of many materials to be analysed. The method used is to spray, in a very fine mist, a liquid molecular sample containing the atom concerned into a high-temperature flame. Air mixed with coal gas, propane or acetylene, or nitrous oxide mixed with acetylene, produce flames in the temperature range 2100 K to 3200 K, the higher temperature being necessary for such refractory elements as Al, Si, V, Ti and Be. 

Cool Flames. An intriguing phenomenon known as "cool" flames or oscillations appears to be intimately associated with NTC relationships. A cool flame occurs in static systems at certain compositions of hydrocarbon and oxygen mixtures over certain ranges of temperature and pressure. After an induction period of a few minutes, a pale blue flame may propagate slowly outward from the center of the reaction vessel. Depending on conditions, several such flames may be seen in succession. As many as five have been reported for propane (75) and for methyl ethyl ketone (76) six have been reported for butane (77). As many as 10 cool flames have been reported for some alkanes (60). The relationships of cool flames to other VPO domains are depicted in Figure 6. 

Propane. The VPO of propane [74-98-6] is the classic case (66,89,131—137). The low temperature oxidation (beginning at ca 300°C) readily produces oxygenated products. A prominent NTC region is encountered on raising the temperature (see Fig. 4) and cool flames and oscillations are extensively reported as compHcated functions of composition, pressure, and temperature (see Fig. 6) (96,128,138—140). There can be a marked induction period. Product distributions for propane oxidation are given in Table 1. 

EPA Method 25A is the instrumental analyzer method for determination of total gaseous organic concentration using a flame ionization analyzer. The method apphes to the measurement of total gaseous organic concentration of vapors consisting primarily of alkanes, alkenes, and/or arenes (aromatic hydrocarbons). The concentration is expressed in terms of propane (or other appropriate organic calibration gas) or in terms or carrion. 

Flashback tests incorporate a flame arrester on top of a tank, with a large plastic bag surrounding the flame arrester. A specific gas mixture (for example, propane, ethylene, or hydrogen at the most sensitive composition in air) flows through and fills the tank and the bag. Deflagration flames initiated in the bag (three at different bag locations) must not pass through the flame arrester into the tank. On the unpro-tec ted side, piping and attachments such as valves are included as intended for installation a series of tests—perhaps ten—is conducted. 

Deflagration Pressure The increase in pressure in a vessel from a deflagration results from an increase in temperature the ac tual maximum flame temperature for propane, for example, is I925°C (3497°F). No significant increase in moles of gas to cause pressure buildup results from combustion of propane in air. 

To enhance flame retardancy without use of additives, 2,2-bis-(3,5-dibromo-4-hydroxyphenyl)propane (tetrabromobis-phenol A) has been used in copolymers with bis-phenol A. 

Electric arc welding, flame-cutting using oxy-acetylene, propane or butane flames, or such flames burning in air. 

The substitution of one hydroxyl radical for a hydrogen atom in propane produces propyl alcohol, or propanol, which has several uses. Its molecular formula is C3H7OH. Propyl alcohol has a flash point of 77°F and, like all the alcohols, bums with a pale blue flame. More commonly known is the isomer of propyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol. Since it is an isomer, it has the same molecular formula as propyl alcohol but a different structural formula. Isopropyl alcohol has a flash point of 53 F. Its ignition temperamre is 850°F, while propyl alcohol s ignition temperature is 700 F, another effect of the different stmcture. Isopropyl alcohol, or 2-propanol (its proper name) is used in the manufacture of many different chemicals, but is best known as rubbing alcohol. 

A flare performance chart for the hydrocarbon being flared, should be consulted for additional guidelines on flare tip design. Figure 3 provides a provisional performance chart for propane. The chart defines the design envelop of exit velocities and steam ratios necessary to avoide smoke formation, excessive noise, flame boilover and flame lift-off. 

Chatrathi et al. (2001) recently reported some experiments on flame propagation in indnstrial scale piping. They presented data on deflagration propagation in three sizes of pipes (6-inches, 10-inches, and 16-inches) and three fnels (propane, ethylene, and hydrogen). The effects of bends were evalnated, bnt other piping system components were not evaln-ated. The conclnsions from this work are as follows ... 

Bjorklnnd et al. (1982) report experimental results on the evalnation of a single 30-mesh gauze screen and a dual 20-mesh gauze screen flame arresters using propane-air and ethylene-air mixtures. The test results are as follows ... 

It has been shown by Palmer at the Fire Research Station (FRS) that a crucial variable governing the performance of a flame arrester is the flame speed incident on the arrester. The critical flame speed (minimum speed at which the flame can pass through the arrester) is discussed by Phillips and Pritchard (1986), drawing largely on the FRS work on propane-air mixtures at atmospheric pressure. A simple model based on heat removal from the flame yields the following relation for deflagration flame arresters ... 

Capp, B. 1992. Temperature Rise of a Rigid Element Flame Arrester m Endurance Burning with Propane./. Loss Prev. Process Ind., 5(4), 215-218. 

Palmer, K. N. and Rogowski, Z. W. 1968. The Use of Flame Arresters for Protection of Enclosed Equipment m Propane-Air Atmospheres. IChemE Symposium Series No. 25, pp. 76-85. Institution of Chemical Engineers, Rughy, England. 

The deflagration flame arrester must he subjected to a series of at least 10 explosion (deflagration) tests in a rig with a pipe at least 5 feet (1.5 meters) long with various mixtures of propane in air and different test conditions to test the entire spectrum of possible deflagrations. Also, a series of 3 flashback tests, using a mixture of 4.2 volume percent of propane in air, must be conducted. 

The test gas may be propane, hexane, or gasoline vapors. Eor end-of-line deflagration flame arresters, tests shall be performed twice each for three ignition sources, for a total of six tests. Eor in-line detonation flame arresters three detonation tests are required. 

BSI Straight pipe for flame quench Propane, ethylene, hydrogen 15 Atmospheric Yes, if specified... 

The surface-emissive powers of fireballs depend strongly on fuel quantity and pressure just prior to release. Fay and Lewis (1977) found small surface-emissive powers for 0.1 kg (0.22 pound) of fuel (20 to 60 kW/m 6300 to 19,000 Btu/hr/ ft ). Hardee et al. (1978) measured 120 kW/m (38,000 Btu/hr/ft ). Moorhouse and Pritchard (1982) suggest an average surface-emissive power of 150 kW/m (47,500 Btu/hr/ft ), and a maximum value of 300 kW/m (95,000 Btu/hr/ft ), for industrialsized fireballs of pure vapor. Experiments by British Gas with BLEVEs involving fuel masses of 1000 to 2000 kg of butane or propane revealed surface-emissive powers between 320 and 350 kW/m (100,000-110,000 Btu/hr/ft Johnson et al. 1990). Emissive power, incident flux, and flame height data are summarized by Mudan (1984). 

The influence of hemispherical wire mesh screens (obstacles) on the behavior of hemispherical flames was studied by Dorge et al. (1976) on a laboratory scale. The dimensions of the wire mesh screens were varied. Maximum flame speeds for methane, propane, and acetylene are given in Table 4.1b. 

These experiments are described in detail in Chapter 5, and will not be described further here. The overall conclusion, from an explosion point of view, is that flame speeds are relatively low, although atmospheric conditions alone may increase flame speed somewhat. The maximum flame speed observed for LNG was 13.3 m/s (China Lake), and for propane (Maplin Sands), 28 m/s. 

The presence of horizontal or vertical obstacles (Figure 4.4) in the propane cloud hardly influenced flame propagation. On the other hand, flame propagation was influenced significantly when obstacles were covered by steel plates. Within the partially confined obstacle array, flame speeds up to 66 m/s were observed (Table 4.2) they were clearly higher than flame speeds in unconfined areas. However, at points where flames left areas of partial confinement, flame speeds dropped to their original, low, unconflned levels. 

Van Wingerden and Zeeuwen (1983) demonstrated increases in flame speeds of methane, propane, ethylene, and acetylene by deploying an array of cylindrical obstacles between two plates (Table 4.3). They showed that laminar flame speed can be used as a scaling parameter for reactivity. Van Wingerden (1984) further investigated the effect of pipe-rack obstacle arrays between two plates. Ignition of an ethylene-air mixture at one edge of the apparatus resulted in a flame speed of 420 m/s and a maximum pressure of 0.7 bar. 

Urtiew (1981) performed experiments in an open test chamber 30 cm high x 15 cm wide x 90 cm long. Obstacles of several heights were introduced into the test chamber. Possibly because there was top venting, maximum flame speeds were only on the order of 20 m/s for propane-air mixtures. 

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