Flame Stopper

The hole size used is larger than that necessary to quench a flame in a stagnant flammable gas mixture, i.e., larger than the quenching diameter. Howard recommends that the velocity necessary to prevent flashback be calculated by the following equation  

FIGURE 5-11. Sketch of a velocity flame stopper. (Source Howard 1982.) 

A velocity flame stopper is effective only as long as there is a sufficient gas flow through it. If gas stream can he subject to low flow deviations during normal or upset operating conditions, a highly dependable auxiliary gas flow must be provided. The reliability of this auxiliary gas system will affect the selection of the velocity flame stopper. 

Velocity flame stoppers have been used for feeding waste fuel gas to furnace burners when the gas can become flammable due to contamination with air. They have also been used for feeding waste or depleted air streams to furnaces when the air streams can become contaminated with flammable gases (Howard 1982). It should be noted that a furnace pressure transient may render this device ineffective and consideration should be given to providing an upstream detonation flame arrester. In this arrangement a demand will only be placed on the detonation flame arrester when the velocity flame stopper fails. Therefore, detonation flame arrester maintenance should be minimal. 

See Section 5.4.1 for additional information on the use of velocity flame stoppers for hydrogen service. 

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There are test procednres for liqnid prodnct flame arresters, high velocity vent valves, flow controlled apertnres (velocity flame stoppers), and hydranlic flame arresters, as well as specific reqnirements for testing flame arresters nsed with compressors, fans, blowers, and vacnnm pnmps, which are not covered in other standards. 

Test procedures for liquid product detonadon arresters, hydranlic flame arresters, high velocity vent valves, and flow controlled apertures (velocity flame stoppers) allow the rise of these kinds of flame arresters as an alternative to standard static fixed element dry type flame arresters. This corild be especially risefnl in high flow applica-... 

Velocity Flame Stopper See Flow Controlled Aperture. 

Maximum suppressors. Gelatin is widely used as a maximum suppressor in spite of the fact that its aqueous solution deteriorates fairly rapidly, and must therefore be prepared afresh every few days as needed. Usually a 0.2 per cent stock solution is prepared as follows. Allow 0.2 g of pure powdered gelatin (the grade sold for bacteriological work is very satisfactory) to stand in 100 mL of boiled-out distilled water for about 30 minutes with occasional swirling warm the flask containing the mixture to about 70 °C on a water bath for about 15 minutes or until all the solid has dissolved. The solution must not be boiled or heated with a free flame. Stopper the flask firmly. This solution does not usually keep for more than about 48 hours. Its stability may be increased to a few days by adding a few drops of sulphur-free toluene or a small crystal of thymol, but the addition is rarely worth while and is not recommended. 

Oleum is marketed in all strengths up to ca. 70 per cent. SO3. From 0 to 40 per cent, free SO3, it is a liquid from 40 to 60 per cent, free SO3, it is a solid from 60 to 70 per cent, free SO3, it is liquid above 70 per cent, free SO3, it is a solid. The acid must be kept in ground glass stoppered, thick-walled bottles. If it is required to melt the acid, the stopper is removed, a watch glass placed on the mouth of the bottle, and the bottle placed in a layer of sand in an air bath which is warmed with a small flame. The bottle is fitted with a wash bottle attachment, and any desired quantity of acid is forced out by gentle air pressure from a hand or foot bellows (the mouth must not be used) this procedure is far more satisfactory than that of pouring the liquid acid from the bottle. 

Prepare a coil of copper wire by winding several turns around a glass tube. Heat the coil in the oxidising flame of a Bunsen burner for 1-2 minutes and plunge the spiral, whilst still red hot, into a test-tube containing a solution of 1 ml. of methyl alcohol and 5 ml. of water. Stopper the test-tube loosely, cool, remove the wire, and repeat the process two or three times. Observe the odour of the solution and use it (or formalin diluted with water) to carry out the following tests. 

Mix 50 ml. of formalin, containing about 37 per cent, of formaldehyde, with 40 ml. of concentrated ammonia solution (sp. gr. 0- 88) in a 200 ml. round-bottomed flask. Insert a two-holed cork or rubber stopper carrying a capillary tube drawn out at the lower end (as for vacuum distillation) and reaching almost to the bottom of the flask, and also a short outlet tube connected through a filter flask to a water pump. Evaporate the contents of the flask as far as possible on a water bath under reduced pressure. Add a further 40 ml. of concentrated ammonia solution and repeat the evaporation. Attach a reflux condenser to the flask, add sufficient absolute ethyl alcohol (about 100 ml.) in small portions to dissolve most of the residue, heat under reflux for a few minutes and filter the hot alcoholic extract, preferably through a hot water fuimel (all flames in the vicinity must be extinguished). When cold, filter the hexamine, wash it with a little absolute alcohol, and dry in the air. The yield is 10 g. Treat the filtrate with an equal volume of dry ether and cool in ice. A fiulher 2 g. of hexamine is obtained. 

Bacteriological sampling is performed by manual techniques because of stringent sterilization requirements. Samples are taken in wide-mouthed, sterile, glass-stoppered bottles that are wrapped in paper prior to sterilization in an autoclave at 138 kPa (20 psi) or in an oven at 170°C. The botde is unwrapped and the lower portion is held in the hand. The sample is taken with the botde mouth in the direction of the flow. The stopper must be protected from contamination, the botde only partially filled, and the sample stored at 4°C after sampling. For bacteriological samples withdrawn from a tap, the water should mn for five minutes and then be shut off the tap should then be sterilized by flaming before a sample is taken. 

In a i-l. round-bottomed flask fitted with a reflux condenser protected by a calcium chloride tube 46 g. (2 gram atoms) of sodium is dissolved in 600 cc. of absolute alcohol (Note i). About one hour is required for the addition of the sodium, and another hour for its complete solution. Toward the end of the reaction the flask may be heated with a small smoky flame. While the sodium is being dissolved, the following materials are weighed in dry, stoppered containers 58 g. (r mole) of dry acetone (Note 2), 150 g. (1.03 moles) of freshly distilled ethyl oxalate (Org. Syn. Coll. Vol. i, 256), and 160 g. (i.i moles) of ethyl oxalate. 

Commercial selenium dioxide gives more consistent results when freshly sublimed material is used. Place the oxide (50 g) in a 7-cm porcelain crucible upon which is set a 250-ml filter flask cooled by running through it a stream of water. The crucible is heated with a low flame until sublimation is complete (20-30 minutes). After cooling, the sublimed selenium dioxide is scraped from the flask and is stored in a stoppered bottle. 

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