FLAMMABILITY LIMITS IN AIR

The data presented in Table El are for fuel gases and vapors and are taken almost exclusively from Zabetakis. [IJS Bur. Mines Bull. 627 (1965)]. The conditions are for the fuel-air mixture at 25°C and 1 atm unless otherwise specified. As noted in the text, most fuels have a rich limit at approximately = 3.3 and a lean limit at approximately / = 0.5. The fuels which vary most from the rich limit are those that are either very tightly bound as ammonia is or which can decompose as hydrazine or any monopropellant does. Additional sources of flammability limit data can be found in the Ignition Handbook by Babrauskas (Fire Science Publishers, Issaquah, WA, 2003) and from Kuchta [1/5 Bur. Mines Bull. 680 (1985)]. 

TABLE El Flammability Limits of Fuel Gases and Vapors in Air at 25°C and 1 atm 

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Flammability Acrolein is very flammable its flash point is <0° C, but a toxic vapor cloud will develop before a flammable one. The flammable limits in air are 2.8% and 31.0% lower and upper explosive limits, respectively by volume. Acrolein is only partly soluble in water and will cause a floating fire, so alcohol type foam should be used in firefighting. The vapors are heavier than air and can travel along the ground and flash back from an ignition source. 

TABLE 26-13 Flammability Limits in Air and Oxygen at Ordinary Temperatures and 1 atm ... 

Fire Hazards - Flash Point (deg. F) 113 OC Flammable Limits in Air (%) Not pertinent Fire Extinguishing Agents Water, dry chemical, carbon dioxide Fire Extinguishing Agents Not To Be Used Not pertinent Special Hazards of Combustion Products Not pertinent Behavior in Fire May explode. Bums with accelerating intensity Ignition Temperature (deg. F) Explodes Electrical Hazard Data... 

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