This paper presents preliminary results from hydrogen concentration gradient combustion experiments in a 10.7 m3 cylinder. These gradients, also referred to as stratified mixtures, were formed from dry mixtures of hydrogen and air at atmospheric temperature. Combustion pressures, burn fractions and flame speeds in concentration gradients were compared with combustion of well-mixed gases containing equivalent amounts of hydrogen. The studied variables included the quantity of hydrogen in the vessel, the steepness of the concentration gradient, the igniter location, and the initial concentration of hydrogen at the bottom of the vessel.

Gradients of hydrogen and air with average concentrations of hydrogen below the downward propagation limit produced significantly greater combustion pressures when ignited at the top of the vessel than well-mixed gases with the same quantity of hydrogen. This was the result of considerably higher burn fractions in the gradients than in the well-mixed gas tests. Above the downward propagation limit, gradients of hydrogen ignited at the top of the vessel produced nearly the same combustion pressures as under well-mixed conditions; both gradients and well-mixed gases had high burn fractions. Much higher flame speeds were observed in the gradients than the well-mixed gases.

Gradients and well-mixed gases containing up to 14% hydrogen ignited at the bottom of the vessel produced nearly the same combustion pressures. Above 14%, hydrogen, gradients produced lower combustion pressures than well-mixed gases having the same quantity of hydrogen. This can be attributed to lower burn fractions of fuel from the gradients compared with well-mixed gases with similar quantities of hydrogen. When ignited at the bottom of the vessel, 90%, of a gradient's gases remained unburned until several seconds after ignition. The remaining gases were then consumed at a very fast rate.