Assessment of the Effects of Inert Gas and Hydrocarbon Fuel Dilution on Hydrogen Flames

To advance hydrogen into the energy market, it is necessary to consider risk assessment for scenarios that are complicated by accidental hydrogen release mixing with other combustible hydrocarbon fuels. The paper is aimed at examining the effect of mixing the hydrocarbon and inert gas into the hydrogen flame on the kinetic mechanisms, the laminar burning velocity and the flame stability. The influences of hydrogen concentration on the flame burning velocity were determined for the hydrogen/propane (H2-C3H8), hydrogen/ethane (H2-C2H6), hydrogen/methane (H2-CH4), and hydrogen/carbon dioxide (H2-CO2) mixtures. Experimental tests were carried out to determine the lift-off, blow-out and blow-off stability limits of H2, H2-C3H8, H2-C2H6, H2-CH4 and H2-CO2 jet flames in a 2mm diameter burner. The kinetic mechanisms of hydrogen interacting with C3, C2 and C1 fuels is analysed using the kinetic mechanisms for hydrocarbon combustion.