DOI: 10.1615/ICHMT.1995.RadTransfProcHeatMassTransfSevNuclReactAcc
ISBN Print: 978-1-56700-059-7
EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION AND ANALYSIS OF HYDROGEN COMBUSTION
ABSTRAKT
A review of hydrogen combustion research at RRC Kurchatov Institute is presented with the emphasis on theoretical and experimental results on spontaneous detonation onset conditions. Criterion for spontaneous detonation possibility and its application to severe accidents in a nuclear power plant are discussed. The criterion based on theoretical modeling describes scale limitations for the onset of a detonation. In terms of the detonation cell width of a combustible mixture λ, the minimum characteristic size of the mixture allowing transition to detonation is estimated as 7λ. Experimental results on turbulent jet initiation and on deflagration to detonation transition obtained under premixed conditions are in a good agreement with the 7λ criterion. Characteristic size of the mixture volume should be used for conservative estimates in accident analysis. Recent results of non-premixed hydrogen injection/ignition experiments are presented. They show that 7λ criterion can also be used for dynamic conditions. Cell width λ defined by mean hydrogen concentration in a cloud and the size of the cloud should be used as variables in this case. Applications of the 7λ criteria for placing of hydrogen igniters are discussed.