화학공학소재연구정보센터
Combustion Science and Technology, Vol.137, No.1-6, 195-216, 1998
Flame-spreading process over thin aluminum sheets in oxygen-enriched environments
An experimental study of flame-spreading process over thin aluminum (99 % Al and 1 % Mn) sheets was investigated in oxygen-enriched environments. The objective of this study was to determine the dependency of flame-spreading rate over aluminum sheets as a function of initial chamber pressure, sample thickness, oxygen purity, oxygen flow condition, and sample orientation. The reaction mechanism of aluminum in oxygen was also studied by examining the recovered partially-burned sample using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) coupled with an energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS). The dame-spreading rate over aluminum sheets was measured by an array of fast-response lead-selenide (Pb-Se) IR photodetectors. The initial chamber pressure was varied from 0.1 to 6.3 MPa. Two grades of oxygen gas were used with purities of 99.996 % and 99.75 %. In terms of the effect of pressure on the flame-spreading rate, as the initial chamber pressure was increased, the dame-spreading rate was found to increase to a maximum, decrease to a minimum, and then increase again. Based upon the comparison of flame-spreading rates in horizontal, upward, and downward orientation, the dame-spreading process over aluminum sheets was found to be dominated by the solid-phase heat conduction mechanism. The continuous oxygen dow showed a strong influence on the flame-spreading behavior, and it was demonstrated that the flame can be blown off when the counter-current flow velocity exceeds a critical value. The flame-spreading rates under high-purity (similar to 99.996 %) oxygen environments were found to be significantly greater than those in commercial grade (similar to 99.75 %) oxygen. In addition, the oxygen content in the white ceramic-type nodules formed on the burned edge of the recovered partially-burned sample is much higher than that on the unburned surface. These imply that there exist heterogeneous reactions between aluminum and either oxygen or gaseous aluminum sub-oxides on the burning surface.