Date of Award

1985

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Mechanical Engineering

Abstract

A series of premixed, laminar, one-dimensional CH(,2)Cl(,2)/CH(,4)/air flat flames have been studied to develop a better understanding of the combustion characteristics of toxic chlorinated hydrocarbons. A facility capable of sustained operation in the highly corrosive environment associated with chlorinated hydrocarbon combustion was developed for this study. This facility and the gas chromatographic procedures for the analysis of C(,1) and C(,2) hydrocarbons and chlorinated hydrocarbons in combustion products are described in detail. Stable species mole fractions and temperature profiles for a series of six flames were obtained at 750 Torr with uncooled quartz microprobes and fine gage thermocouples. Equivalence ratios were varied from 0.77 to 1.0 and the Cl/H ration from 0.062 to 0.72. The data indicated that the flame zone has the potential for 99.99% destruction of the waste under both fuel rich and fuel lean conditions. This implies that postflame processing and the use of high levels of excess air may not be necessary provided the waste is adequately vaporized. The importance of C(,2) hydrocarbon and chlorinated hydrocarbon chemistry, and hence the potential for Products of Incomplete Combustion (PICs) and soot, increased as the chlorine loading increased. Two distinct types of intermediate behavior were observed suggesting that there are two paths which lead to PIC breakthrough in an incinerator: one of which would be dominant under transient conditions and the other during stable operation. Chloroform was the most stable chlorinated intermediate detected and was found to exhibit a high PIC potential under all but rich conditions.

Pages

348

DOI

10.31390/gradschool_disstheses.4155

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