Chapter 1 - THERMAL IGNITION [1

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter explains the thermal self-ignition theory for simple reactions. Heat released by a reacting mass and heat transferred to the surroundings are both important in determining the course of a combustion process. When the ignition is not predominantly thermal, then the ignition is because of chain branching. An exothermically reacting mixture has an ignition temperature that is assigned to it, and the ignition of the reacting mixture depends not only on the recipe of the mixture but also on the amount of heat that is exchanged to and from its surroundings. The formation of complex aromatic hydrocarbon mixtures occurs after condensing the dimer to a liquid. However, the structure and heat of formation of the dimer cannot be determined directly by that process because the dimer is unstable against further condensation. At higher temperatures the, dimerization leads on to thermal ignition.