Effect of magnetic field on alkane gas explosions

Abstract

Magnetic field has excellent development potential in the field of explosion. The authors found the suppression effect of magnetic fields on alkane gas explosions. In this paper, the effects of magnetic field on the maximum explosion pressure, rate of pressure rise, and flame propagation velocity of alkane gas have been investigated experimentally. The crucial free radicals and elementary reactions in the process of alkane gas explosions were simulated by CHEMKIN-PRO. The explosion mechanism of alkane gas under a magnetic field was revealed by a comprehensive analysis of experimental and simulation results combined with the gradient magnetic field force. The experimental results show that the magnetic field significantly reduces the maximum explosion pressure, rate of pressure rise, and flame propagation velocity of alkane gas, thus weakening the gas explosion intensity. Compared with methane and propane, the inhibitory effect of magnetic fields on ethane explosions is more substantial. In addition, from the variation law of explosion pressure and flame propagation velocity, which concluded that the magnetic field not only inhibits the propagation of shock waves, but also significantly the propagation of the light waves. Simulation results show that ·OH plays a more dominant role in the explosion of ethane than methane and propane. The magnetic field changes the trajectory of key free radicals such as ·H, ·O and ·OH by applying a gradient magnetic field force, which increases the collision between free radicals and the wall of the reaction vessel, produces the wall effect, and reduces the collision probability between free radicals. Thus, the explosion of alkane gas was inhibited. The equation for the gradient magnetic field force further demonstrates that the magnetic field has the most excellent effect on ·OH, thus presenting that the magnetic field has a more significant inhibitory effect on ethane explosions than methane and propane.