Experimental study on explosion characteristics of hydrogen–propane mixtures

Abstract

The explosion characteristics of a hydrogen–propane mixture under different initial temperatures and at different hydrogen addition, equivalence, and dilution ratios were studied using a 20-L apparatus. First, the effects of hydrogen addition and equivalence ratio were studied. The results showed that the maximum explosion pressure and the maximum rate of pressure rise first increased, then decreased from lean to an equivalence ratio of 1.6, and reached the maximum value at the equivalence ratio of 1.2. The maximum explosion pressure and the maximum rate of pressure rise increased with the increasing hydrogen proportion of the mixtures, and the time to the maximum explosion pressure decreased. Furthermore, the mixed fuel with the equivalence and hydrogen addition ratios of 1.0 and 0.4, respectively, was explored under nitrogen or carbon dioxide dilution. Carbon dioxide exhibited a stronger dilution effect than nitrogen. For the mixed fuel with the equivalence and hydrogen addition ratios of 1.0 and 0.4, respectively, the maximum explosion pressure saliently decreased with the increasing initial temperature in the range of 25 °C-120 °C. The variation trend of experimental results was consistent with theoretical predictions.