Model for the generation of hydrogen chloride from the combustion of poly(vinyl chloride) under conditions of forcefully minimised decay

Abstract

Experiments were carried out in which poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) wire coating was decomposed electrically. Efforts were made to minimise the amount of decay of the hydrogen chloride generated, so that the decay rate remained much smaller than the generation rate. These experiments were used to create a model for the generation of HCl from PVC. The new model is based on physico-chemical principles and on the temperature-time pattern measured. Thus, although still partly empirical, it replaces a previous model, purely empirical. The model results were employed to obtain a very adequate fit of the entire set of experiments. The results were also used to determine the effects of two different types of metal wire (copper and carbon steel) on the HCl decay rate. Results of the new experiments were also fitted in conjunction with those of earlier experiments, in a larger reaction chamber. This was done in order to verify that the new overall model is, indeed, a good representation of the entire process. This work provides an independent confirmation of the validity of the total model for HCl generation, transport and decay reported previously.