EXPERIMENTAL STUDY FOR

EFFECT OF HYDROGEN ON
LAMINAR BURNING
VELOCITY FOR DIFFERENT
FUEL BLENDS
By
M.Sc. student Ahmed Sh. Yousif
Supervisor
Prof. Haroun Ak. Shahad

Introduction
Increasing concern over the fossil fuel
shortage and pollution of air, the
requirement for alternative fuels for
Internal Combustion Engines (ICEs) has
been a major concern for the
researchers. The need for a sustainable
energy system has lead researchers to
study the combustion process and
alternative fuels , several studies have
been conducted on this fuel since the
1930s for hydrogen as an alternative
fuel . In particular, comprehending the
combustion performance of hydrogen
at varying equivalence ratios, and
volumetric percentages with other
fuels is essential to optimize engine
operations.

Introduction
Introduction
Burning
BurningVelocity
Velocity
Experimental
ExperimentalWork
Work
Method
Methodof
ofMeasurements
Measurementsand
andProcedure
Procedure

INTRODUCTION

This study investigates the effect of hydrogen blend

injected with fuel into a constant volume combustion
chamber (CVCC) on the laminar burning velocity. The
properties studied include flame structure, flame front
speed, chamber pressure , Laminar burning velocities,

Aim of the Study

The aim of this study is to
investigate laminar flame
speed based on fuel
composition with air. The main
objective will be to
determine the effect of
hydrogen with fuel
percentage on burning
velocity. Different fuels will be
tested using differing
percentages by volume
composition to determine
the optimal ratio of fuel to
air. An optimal ratio will be
defined as being the ratio that
results in the fastest flame
speed.

Fuels
Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)
LPG consists mainly of butane and propane as one of the main energy sources
used for domestic and commercial applications, LPG has advantages such as : A high heating value ("calorific value") 46.1 MJ/kg
Emissions from LPG vehicles are lower . hydrocarbon (HC)

emissions as 40% lower, carbon monoxide (CO) as 60% lower and

a virtual absence of sulphur, leading to cleaner burning.
Because it burns in the engine in the gaseous phase, LPG results in less corrosion

and engine wear than does gasoline.

Its high octane rating (105) enables it to burn more completely than does gasoline,

. With less carbon buildup, spark plugs often last longer

stable flame and low processing cost.
can be liquefied in a low pressure range of 0.7 to 0.8MPa at

atmospheric pressure

Fuels
Hydrogen
Hydrogen (H2) another well-known clean fuel ,at standard temperature and pressure,
hydrogen is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic, nonmetallic, highly combustible
diatomic gas has high flame speed (200cm/sec), wide flammability range will burn in air
at a very wide range of concentrations between 4% and 75% by volume, low minimum
ignition energy, and no emissions of HC or CO2. Recent studies on internal combustion
engines with hydrogen enriched fuels showed that hydrogen addition could increase
engine thermal efficiency, improve lean burn capability and mitigate the global warming
problem .the temperature of spontaneous ignition in air, is 500 C .However, hydrogen
flame can be rather unstable during operation because of its extremely light weight and
special combustion characteristics. Also, because of its low density and light molar
weight, hydrogen has very low volumetric heating value.

BURNING VELOCITY AND

FLAME SPEED

Flame Speed
The flame speed is the measured
rate of expansion of the flame
front in a combustion reaction.
Flame can be divided into
premixed and non- premixed
(diffusion ) according to the
mixing with oxider and each can
be divided into laminar and
turbulent according to flow
regime.

flame

premix
ed
lamina
r

turbule
nt

diffusio
n

Laminar

turbule
nt

Laminar Burning Velocity

The burning velocity (Su) is
defined as the velocity at
which unburned gases move
through the combustion wave
in the direction normal to the
.wave surface

EXPERIMENTAL WORK

Experimental Setup
The study of flame
propagation subject needs
Rainbow Schlieren
Deflectometer systems
because of the short period
available for measurement,
which is not longer than few
milliseconds.
The experimental apparatus
consists mainly of the
following units:
combustion chamber and

ignition unit
mixture preparing unit
Rainbow Schlieren

Deflectometer unit

fuel
tan
k

Air compressor

H2
tan
k

The Mixer
C.C

Spark plug

transformer

Push
Button

A.C.
pow
er

The present work is using a

cylindrical shape with (190mm)
inner diameter; (250mm) length ,
(10 mm) wall thickness , (20
mm) thickness upper and lower
flange, made of solid iron to
resist the high pressure that
occur during the combustion
.These flanges are joined with
the combustion chamber by 16
hex bolt (M16 ) for each flange.
Two pressure-resisting quartz
windows ( 80 mm) are installed
on the two sides of the
combustion chamber by flange
to allow the combustion process
optically accessible

Combustion Chamber and

Ignition Unit

A temperature and pressure

recorder are used

To produce a powerful spark in

the spark Plug , a DC power is
produced from a transformer
connected to AC power line (220
V AC). The transformer (2*7.5 KV
HOSEL ) output is 14KV the peak

mixture preparing unit

The main purpose of

preparing the mixture in the

mixer rather than in the
combustion chamber is to
increase the total pressure of
the mixture and then increase
the partial pressure of
hydrocarbon fuel and
hydrogen so that the reading
will be more accurate .

Air
compressor

fuel
tan
k

Total pressure
gauge
Vacuum
gauge

The Mixer

The calculation for the

mixing will be obey to Gibbs

Dalton Law

to the combustion
chamber

H2
tan
k

Rainbow Schlieren
Deflectometer Unit
There are 3

methods to
visualize the flow in
the Schlieren
technology
1. Rainbow Schlieren
Deflectometer
2. Single concave
mirror method
3. Z- type mirror
method

Still working on
this method to
get the perfect
way to visualize
the flame

METHOD OF
MEASUREMENTS AND
PROCEDURE

Laminar Burning Velocity Measurement

SS
Methods
tt
The heat flux method
a

a
needs to determine
gg
the heat loss as a
nn
function of the inlet
aa
velocity and to
tt
extrapolate the
results to zero heat
ii
loss to get the
oo
bomb
adiabatic burning combustion
combustion
bomb method
method
nn
velocity

H
H
ee
aa
tt

FFP
P
llll
aa
u
unn
Its done by creating
Its done
by creating
stretch
stabilized
twin x
xe
stretch stabilized twin e
flames. This method can
flames. This
method
can
establish
different
flame
f
establish different
configurations,
but itflame
is f
configurations,
it is ll
difficult
to draw abut
clear
a
difficult
toand
draw
flame
front
toa clear a
flame front
and tounder
m
stabilize
the flame
m
stabilize
the flame under
ee
the
high-pressure
the high-pressure
conditions
and its not the

M
M
ee
tt
h
h

This method utilizes

the prototypical
propagating spherical
or half spherical flame
configuration and has
drawn particular
attention due to its
simple flame
configuration, welldefined flame stretch
rate and well
controlled
experiment . .

Burning Velocity Measurement

techniques

Counter FlowBurner
Technique

use a rectangular opening slot that allow for the fuel to pass through it and the
flame is stabilized over it .The flame appears to be tent-like shape (complex
conical ) , the advantage of this tech is the flame has large areas in which
curvature is minimized also the disadvantage of this technique is the oblique
angle to the primary flow direction of the gas mixture is difficult to measure
accurately.
Most commonly performed using Bursun burner , the flame surface area is simply
measured and divided by the amount of gas mixture consumed per second .The
flame shape vary .the advantage is the simplicity of the apparatus and the
possibility to test the effect of temperature and pressure .The disadvantage of it
are low accuracy , unreliable theory ,only average burning velocity can be
determined , complex and varying shape and not applicable for very fast flames
It is a two identical combustible mixture where impinged against each other from
two opposing burner nozzle .A stagnation plane is generated between the two
burner . This will forms two identical planar flame. The method is convenient for
both liquid and gaseous fuels. Since the burner nozzles have no flame-forming
elements, and the jets only interact with each other downstream, there are
almost no external heat losses.

Flat Flame
Burner
Technique

A low velocity flow of the gas mixture is passed through a series of screen and
honeycomb filters to create an even flat flame .The advantage of it is the profile
most closely approaches an infinite plane and this method useful for mixtures
nearing the limits of flammability . The disadvantage as mention previously that
this method used for slow flame (<15 cm/sec ).

Slot Burner
Technique
Bunsun Burner
Technique

Tube
Propagation
Technique
Constant
Volume
chamber
Technique

Horizontal tube is filled with a gas mixture .one end is open , the other closed .
Flame is ignited at the open end of the tube and the flame as it travels in the tube
recordable. The flame shape is hemispherical or ellipsoidal .The advantage are
simple apparatus , widely applicable and small quantity of material needed . the
disadvantage are the flame area is difficult to obtain , cooling effect of walls
create errors and only average burning velocity can be obtained.
This method uses a spherical or cylindrical vessel and relies on measurements taken after
the early stages of flame propagation, during which there is an insignificant pressure rise.
The advantage of measuring the burning velocity using the closed vessel over other
methods is that, from a single test, burning velocities can be calculated over a wide range
of temperatures and pressures.

Analytical Method
H2 + 0.5(O2 + 3:76N2)

m + (n+m/4)(O2 + 3:76N2)

H2O + 0.5 * 3:76N2

nCO2 +m/2 H2O + (n+m/4) * 3:7

Mixture can be expressed as {(1 - X% )CnHm + X

% H2} and air

(F/A )st= 1 / [ X%h2 * 0.5 (1+3.76) +( 1-X

%h2)*(n+m/4)(1+3.76) ]
Dalton's law state that in a mixture of non-reacting gases, the total
pressure exerted is equal to the sum of the partial pressures of the
individual gases

al = P1+p2+p3 ..Pn

Pfuel /Ptotal

Nfuel /Ntotal

Analytical Method

example 10%H2 +90% LPG (60%C3H8 +40%C4H10) for =1 ,Pf=0.1

bar T=298 K

54 C3H8 +0.36 C4H10 + (x) / (O2 + 3:76N2)

After balancing C-H-O and get X=5.09 ,
(A/F)st = 24.2/1

aCO2 +bH2O + (x/

Ideal gas law

Pf*V=nf*Ro*T

V= volume 0.05 m3

0.1*10E5*0.05=nf*8314* 298
Nf= 0.0002 actual number of mole for fule
=

Gibbs Dalton Law

na)ac=nf *(A/f)st *1/

Na=0.00484 actual number of mole for air

Nt =Na+Nf =0.00484+0.0002=0.00504
mole
Total actual number of mole for mixture
PtV=ntRoT
298

Pt*0.05=0.00504*8314*

Pt= 2.49 bar total pressure

Pt = 2.52 Bar

We have a small different

between result because we

Experimental work plan

laminar burning speeds and flame structures of spherically
expanding flames of the mixtures in a constant volume
cylindrical chamber.. Burning velocity will be as the following
Type of fuel in this study we will use LPG , Propane ,

acetylene , Methane ( if available !!!)

Blends of hydrogen from 0-100 percent use for each

fuel
Equivalence ratios from 0.4 to 1.4according to the

flammability limits for each blends

Initial pressure the range pressure of 0.52.0atm,

P= 0.5 atm

P= 1.0 atm

X%
100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10
0% H2
% % % % % % % % % %

X%
100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10
0% H2
% % % % % % % % % %

0.4

0.4

0.6

0.6

0.8

0.8

1.2

1.2

1.4

1.4

P= 1.5 atm
X%
100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10
0% H2
% % % % % % % % % %

P=
2.0 atm
P= 2 atm

X%

80 70
70 60
60 50
50 40
40 30
30 20
20 10
10
100 90 80
0% H2
0%
% %
% %
% %
% %
% %
% %
%
% % % %

0.4

0.4

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.2

1.4

0.6
0.6

0.8
0.8

1
1

1.2
1.2

1.4
1.4

Thank You

Universi
Mechani
Engineerin
ty
Babylon
cal
g
Ahmed

LP
G

April , 29th ,
2015