CDB 3082

Chemical Engineering Lab IV

CDB 3082
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING LAB IV

LABORATORY 7
Environmental Safety
-Flame PropagationGroup #:
Name
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

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Student I.D.

CDB 3082

Chemical Engineering Lab IV

Laboratory Description
The experiment is an alternative method in the mode of self-learning, which is assigned for each
group. Students are encouraged to use all resources available to ensure complete understanding on
the experiment assigned. Following are the objectives of the experiment, the expected outputs for
submission and the laboratory safety aspects.
Laboratory Objectives
1.
To ensure students have hands-on training on an analysis method.
2.
To ensure students are able to interpret, analyse, evaluate and give relevant
recommendations for their projects.
3.
To encourage students to share the knowledge gained from the doing the laboratory analysis
for others by doing a presentation.
4.
To encourage students to ask questions to the presenter in order to enhance their knowledge.
Laboratory Output
1.
A written report to be submitted in one week time. The report should include:
a.
Introduction
b.
Literature review
c.
Methodology
d.
Results and discussion
e.
Conclusion and recommendation
2.
A short report to be submitted in the next day of experiment. The report should include:
a.
Data collection
b.
Results calculation
c.
Answers of questions
Laboratory Safety
1.
NO food and drink.
2.
NO sandals or open-toe or heels shoes.
3.
Hygiene: at times you will work with sewage. Be aware that handling your pens, calculator,
packs, etc. with contaminated gloves will contaminate those items. Putting pens in your
mouth that may have been on the bench or handled with gloves could be hazardous.
4.
Spills: Wipe up all spills immediately, wash down and dry the bench. Please ask for assistance
if chemicals are spilled.
5.
Broken Glass: Be careful not to break glass, but if you do ask for assistance. DO NOT PUT
BROKEN GLASS INTO THE REGULAR GARBAGE CONTAINER. If you cut yourself, no matter how
minor, please get help.
6.
Clean-up: You must leave your workstation as you found it clean and dry. All glassware must
be rinsed well (at least 5 times with tap water) and put on paper towels at your station or on
drying racks. Remember to empty and rinse burettes as well.

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CDB 3082

Chemical Engineering Lab IV

FLAME PROPAGATION
Introduction:
Modern industry demands the highest possible efficiency in the utilization of all types of fuel. To
achieve this, fuel and air must be mixed in the correct proportion under stable conditions implying
knowledge of the combustion characteristics of the fuel and the underlying aspects of fluid
mechanics. The Flame Propagation and Stability Unit have been designed to investigate the behavior
characteristics of flames in a quantitative and qualitative manner. This bench top unit allows
supervised student operation and analysis over a very wide range of air/fuel ratios and gaseous fuel
types. The observations and experiments that can be conducted include flame stability,
measurement of the air/fuel ratio, flame speed, arresting and quenching techniques as well as
methods of expanding stability limits.

FIGURE 1: Flame Propagation/Stability Unit

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CDB 3082

Chemical Engineering Lab IV

Description:
A small blower provides primary air which is controlled by a valve and its flow rate measured by a
variable area flowmeter. Slow burning gaseous fuel from cylinders or mains is controlled and
measured in a similar manner. Both air and gas area separately introduced into a mixing block
designed to accommodate a variety of mixing tubes.
The speed at which a flame passes along a stationary column of gas/air mixture is an important part
of the understanding of flame stability. A 5 meter length of 25 mm bore clear plastic tube is
connected to the mixing block and a known mixture allowed to pass through. Both gas and air valves
are closed simultaneously and the arrested mixture is ignited by means of a spark plug. The time for
the flame to pass over a measured distance is easily recorded and the results are plotted.
Objectives:
Using the system you will carry out the following experiments:
1. To measure the flame speed in case of Air/Gas (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) mixtures
Apparatus:
Flame Propagation and Stability Unit (P.A Hilton Ltd.) consists of following components:TABLE 1: Component of flame speed system
No. Component of flame speed system

Panel

Air Tube to Mixing Block

Gas Tube to Mixing Block

Mixing/Burner Block

Burner Adaptors

6
7
8
9

Flame Speed Tube

Igniter
Lighter
Safety Valve
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Description
Steel Control Panel, include: air flow meter
(tube 14X), gas flow meter (tube 7X), mixture gas
flow meter, air control valve, gas control valve and
air blower switch
Black plastic tubing, connector from air flow meter to
mixing block
Clear plastic tubing, connector from gas flow meter
to mixing block
Steel block for mixing air and gas
Two flame speed adaptors each complete with flame
traps. One adaptor fitted with an igniter plug.
25mm diameter x 5m long clear PVC tube.
Consists of igniter box, igniter switch and igniter plug.
Hand held
Foot operated gas safety valve.

CDB 3082

Chemical Engineering Lab IV

Air indicator

Air control

Gas fuel control

Gas fuel indicator

FIGURE 2: Flame Propagation/Stability Unit

Air indicator

On main switch and gas

Gas fuel

supply unit

Place the foot on switch pad and

Adjust the desire air flow

open gas control valve.

Adjust the desire gas fuel flow.

Ignite the gas fuel using lighter

Flame in bluish colour establish

FIGURE 3: Flame Propagation/Stability Unit

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CDB 3082

Chemical Engineering Lab IV

General Operating Procedures:

General Start-up Procedure
1. Switch on main switch and turn on gas supply to unit.
2. Open air control valve and observe that air flow is through to burner block.
3. Place foot on switch pad and open gas control valve. The gas flow rate may be measured using
either of the two flow meters. The long flow meter is used for natural gas while the shorter one is
used for mixture of propane and butane. The flow meter calibration curves can be used to
determine the flow rate of gas.
4. Ignite mixture at burner using the lighter.
Experiments:
Experiment A: Flame travel measurement
1. When flame established, adjust controls for minimum air/fuel ratio such that flame is bluish in
color at the burner block. When ratio is set, wait approximately 5 seconds until flame is steady
then close air and gas control valves completely. At the same time operate the ignition unit
trigger and operate the stop watch to determine the time of flame travel between measured
reference points on the plastic tube.
2. Mark start and end points on the plastic tube to determine the flame speed in between these two
points.
3. Repeat the experiment by increasing the air flow rate and correspondingly adjusting the gas flow
rate such that flame becomes bluish in color. Determine the flame speed.

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CDB 3082

Chemical Engineering Lab IV

Press the ignition unit

Determine the time of flame

And then followed by release the

travel between measured

foot from switch pad

reference points on the plastic

tube

After completion,
close the air and
gas fuel valve

Record the distance on the plastic

Off and dismantle the

tube and time of flame travel

control valve of gas fuel

tank.

Repeat the next run

FIGURE 4: Flame travel measurement procedure

Results and discussion:
1. Record the results in below table:Indicated Gas Indicated
Air
Flame
Time
No. gas flow flow
air flow
flow
speed
(s)
3
3
(cm)
(m /s)
(cm)
(m /s)
(m/s)
1
5
10
10
5
2
5
12
10
10
3
5
14
10
15
4
5
16
10
20
5
5
18
10
25
2.
3.

Air/fuel
ratio

Plot the results using flame speed (m/s) on x-axis and air/gas ratio on y-axis for different gases
and compare the results.
Discuss the importance of this experiment in context of its application in the industrial system
with special reference to different kind of burners installed in fuel furnaces.

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CDB 3082

Chemical Engineering Lab IV

Additional Information
The efficient combustion of gaseous fuels has become of vital importance, due to both the rising cost
of fuel and compelling evidence of global climate change.
In order to be able to ultimately design efficient gas burners, students must first have a working
knowledge of the parameters affecting gas combustion.
The Hilton Flame Propagation and Stability Unit C551 has been designed to allow students, acting
under competent supervision, to investigate the behaviour characteristics of flames in both a
quantitative and qualitative manner.
Visual observation of flame movement, particularly in the flame speed tube rapidly captures student
attention in an imaginative way and leads to a better understanding of flame control techniques
employed in the design of combustion systems.
A comprehensive range of experiments can be conducted usign slow burning conventional gaseous
fuels.

References:
1. Daniel A.Crowl, Joseph F.Louvar Chemical Process Safety , Second Edition ,Prentice Hall Inc,
2002.

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