Adiabatic flame temperature from "summary" of The Physical Properties of Town Gas and Its Combustion Produ by W. E. Francis,H. E. Toth,Gas Council
The adiabatic flame temperature is a crucial concept in combustion engineering. It is the temperature at which a combustible mixture is burned, and it can be used to calculate how much heat is released in the process. Knowing the adiabatic flame temperature can help researchers and engineers better understand and design combustion systems.- The Adiabatic Flame Temperature (AFT) is a measure of relative heat that occurs when combustible gases and vapors are ignited. It is an important parameter to consider in determining how efficiently combustible materials can be burnt.
- A high AFT ensures the best conversion rate of chemical energy into thermal energy. This is beneficial as it increases efficiency in industrial processes such as combustion engines, boilers, furnaces, gas turbines etc.
- Factors which influence the AFT include type of fuel used, composition of air/fuel mixture, oxygen levels present in atmosphere etc. It is determined by measuring the temperature rise above the original state while undergoing adiabatic process or combustion.
- When fuel is burned with other combustible materials at different temperatures, the temperature of the flame will depend upon the speed at which the reaction takes place. Greater speeds imply higher temperature flames.
- Virginia and West Virginia states of the US have set legal requirements for AFT of natural gas, propane, ethanol and other types of fuels in order to reduce greenhouse emissions from domestic usage. Industry regulations across the world also adhere to certain specifications and safety protocols regarding AFT for various commercial applications.
- Generally, AFTs range between 2000°F-3000°F depending on the fuel and operational context. To maintain expected performance parameters of machinery, AFTs should always be checked regularly during operation/ servicing.
- Several empirical models and mathematical equations are available in literature to predict AFT for varying conditions of fuel-air mixtures. Experiments and thermodynamic analysis are used to derive these values depending on the parameters chosen for calculations.
