Effects of percentage of blockage and flameholder downstream counterbores on lean combustion limits of premixed, prevaporized propane-air mixture
Lean combustion limits were determined for a premixed prevaporized propane air mixture with flat plate flame stabilizers. Experiments were conducted in a constant area flame tube combustor utilizing flameholders of varying percentages of blockage and downstream counterbores. Combustor inlet air velocity at ambient conditions was varied from 4 to 9 meters per second. Flameholders with a center hole and four half holes surrounding it were tested with 63, 73, and 85 percent blockage and counterbore diameters of 112 and 125 percent of the thru hole diameter, in addition to the no counterbore configuration. Improved stability was obtained by using counterbore flameholders and higher percentages of blockage. Increases in mixture velocity caused the equivalence ratio at blowout to increase in all cases.