Summary
-
1.
The saturation current is a means of directly determining the activation energy of ion formation in flames. A knowledge of the activation energy of ion formation is necessary to determine the reactions leading to the primary formation of ions in flames.
-
2.
We have measured the activation energies of the process of ion formation in the reaction and burnt gas zones of acetylene-air and acetylene-oxygen flames. The ion formation mechanism in these flames is the same, since the numerical values of E for the corresponding zones of these flames differ only slightly, in spite of the appreciable difference in flame temperatures.
-
3.
Transition from the reaction zone to the burnt gas zone is accompanied by a sharp change in the activation energy of ion formation. This indicates that the mechanisms of ion formation in these parts of the flame are different.
-
4.
Seeding with alkali metals (Na, K) reduces the activation energy in the burnt gas zone of an acetyleneair flame, obviously owing to the appearance of a new ion formation mechanism different from that observed in the same zone in the absence of alkali metals.
-
5.
The fact that the value of the activation energy of formation of the excited CH radical is close to the value of the activation energy of ion formation in the reaction zone of an acetylene-oxygen flame indicates a possible connection between the ionization process and the process of CH radical excitation. The excited CH radical is the most likely source of ion formation in the flame reaction zone.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
N. N. Inozemtsev, Izv. AN SSSR, OTN, Energetika i avtomatika,2, 59, 1960.
A. S. Sokolik and E. S. Semenov, ZhFKh, 38, 7, 1964.
V. S. Rossikhin and N. A. Nesterko, ZhFKh, 31, 12, 2663, 1957.
N. A. Nesterko and V. S. Rossikhin, Tr. Odesskogo gos. un-ta im. I. I. Mechnikova, ser. fizich.150, 7, 193, 1960.
V. S. Rossikhin, A. K. Protopopov and I. L. Tsikora, Nauchn. zap. Dnepropetrovskogo gos. un-ta,34, 19, 1948.
H. Calcote, Combustion and Flame, 1, 4, 385, 1957.
J. Lawton and F. J. Weinberg, Proc. Rov. Soc. A277, 468, 1964.
A. A. Aliev, A. I. Rozlovskii and Yu. Kh. Shaulov, DAN SSSR,99, 4, 559, 1954.
A. S. Sokolik, Autoignition, Flame and Detonation in Gases [in Russian], Izd-vo AN SSSR, Moscow, p. 188, 1960.
H. F Calcote, Eighth Symposium on Combustion, Baltimore, 184, 1962.
J. Poncelet, R. Berendson, and A. Van Tiggelen, Seventh Symposium on Combustion, London, 256, 1959.
A. Van Tiggelen and A. Fengier, Rew de l'institut Frans. Petrobe, 1135, 1965.
P. F. Knewstubb and T. M. Sugden, Seventh Symposium (International) on Combustion, London, 247, 1959.
J. Decker and A. Van Tiggelen, Seventh Symposium (International) on Combustion, London, 254, 1959.
H. F. Calcote, Ninth Symposium (International) on Combustion, N. Y. and London, 622, 1963.
M. Attard, Magnetohydrodynamic Electrical Power Generation, Proceeding of the International MHD Symposium, Paris, 1964, ed V. A. Popov, Pt. 1, Moscow, 1966.
A. Fontijn, W. J. Miller and J. M. Hogan, Tenth Symposium (International) on Combustion, 605, 1965.
T. Kinbara, J. Nakamura and H. Ikegami, Seventh Symposium (International) on Combustion, London, 263, 1959.
A. G. Gaydon, The Spectroscopy of Flames, [Russian translation], IL, 1959.
V. S. Rossikhin and I. L. Tsikora, ZhFKh, 29, 6, 1080, 1955.
V. S. Rossikhin, Nauchn. zap. Dnepropetrovskogo gos. un-ta, 72, 8, 33, 1957.
N. R. Mukherjee, T. Fueno, H. E. Eyring and T. Ree, Eighth Symposium (International) on Combustion, Baltimore, 1, 1962.
Additional information
Fizika Goreniya i Vzryva, Vol. 4, No. 1, pp. 76–83, 1968
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Nesterko, N.A., Rossikhin, V.S. Measurement of the activation energy of the process of ion formation in a flame at atmospheric pressure. Combust Explos Shock Waves 4, 43–47 (1968). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00843072
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00843072