Abstract
In this article, we report an investigation of laser-initiated ignition of pure iron rods, using optical pyrometry, video observations, and analysis of metallographic cross section of quenched burning liquid on copper plates. When ignition occurs, caused by the melting of metal, the combustion takes place in the liquid. Two distinct superposed phases (L1 and L2) are identified in the liquid, according to the known phase diagram of the iron oxide system. Our observations show that the L1 and L2 phases can be either distinct and immiscible or mixing together. The temperature of the transition at which the mixing occurs is around 2350 K. Two mechanisms are proposed to explain the mixing occurring at high temperature: the spontaneous emulsification resulting from a strong decrease of the interfacial tension between L1 and L2 and the reduction of the miscibility gap between them at high temperature. Based on the experimental data of the evolution of the temperature and the video observation of the melt for different ignition conditions, we provide a complete description of the combustion process of iron induced by laser. Eventually, an extrapolation of the iron–oxygen phase diagram, to temperatures higher than 2000 K, is proposed.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Chung Y, Cramb A (1998) Direct observation of spontaneous emulsification and associated interfacial phenomena at the slag-steel interface. Philos Trans R Soc Lond Ser A 356(1739):981–993
Chung Y, Cramb A (2000) Dynamic and equilibrium interfacial phenomena in liquid steel-slag systems. Metall Mater Trans B 31(5):957–971
Distin P, Whiteway S, Masson C (1971) Solubility of oxygen in liquid iron from 1785 degrees to 1960 degrees C—a new technique for study of slag-metal equilibria. Can Metall Q 10(1):13–18
Dreizin E (2000) Phase changes in metal combustion. Prog Energy Combust Sci 26(1):57–78
Dreizin E, Suslov A, Trunov M (1993) General trends in metal particles heterogeneous combustion. Combust Sci Technol 90(1–4):79–99
Fischer W, Schumacher J (1978) Die sttigungslslichkeit von reineisen an sauerstoff vom schmelzpunkt bis 2046c ermittelt mit dem schwebeschmelzverfahren. Arch Eisenhttenwes 49:431–435
Gaye H, Lucas L, Olette M, Riboud P (1984) Metal slag interfacial properties - equilibrium values and dynamic phenomena. Can Metall Q 23(2):179–191 76
Glassman I (1993) The combustion phase of burning metals—comment. Combust Flame 93(3):338–342
Harrison P, Yoffe A (1961) The burning of metals. Proc R Soc A 26lA:357–370
Hirano T, Sato K, Sato Y, Sato J (1983) Prediction of metal fire spread in high pressure oxygen. Combust Sci Technol 32:137–159
Hirano T, Sato Y, Sato K, Sato J (1984) The rate determining process of iron oxidation at combustion in high-pressure oxygen. Oxid Commun 6(1–4):113–124
Hirano T, Sato K, Sato J (1985) An analysis of upward fire spread along metal cylinders. J Heat Transf 107:708–710
Jung E, Kim W, Sohn I, Min D (2010) A study on the interfacial tension between solid iron and CaO–SiO2–Mo system. J Mater Sci 45(8):2023–2029
Krishnan S, Yugawa K, Nordine P (1997) Optical properties of liquid nickel and iron. Phys Rev B 55(13):8201–8206
Kubaschewski O, Hopkins B (1962) Oxidation of metals and alloys. Butterworths, London
Kurtz J, Vulcan T, Steinberg T (1996) Emission spectra of burning iron in high-pressure oxygen. Combust Flame 104(4):391–400
Mills KC, Hondros ED, Li ZS (2005) Interfacial phenomena in high temperature processes. J Mater Sci 40(9–10):2403–2409. doi:10.1007/s10853-005-1966-z
Muller M (2013) ’Etude du processus d’initiation par laser de la combustion d’un alliage métallique sous atmosphère d’oxygène. PhD thesis, ENSMA
Muller M, El-Rabii H, Fabbro R (2014) Laser ignition of bulk iron, mild steel and stainless steel in oxygen atmospheres. Combust Sci Technol 186(7):953–974
Muller M, Fabbro R, El-Rabii H, Hirano K (2012) Temperature measurement of laser heated metals in highly oxidizing environment using 2D single-band and spectral pyrometry. J Laser Appl 24(2):022006
Ogino K, Hara S, Miwa T, Kimoto S (1984) The effect of oxygen-content in molten iron on the interfacial-tension between molten iron and slag. Trans Iron Steel Inst Jpn 24(7):522–531
Ohtani E, Ringwood A (1984) Composition of the core.2. effect of high-pressure on solubility of feo in molten iron. Earth Planet Sci Lett 71(1):94–103
Ohtani H (1990) Theoretical consideration on the ignition of hot iron in high pressure oxygen. Fire Sci Technol (Noda Jpn) 10(1–2):1–9
Philibert J, Vignes A, Bréchet Y, Combrade P (2002) Métallurgie—du minerai au matériau. Dunod, Paris
Riboud P, Lucas L (1981) Influence of mass transfer upon surface phenomena in iron and steelmaking. Can Metall Q 20(2):199–208
Sato J, Hirano T (1986) Behavior of fire spreading along high-temperature mild steel and aluminum cylinders in oxygen. Am Soc Test Mater 910:118–134
Sato J, Ohtani H, Hirano T (1995) Ignition process of a heated iron block in high-pressure oxygen atmosphere. Combust Flame 100(3):376–383
Sato K, Sato Y, Tsuno T, Tsuno T, Nakamura Y, Hirano T (1982) Metal combustion in high pressure oxygen atmosphere: detailed observation of burning region behaviour by using high-speed photography. In 15th International Congress on High Speed Photography and Photonics, vol 384. p 828–832
Steinberg T, Benz F (1991) Iron combustion in microgravity. Am Soc Test Mater 1111:298–312
Steinberg T, Kurtz J, Wilson D (1998) The solubility of oxygen in liquid iron oxide during the combustion of iron rods in high-pressure oxygen. Combust Flame 113(1–2):27–37
Steinberg T, Mulholland G, Wilson D (1992) The combustion of iron in high-pressure oxygen. Combust Flame 89(2):221–228
Steinberg T, Wilson D, Benz F (1992) The combustion phase of burning metals. Combust Flame 91(2):200–208
Steinberg T, Wilson D, Benz F (1993) The combustion phase of burning metals—response. Combust Flame 93(3):343–347
Sun H (2006) Reaction rates and swelling phenomenon of Fe–C droplets in FeO bearing slag. ISIJ Int 46(11):1560–1569
Wilson D, Steinberg T, Stolzfus J (1997) Thermodynamics and kinetics of burning iron. Am Soc Test Mater 1319:240–257
Acknowledgements
This work pertains to the French Government program “Investissements d’Avenir” (LABEX INTERACTIFS, reference ANR-11-LABX-0017-01) and was financially supported by Air Liquide. The authors wish to thank Grigori Ermolaev (Khristianovich Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics) for discussions of various issues considered in this paper.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Muller, M., El-Rabii, H. & Fabbro, R. Liquid phase combustion of iron in an oxygen atmosphere. J Mater Sci 50, 3337–3350 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-015-8872-9
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-015-8872-9