Deliberate ignition of hydrogen-air-steam mixtures under conditions of rapidly condensing steam

• Main Authors: Blanchat, T., Stamps, D.
• Other Authors: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research. Division of Systems Research. 1995
• Subjects: Combustion; Reactor Safety; Mathematical Models; Autohydrolysis; 220900; 22 General Studies Of Nuclear Reactors; Ignition; Components And Accessories; Reactor Accidents 220200; Hydrogen; Combustion Properties; Surtsey
• Online Access: https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1277329/

A series of experiments was conducted to determine hydrogen combustion behavior under conditions of rapidly condensing steam caused by water sprays. Experiments were conducted in the Surtsey facility under conditions that were nearly prototypical of those that would be expected in a severe accident in the CE System 80+ containment. Mixtures were initially nonflammable owing to dilution by steam. The mixtures were ignited by thermal glow plugs when they became flammable after sufficient steam was removed by condensation caused by water sprays. No detonations or accelerated flame propagation was observed in the Surtsey facility. The combustion mode observed for prototypical mixtures was characterized by multiple deflagrations with relatively small pressure rises. The thermal glow plugs were effective in burning hydrogen safely by igniting the gases as the mixtures became marginally flammable.