Laminar burning velocities and flame characteristics of CO–H2–CO2–O2 mixtures

Laminar burning velocities of CO–H2–CO2–O2 flames were measured by using the outwardly spherical propagating flame method. The effect of large fraction of hydrogen and CO2 on flame radiation, chemical reaction, and intrinsic flame instability were investigated. Results show that the laminar burning velocities of CO–H2–CO2–O2 mixtures increase with the increase of hydrogen fraction and decrease with the increase of CO2 fraction. The effect of hydrogen fraction on laminar burning velocity is weakened with the increase of CO2 fraction. The Davis et al. syngas mechanism can be used to calculate the syngas oxyfuel combustion at low hydrogen and CO2 fraction but needs to be revised and validated by additional experimental data for the high hydrogen and CO2 fraction. The radiation of syngas oxyfuel flame is much stronger than that of syngas–air and hydrocarbons–air flame due to the existence of large amount of CO2 in the flame. The CO2 acts as an inhibitor in the reaction process of syngas oxyfuel combustion due to the competition of the reactions of H + O2 = O + OH, CO + OH = CO2 + H and H + O2(+M) = HO2(+M) on H radical. Flame cellular structure is promoted with the increase of hydrogen fraction and is suppressed with the increase of CO2 fraction due to the combination effect of hydrodynamic and thermal-diffusive instability.