Flame propagation in gaseous nitrous oxide

The characteristics of the propagation of a nitrous oxide decomposition flame in a tube with an internal diameter of 70 mm were measured. It was demonstrated that the pattern of flame propagation and the extent of burnout are determined by the convective motion of the flame kernel because of a very slow burning of nitrous oxide. The laminar flame speed estimated from pressure oscillograms and calculated using thermal theory of flame propagation was found to be similar to 1 cm/s. The critical diameter of flame quenching in channels were measured to decrease from 10 to 4 mm as the pressure was increased from 15 to 20 atm. Because of the possibility of reignition of the fresh mixture behind the flame arrester by the outflowing combustion products, the channel should be significantly longer than 200 mm.