scholarly journals The History and Use of Fire Resistant Fluids in Gas Turbines

1975 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. L. James
Keyword(s):  
Fire Safety ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Petroleum Products ◽  
Phosphate Esters ◽  
Direct Result ◽  
Phosphate Ester ◽  
Compression Ignition ◽  
Auto Ignition ◽  
In Fire

This paper examines the three important developments of the trend toward increased use of phosphate esters, and provides a look at what can be expected in the next several years. Phosphate ester fire-resistant fluids offer three significant improvements in fire safety, when compared to petroleum products: (a) increased auto ignition and hot manifold ignition temperatures, (b) non-propagation of a flame, and (c) higher compression/ignition ratio. The use of fire-resistant phosphate ester fluids has increased significantly during the last ten years as a direct result of experience generated and problems being solved.

Substituent Effects on the Thermal Decomposition of Phosphate Esters on Ferrous Surfaces

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Ewen ◽  
Carlos Ayestaran Latorre ◽  
Arash Khajeh ◽  
Joshua Moore ◽  
Joseph Remias ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Decomposition ◽  
Film Formation ◽  
Substituent Effects ◽  
Vapour Phase ◽  
Industrial Applications ◽  
Phosphate Esters ◽  
Antiwear Additives ◽  
Formation Mechanisms ◽  
Phosphate Ester ◽  
Wide Range

<p>Phosphate esters have a wide range of industrial applications, for example in tribology where they are used as vapour phase lubricants and antiwear additives. To rationally design phosphate esters with improved tribological performance, an atomic-level understanding of their film formation mechanisms is required. One important aspect is the thermal decomposition of phosphate esters on steel surfaces, since this initiates film formation. In this study, ReaxFF molecular dynamics simulations are used to study the thermal decomposition of phosphate esters with different substituents on several ferrous surfaces. On Fe<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub>(001) and α-Fe(110), chemisorption interactions between the phosphate esters and the surfaces occur even at room temperature, and the number of molecule-surface bonds increases as the temperature is increased from 300 to 1000 K. Conversely, on hydroxylated, amorphous Fe<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub>, most of the molecules are physisorbed, even at high temperature. Thermal decomposition rates were much higher on Fe<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub>(001) and particularly α-Fe(110) compared to hydroxylated, amorphous Fe<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub>. This suggests that water passivates ferrous surfaces and inhibits phosphate ester chemisorption, decomposition, and ultimately film formation. On Fe<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub>(001), thermal decomposition proceeds mainly through C-O cleavage (to form surface alkyl and aryl groups) and C-H cleavage (to form surface hydroxyls). The onset temperature for C-O cleavage on Fe<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub>(001) increases in the order: tertiary alkyl < secondary alkyl < primary linear alkyl ≈ primary branched alkyl < aryl. This order is in agreement with experimental observations for the thermal stability of antiwear additives with similar substituents. The results highlight surface and substituent effects on the thermal decomposition of phosphate esters which should be helpful for the design of new molecules with improved performance.</p>

Predicting Flameholding for Hydrogen and Natural Gas Flames at Gas Turbine Premixer Conditions

2016 ◽  
Vol 138 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elliot Sullivan-Lewis ◽  
Vincent McDonell
Keyword(s):  
Power Generation ◽  
Natural Gas ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Temperature Variations ◽  
Auto Ignition ◽  
Chamber Temperature ◽  
Transient Events ◽  
Significant Effort

Lean-premixed gas turbines are now common devices for low emissions stationary power generation. By creating a homogeneous mixture of fuel and air upstream of the combustion chamber, temperature variations are reduced within the combustor, which reduces emissions of nitrogen oxides. However, by premixing fuel and air, a potentially flammable mixture is established in a part of the engine not designed to contain a flame. If the flame propagates upstream from the combustor (flashback), significant engine damage can result. While significant effort has been put into developing flashback resistant combustors, these combustors are only capable of preventing flashback during steady operation of the engine. Transient events (e.g., auto-ignition within the premixer and pressure spikes during ignition) can trigger flashback that cannot be prevented with even the best combustor design. In these cases, preventing engine damage requires designing premixers that will not allow a flame to be sustained. Experimental studies were conducted to determine under what conditions premixed flames of hydrogen and natural gas can be anchored in a simulated gas turbine premixer. Tests have been conducted at pressures up to 9 atm, temperatures up to 750 K, and freestream velocities between 20 and 100 m/s. Flames were anchored in the wakes of features typical of premixer passageways, including cylinders, steps, and airfoils. The results of this study have been used to develop an engineering tool that predicts under what conditions a flame will anchor, and can be used for development of flame anchoring resistant gas turbine premixers.

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