Effect of the molecular structure of olefin admixtures on the combustion and explosion of hydrogen-air mixtures

Small admixtures of propylene, hexene, and isobutylene efficiently inhibit the combustion and explosion of hydrogen-air mixtures at an initial pressure of 1 bar. The inhibition effect depends on the chemical properties of the admixture. The difference between the effects produced by inhibitors manifests itself in all combustion parameters. Since the chain avalanche plays the determining role in combustion, the inhibition efficiency depends on both the length and the structure of the hydrocarbon chain in the inhibitor molecule. Taking into account the competition between the branching and termination of reaction chains and the correlation between the molecular structure and reactivity of the admixture makes it possible to explain and describe all of the observed regularities of combustion.