The Effect of Water Vapor on Flame Velocity in Equivalent CO-O2 Mixtures

This investigation, carried out at the National Bureau of Standards at the request and with the financial assistance of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics is a quantitative study of the effect of water vapor upon the spatial speed of flame in equivalent mixtures of CO and O2 at various total pressures from 100 to 760 mm Hg. These results show that, within this pressure range, an increase in flame speed is produced by increasing the mole fraction of water vapor at least as far as saturation at 25° C, and that the rate of this increase is greater the higher the pressure. It is evident that the water vapor plays an important part in the explosive oxidation of CO; the need for further experimental evidence as to the nature of its action is indicated.