NUREG/CR-2475

BNL-NUREG-51492

I

Hydrogen Combustion Characteristics

Related to Reactor Accidents

Prepared by A. L. Berlad, M. Sibulkin, C. H. Yang

Brookhaven National Laboratory

Prepared for

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

Commission
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NUREG/CR-2475

BNL-NUREG-51492

Hydrogen Combustion Characteristics

Related to Reactor Accidents

Manuscript Completed: November 1981

Date Published: July 1983

Prepared by

A. L. Berlad*, M. Sibulkin**, C. H. Yang*

Brookhaven National Laboratory

Department of Nuclear Energy

Upton, NY 11973

*State University of New York

Stony Brook, New York 11794

**Brown University

Providence, RI 02912

Prepared for

Division of Systems Integration

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Washington, D.C. 20555

NRC FIN A3315

ABSTRACT

A knowledge of combustion phenomena and their characteristics is necessary in accident analyses related to the release of hydrogen. As a result of

the accident at Three Mile Island, and from the results of related studies of

hypothetical degraded core accidents, it is recognized that combustion of hydrogen may, under some circumstances, threaten the integrity of a reactor containment building. In general, detailed combustion information is required in

order to:

(a) Understand and characterize the combustion phenomena and processes

which may occur in a containment building;

(b) Identify the criticality or limiting conditions under which important combustion processes may be extinguished, initiated, or otherwise transformed;

(c) Provide data and information for analytic modeling of safety-related

hypothetical accident scenarios;

(d) Allow.modelers to predict with confidence, where possible, the consequences of naturally occurring and/or induced combustion processes;

(e) Guide safety-related strategies aimed at mitigation of accidentrelated combustion;

(f) Identify areas where inadequate understanding exists;

(g) Distinguish among the ranges of applicability of selected items and

classes of combustion data, experiments, theories, and models.

In pursuit of these objectives, this report attempts to provide a perspective on combustion processes which may not otherwise be derived easily from the

enormously diverse combustion literature.

-iii-

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

ABSTRACT ...................... ................................ iii

LIST OF FIGURES ................ .............................. v

1.0 INTRODUCTION ........ . .......... .................... . 1I. 

2.0 CLASSICALLY DEFINED HYDROGEN-AIR COMBUSTION PHENOMENA: A BRIEF

REVIEW...................................................4

3.0 SOME CURRENT ASPECTS OF COMBUSTION ............. ................ 16

3.1 Deflagration Processes in Large Volumes ... ........... .... 16

3.2- Flame Spreading Rates .............. .................... 19

3.3 Detonation Processes ................................... 21

3.3.1 Detonation Initiation ............ ................. 22

3.3.2 Detonability Limits .......................... ... 22

3.4 Combustion Generated Pressure Effects ......... ............ 23

3.4.1 Effects of Water Sprays ....... ................ ... 25

4.0 HYDROGEN COMBUSTION CHARACTERISTICS RELATED TO REACTOR ACCIDENTS. . 26

4.1 Uniformity of Hydrogen Concentrations ......... ............ 26

4.2 Significance of Various Combustion Characteristics . . ... . . 27

4.2.1 Minimum Ignition Energies ...... ............... ... 27

4.2.2 Flame Spreading Rates ...... .................. 28

4.2.3 Flame Quenching ........ .................... ... 28

4.2.4 Combustion and Pressure Suppression By Liquid Water

Sprays ............. ........................ ... 28

4.2.5 Flame Flash Back ......... ................... ... 30

4.2.6 Flame Composition Limits ....... .... .......... ... 30

4.2.7 Detonations and Detonation Limits .............. .... 31

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................ ............................ ... 33

REFERENCES ................. ............................... ... 34

_V_
0

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure Title Page

2-1 Premixed Gaseous Flames: Quasi-steady flame propagation and

extinction limit analyses. 5

2-2 Explosion limits of stoichiometric hydrogen mixtures. 7

2-3 Effect of temperature on flammability limits of hydrogen in

air for downward propagation. 8

2-4 Flammability limits of hydrogen in air diluted with nitrogen

or carbon dioxide. 9

2-5 Estimated pressure limits of flame propagation for hydrogenair mixtures with various tube diameters. 11

2-6 Effect of pressure on critical boundary velocity gradient for

Flashback of Laminar H2-Air Flames (To = 300'K). 12

2-7 Effect of pressure on critical boundary velocity gradient for

Flashback of Turbulent H2-Air Flames (To = 300 0K). 13

3-1 The degree of combustion of methane-air mixtures in tubes of

different diameters. 17

3-2 Flame propagation near the limits in a narrow (A) and a large

(B) tube; 1-ignition source, 2-trace of convective upward

flame propagation. 17

3-3 The spreading of flame beneath the ceiling is shown in the

four upper frames, and the downward flame propagation in the

four lower frames for an 8 m3 chamber (2.1 percent NH3 in

air). 18

3-4 Pressure rise AP for combustion of near-limit hydrogen-air

mixtures. 20

3-5 Typical radius time plot for combustion and blast waves initiated at 1 atm initial pressure by 1 g Tetryl. 24

4-1 Effect of pressure on Quenching Distance of Hydrogen-Air

Mixtures. 29

-vi-
1.0 INTRODUCTION

Analyses of very low probability hypothetical degraded core accidents sequences in Zion/Indian Point reactor plants indicate that large quantities of

hydrogen may be released into the containment building atmosphere(I) (Pratt

and Bari, 1980) as a result of extensive metal-water reactions associated with

progression of in-vessel and ex-vessel core degradation and meltdown processes.

The accident sequences analyzed in Reference 1 included an extended loss of

total AC power coupled with a failure in the steam-driven-turbine pump train

of the auxiliary feedwater system (the so-called TMLB' scenario) and various

pipe break initiators coupled with failures of core and/or containment cooling

engineered safety features (e.g., SID, S2D, S2 HF, etc).. These sequences

were analyzed with the MARCH code( 2 ) and it was predicted that approximately

1700 lbs of hydrogen would be produced from in-vessel metal-water reactions and

that the potential exists for substantially more hydrogen to be produced as a

result of ex-vessel metal-water reactions. The ex-vessel metal-water reactions

result from the core debris/concrete thermal interactions. The water released

from the concrete interacts (is chemically reduced) on contact with any Fe, Zr,

Ni, or Cr that may be present in the core debris. In addition, depending on

the concrete type, carbon dioxide can also be released from (limestone) concrete and interact with the iron to produce (combustible) carbon monoxide. It

was noted in Reference 1 that for limestone concrete more CO could be released

than H2 as a result of core/concrete interactions.

In a number of cases so analyzed, combustion phenomena may occur with attendant increases in pressure and temperature in the containment building and

decreases in fuel concentrations. As a result of the accident at Three Mile

Island, and from results of related studies of hypothetical degraded core accidents, it is recognized that combustion of hydrogen may, under some circumstances, threaten the integrity of a reactor containment building. It was emphasized in Reference 1 that there.is great uncertainty in the physical phenomena associated with core meltdown processing and in the predictions (e.g., containment temperature and pressure histories) of these phenomena by the MARCH

code.

-*1-
Accident analyses may examine such important combustion-related questions

as:

a) What combustion phenomena may occur during an accident should no

attempts at mitigation be initiated?

b) During an accident, what combustion phenomena may be initiated

by personnel in attempts to mitigate otherwise more severe thermal and-mechanical loading conditions?

c) What are the detailed temperature, pressure, and consequential

damage histories which accompany the scenarios associated with

(a) and with (b)?

The combustion literature provides a large number of detailed experimental and theoretical studies which may prove helpful. These studies provide

directly useful results for a number of situations involving the hydrogen-air

system. Such directly useful results are generally for either quiescent or

laminar, quasi-steady, premixed hydrogen-air systems which are spatially uniform. Information is also available for completely unpremixed hydrogen-air

systems. For such so-called diffusion flames, fuel and air are brought

together (at a flame reaction zone) from separate quasi-steady sources( 2 , 3 )

(Lewis and Von Elbe (1962), Williams (1965)).

Less comprehensive combustion information is available for cases of nonlaminar (turbulent, etc.) combustion processes, for spatially nonuniform

fuel-air mixtures, and for time-dependent fuel-air composition fields.

A knowledge of combustion phenomena and their characteristics is necessary in accident analyses related to the release of hydrogen. There are existence limits for combustion processes and these must be considered. Combustion phenomena are studied in experimental apparatures which are generally

of much smaller scale than may be of interest for a containment building

(2.6x10 6 ft 3 ) atmosphere. The effects of scale must be considered. In

some important areas of combustion science, inadequate information and uncertainties exist. These may imply uncertainties in correspondingly dependent

accident analyses. In general, detailed combustion information is required in

order to:

-2-
a) Understand and characterize the combustion phenomena and processes which may occur in a containment building;

b) Identify the criticality or limiting conditions under which

important combustion processes may be extinguished, initiated, or

otherwise transformed;

c) Provide data and information for analytic modeling of safetyrelated hypothetical accident scenarios;

d) Allow modelers to predict with confidence, where possible, the

consequences of naturally occurring and/or induced combustion

processes;

e) Guide safety-related strategies aimed at mitigation of accidentrelated combustion;

-f) Identify areas where inadequate understanding exists;

g) Distinguish among the ranges of applicability of selected items

and classes of combustion data, experiments, theories and models.

In pursuit of these objectives, this report attempts to provide a perspective on combustion processes which may not otherwise be derived easily from

the enormously diverse and comprehensive combustion literature. Accordingly,

some well-known, directly useful combustion processes may be dealt with here

only briefly. Combustion processes which are more complex or less well understood are given more intensive scrutiny.

-3-
2.0 CLASSICALLY DEFINED HYDROGEN-AIR COMBUSTION PHENOMENA:

A BRIEF REVIEW

Combustion processes supported by premixed gaseous fuel and air have been

studied largely for quiescent or nonturbulent systems defined by apparatuses of

small scale (of the order of centimeters rather than meters). Experimental

observations and theoretical analyses available for hydrogen and air include

the following principal phenomena:

burning velocity

flammability limits

pressure limits

quenching limits

spark ignition limits

autoignition

flash-back limits

blow-off limits

deflagration - detonation transition

detonation velocity

detonation limits.

Investigations reported in the literature, in some instances, also include

the dependence of the above noted phenomena on initial temperature, pressure,

inert concentrations, stoichiometry, apparatus size, the presence of turbulence, effects of ionizing and photochemically significant sources, and the effects of gravitational and other fields which may impose body forces.

The dominant problem in laminar flame propagation theory and experiment

has classically centered on the burning velocity and its limits. A summary of

the principal features of the various theoretical approaches to flame propagation (and flame extinction) theory is given in Figure 2-1. It is generally

recognized that so-called "complete" and "fundamental" theories should start

with a statement of the full constitutive equations (the conservation of energy, mass, atomic species, the equations of flow, and the detailed chemical

kinetics). It is further known that real combustion systems are nonadiabatic

and multidimensional. Accordingly, reality and completeness would require a

theoretical thoroughness which none of the currently available theoretical

-4-
LOSSES MULTIDIMENSIONALITY 'CONSIDERED TRANSPORT PROPERTIES CONSIDERED FULL

REFERENCES Non- - Multi- One- One-dimen- F ree Molecular CONSTITUATIVE

adiabatic dimensional dimensional sionalized Convection Radiation transport of EQUATIONS

SI Heat and Mass

Hirschfelder, J. (35)

Curtiss, C. F.,

and Bird, R. B.

(1954) --- X ..--- X x

Spalding, D. B.

(34), (1957) X --- X X

Berlad, A. L. and

Yang, C. H. (31)

(1960) X..... X --- X X

Levy, A. (33)

(1965) ------ X X ---....

Lovachev, L. A.

(22), (1970) --- X --- X ......

Buckmaster, J.

(32), (1976) X--- X ---.... X

Mitani, T. and

Williams, F. A.,

(4), (1980) X --- --- X --- X

.. Consideration absent in theory.

X Consideration provided in theory.

Figure 2-1: Premixed Gaseous

limit analyses.

Flames: Quasi-steady flame propagation and extinction
structures provides. These theories, however truncated, do provide specialized

insights to flame propagation and extinction. Further, the recent work of

Mitani and Williams( 4 )is directed especially at limiting conditions for flame

propagation in hydrogen-oxygen-nitrogen mixtures. Taken together with the survey on hydrogen combustion provided by Drell and Belles( 5 ) certain general

features of quasi-steady, laminar flame propagation and extinction of hydrogenair flames may be drawn.

(1) There exist temperature-pressure-composition regimes within which

autoignition (or explosion) occurs. These regimes (Figure 2-2) are

functions of apparatus scale and represent parametric phase spaces

within which quasi-steady flame propagation is not possible (supercritical hydrogen-air compositions follow time-dependent trajectories

in their explosive behavior).

(2) Outside of the autoignition regime, there exist temperature-pressurecomposition regimes where combustion occurs when a suitable ignition

source is provided. Standard flammability limits have been collected

by Coward and Jones(6) from data obtained in vertical, 5 cm diameter

tubes. These limits depend on the direction of flame propagation because of convective effects due to gravity. For upward propagation

the flammability limits (% volume) for hydrogen burning in air are

about 4% (lean limit) and 74% (rich limit); for downward propagation

the limits are 9% and 73%. Increasing the ambient pressure above one

atmosphere tends to widen the flammability limits (for downward propagation) slightly. Increasing the ambient temperature broadens the

flammability limits as shown in Figure 2-3 for downward propagation.

The effects on the flammability limits of adding an inert gas to a

hydrogen-air mixture is shown in Figure 2-4 for N2 and CO2 at nortemperature and pressure. An upper limit of additive concentration

exists above which the mixture is inert. Similar results are obtained for hydrogen-air-water vapor mixtures. At a pressure of one

atmosphere, the inertion limit for saturated water vapor addition is

60% at 860C(6,7). In order to safely satisfy steam inertion criteria under the variety of possible containment building conditions,

even higher temperature (than 86°C) saturation conditions should be

established.

-6-
E

Q:

340 380 420 460 500 540 580 620

Temperature, T, OC

Figure 2-2: Explosion limits of stoichiometric hydrogen mixtures

(Ref. Drell and Belles).

-7-
0

0

150

E

100-- -__ _

0

6 8 10 70 72 74 76 78 80 82

Hydrogen in air percent by volume

Figure 2-3: Effect of temperature on flammability limits

of hydrogen in air for downward propagation

(Ref. Coward and Jones).

-8-
80

70-

60 Nitrogen

E

0

50

- 40 Stoichiometric

Carbon

Edioxide

C

%- 20

0

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

Carbon dioxide or added nitrogen in air percent by volume

Figure 2-4: Flammability limits of hydrogen in air diluted

with nitrogen or carbon dioxide (Ref. Coward

and Jones).

-9-
(3) The so-called "flammable regime" of autoignition diagrams is further restricted by a number of limiting extinction conditions.

Flames which are caused to propagate through narrow tubes sustain

heat losses. For some tube diameter smaller than a critical value

"flame quenching" occurs. These limits are frequently referred to as

"quenching limits". For a given size of apparatus (e.g., tube diameter) it is found that there exists a critical pressure below which

steady state flame propagation does not occur. Such limits are

frequently referred to as "pressure limits".

Drell and Belles( 5 ) recognized at an early time that "flammability

limits", "quenching limits", and "pressure limits" as defined by

classical experiment are related quantities. These experimental

facts are clearly demonstrated through the sets of smooth "extinction limit" curves given by Drell and Belles (1958) (Figure 2-5).

(4) Flames can be stabilized at the mouth of a tube through which premixed fuel and air flows. There exist, nevertheless critical flow

conditions for "blow-off" and for "flash back" of the flame. Experimentally, it is observed that for a given size duct, a given

laminar hydrogen-air flame will "blow off" (move away, downstream of

the flame holder) at flow rates higher than some critical value. It

is also observed that for a given size duct,.the same laminar hydrogen-air flame will "flash back" (propagate upstream, into the fuelair mixture in the duct) at flow rates that are smaller than some

critical value. Lewis and Von Elbe( 2 ) have characterized these

critical conditions in terms of the duct's boundary velocity gradient. These critical duct boundary velocity gradients have been

termed "boundary velocity gradient for blow-off" and "boundary velocity gradient for flash back". The data of Fine( 8 , 9 ) (1956 and

1957) are used to correlate boundary velocity gradient for flashback

for laminar and turbulent hydrogen-air flames (Figure 2-6 and 2-7).

In Figures 2-6 and 2-7, 0 represents the "equivalence ratio" for the

combustible mixture (volumetric fuel-air ratio divided by the stoichiometric fuel-air ratio). The ordinate gb is the velocity

gradient at the tube wall in units of sec- 1 . These data describe

-10-
2000

1000-

800-

G0oo

400

200H

E

Eý

cC

I-)

0•

E4-

C;

0- 100

80

60

40

20

I0

8

6

4

2 L

.002L_

0 20 40 60 80

Hydrogen in air, percent by volume

I I I . . I I I I ,i ,, ,. I I I I IA I

0 .2 .4 .6 .8 1 2 3 4 6 8 10

Equivalence ratio, 9

Figure 2-5: Estimated pressure limits of flame propagation for

hydrogen-air mixtures with various tube diameters

(Ref. Drell & Belles) based on quenching data of

Potter & Berlad.

-11-
5

I0

(sec- 1

I/

0=1-

O/ / /

/ /

/ /

/ /

_____ ___/ / _ _

_____ ____/ /_ _

3

2X 10

0.2 0.5 1.0 2.0 5-0 10.0

P (atm.)

Figure 2-6: Effect of pressure on critical boundary velocity gradient for

Flashback of Laminar H2 -Air Flames (To = 300 0 K)

(Refs.: Fine, B. NACA-TN 3833 (A956).

Von Elbe, G. & Mentser, M. J. Chem. Phys. 13,

(February 1945)).

-12-
,o5

9b

(sec-)

4

10

2X IO3

10,,

I/ /

//

//

/

/

• q =o.77- --

0-1 1.0

P. (atm.)

2.0 I0-0

Figure 2-7: Effect of pressure on critical boundary velocity gradient for

Flashback of Turbulent H2 -Air Flames (To = 3000 K) (Ref: Fine, B.

NACA-TN 3977 (1957)).

-13-
the conditions under which flames in the neighborhood of a fuel-air

filled duct may "strike-back" into the duct (against the flow), or

remain stable, or "blow away".

(5) Flames, shock waves, or other igniters may initiate transients

which may lead to a reaction wave which is supersonic (based on

the speed of sound in the cold reactants). Such quasi-steady

reaction waves are called detonations. Experiments in tubes are

usually used as the bases for determination of observed "detonation velocities"( 3 ,10,11). It is also observed, for a given

experimental apparatus, that there are hydrogen concentration

limits above which and below which detonations do not propagate.

These observations are usually used as the bases for determination

of observed "detonation limits". There is evidence that "detonation limits" are functions of apparatus and that "detonation limits" observed for cylindrical tubes are not necessarily those which

limit the existence of a detonation wave in other geometries and

scales.(12)

(6) The quasi-steady lamainar flame or the quasi-steady detonation wave

do not occur without some source of ignition. For electricallyenergized spark igniters, the minimum spark energy required for

initiation of a flame is called the "minimum ignition energy"( 2 , 5 ).

Where ignition of deflagration is caused by a more complex source

(e.g., a glow plug) characterization of the critical conditions for

ignition are more complex.

(7) The properties (composition, pressure, temperature and species

fields) of a quasi-steady deflagration or detonation wave are

independent of the source(s) used to initiate the wave. Accordingly, an ignition source which fails to successfully ignite a

hydrogen-air mixture within the appropriately defined deflagration

or detonation limits is (at least in part) a deficient ignition

source. "Ignition limits" which are defined by such an ignition

source are device-specific "ignition limits" and are not to be

confused with extinction limits for flames or detonations.

(8) Combustion behavior of hydrogen-air (or other) flame systems under

non-laminar flow conditions have also been studied experimentally.

-14-
In general flames which are supported by turbulent or other nonlaminar transport properties give rise to higher deflagration speeds

(than for the laminar case) and narrower extinction limits. Minimum

spark ignition energies are higher and different values for such

other parameters as boundary velocity gradients for "blow-off" or

"flash back" are observed. Drell and Belles have included, in their

survey, some of the observed turbulent hydrogen-air combustion properties. Unfortunately, turbulent and other nonlaminar conditions of

gaseous fuel-air mixtures cannot be simply characterized. One cannot

simply tabulate observed values of flame-speeds, etc. for nonlaminar

conditions in a manner analogous to that for premixed laminar conditions. Libby and Bray(1 3 ) have recently discussed these difficulties. Experimental observations of complex nonlaminar apparatusspecific combustion phenomena cannot therefore be used as bases for

predicting the detailed behavior of different combustion apparatuses

or experimental arrangements. Thus it is difficult to generalize

from the interesting observations of Moen, et.al.(14) regarding the

acceleration of flame propagation rates by obstacles.

-15-
3.0 SOME CURRENT ASPECTS OF COMBUSTION

3.1 Deflagration Processes in Large Volumes

The classical determination of flammability limits in vertical tubes described in Section 2 is adequate for many technical purposes. However, whether

a fundamental flammability limit exists for a given mixture of gases independent of the effects of gravity and the specific method of testing is still an

open scientific question (see Reference 15). Attempts to determine fundamental flammability limits using a complete set of hydrodynamical equations and

detailed chemical kinetics for hydrogen-oxygen systems are currently in progress( 16 , 1 7 ) (Oran et al., 1979; Jones, 1980).

The standard flammability test referred to in Section 2.0 is made in a

tube having a diameter of 5 cm. This dimension was chosen because larger diameters did not appear to appreciably alter the limit for upward flame propaga-'

tion. The fraction of combustible material consumed, however, does depend on

the tube diameter. The effect of tube diameter on the upward burning of

methane-air mixtures(18) (Babin and V'yun, 1972) is shown in Figure 3-1 for

methane concentrations from 5.6 to 6.0 percent (volume). It was found that

while burning is nearly complete in a 5 cm tube, the fraction burned in a 24

cm. diameter tube dropped from 0.8 for 6.0% CH4 to 0.3 for 5.6% CH4 . The

proposed explanation of these results( 1 9 ) (Lovachev, 1973) is shown in Figure

3-2, and is based on the inability of these fuel mixtures to support downward

flame propagation. For a given composition, fuel is consumed within a cone of

fixed angle; thus larger tube diameters leave more unburned fuel.

In large volumes the mode of burning is strongly affected by the mixture

composition. Tests in a 70M3 spherical rubber confinement for 10% methane

burning in air(20) (Ivashenko and Rumyantsev, 1978) show the development of a

nearly spherical "fireball" which also rises due to convection. For mixtures closer to the lean flammability limit burning is quite different. A

photographic sequence of burning in a 8M3 chamber( 2 2 ) (Lovachev, 1979) is

shown in Figure 3-3 for spark ignition near the chamber ceiling. A spherical

flame kernel forms shortly after ignition; as the kernel rises and expands it

is deformed into a mushroom shape; upon reaching the ceiling the flame front

-16-
1.0

0.8 -

06

0'4-

0'2-

0 I

0 4C

Figure 3-1:

160 200 240 260

D, mm

The degree of combustion of methane-air

mixtures in tubes of different diameters..

1-6.0%, 2-5.7%, 3-5.6% of CH4 . Tube length

26 cm; P- = 5 atm, Ti = 294°K, ignition at

the base [16]. (Ref. L. A. Lovachev et al.,

Flammability Limits: An Invited Review,

Combustion and Flame, 20, 259, (1973)).

A B

Figure 3-2: Flame propagation near the liriits in a narrow (A) and a

large (B) tube; 1-ignition source, 2-trace of convective

upward flame propagation. (Ref. L. A. Lovachev et al.,

Flammability Limits: An Invited Review, Combustion and

Flame, 20, 259, (1973)).

-17-
0.12 nee 0.37 see 0.71 eeC 1.00 eec

1.77 Bec 7.33 seo 3.42 seC 4.46 eec

Figure 3-3: The spreading of flame beneath the ceiling is shown in the

four upper frames, and the downward flame propagation in the

four lower frames for an 8 m3 chamber (2.1 percent NH3 in air) (Ref. L. A..Lovachev, Flammability Limits - A Review, Combustion

Science and Technology, 20, 209-224 (1979)).

-18-
spreads laterally until the flame reaches the wall; the flame front then propagates downward as a nearly planar wave. For leaner mixtures downward flame

propagation did not occur; for still leaner mixtures, extinction occurred when

the flame kernel reached the ceiling. Thus the combustion is incomplete close

to the flammability limit.

Specific results for hydrogen burning in air have been obtained by Furno

et al.( 2 3 ) (1971) for spark ignition in a 12 ft diameter sphere. The measured pressure rise as a function of hydrogen concentration is shown in Figure

3-4. For H2 concentrations between 5 and 8.5%, only upward propagation

occurs and the pressure rise is negligible. Between 8.5 and 12% both upward

and downward propagation occurs and the pressure rises rapidly and approaches

the calculated thermodynamic pressure rise.

Lovachev( 2 1) has reported on the flammability conditions under which

large volumes of hydrogen-air (or other fuel-air) mixtures, ignited from below, may burn only partially. Data on extent of burning are based on short

duration ignition sources. No comparable experimental results for continuous

ignition sources have been found in the literature. Where natural convection

causes an unreacted gas mixture toflow past a continuous ignition source,

greater combustion completeness may be expected.

The results presented in this section were all obtained for mixtures

initially at room temperature and pressure. It is expected that at moderately

elevated temperatures similar qualitative results would be obtained, but at

fuel compositions shifted in the lean direction.

3.2 Flame Spreading Rates

For laminar burning, the rate of flame spreading depends upon the mixture

composition and initial conditions( 5 ) (Drell and Belles, 1958). For hydrogen burning in air at standard initial conditions the maximum velocity is about

3 m/s. This velocity increases to 10 m/s at a temperature of 700K. The effect

of pressure is not well documented but is believed to be small.

Higher flame speeds are observed when the flow is non-laminar. Work on

flames propagating in homogeneous turbulent gas mixtures has been correlated by

Abdel-Sayed and Bradley( 2 4 ) (1977). Ratios of turbulent-to-laminar flame

speeds for hydrogen-air mixtures up to a value of 10 have been observed in

-19-
19

17

15

13

Oh

.43

a.

II

9

7

5

0 4 8 12 16 20

Hydrogen, %

Figure 3-4: Pressure rise AP for combustion of near-limit hydrogenair mixtures [44]. (Ref. L. A. Lovachev et al., Flammability Limits: An Invited Review, Combustion and

Flame, 20, 259, (1973)).

-20-
slot burners and ratios up to 5 have been observed in confined vessels. Even

higher flame speeds have been observed when initially laminar flames propagate

past obstacles in the flow field which leads to recirculation and turbulence.

For a specially constructed cylindrical chamber (Moen et al., 1980, Reference

14) flame speeds up to 130 m/s have been observed.

3.3 Detonation Processes

A detonation wave may be regarded as a combustion wave that is preceeded

by a shock wave in a reactive medium. When the post-shock reaction rates are

high enough to prevent the shock wave's decay, the detonation wave becomes a

steady-state phenomenon. There are composition limits (Atkinson, et. al. Reference 12) outside of which detonation waves are not observed. These are

called limits of detonability. Within the central portions of the detonability range the pressure-temperature-velocity characteristics are calculable

from thermodynamic considerations alone. Such a detonation wave is called a

Chapman-Jouget (C-J) detonation. In the neighborhood of the detonability

limits the C-J calculation overestimates peak P-T values and detonation velocities. The C-J theory is incapable of prescribing limits of detonability.

If a C-J detonation is initiated by a shock wave which is much stronger

than that of a C-J detonation, the detonation is said to be "overdriven". The

overdriven wave will ultimately decay to a C-J detonation. If the mixture

composition is outside of the detonability limits, no shock strength will be

adequate to initiate a steady state detonation wave. Unlike the initiation of

a deflagration wave (where a very small energy source may be sufficient to

initiate the steady state wave) the initiation of a detonation wave usually

requires much larger energy sources. The rate of energy input and the spatial

distribution of the input energy also affects the required initiation conditions.

Detonations may be initiated most readily in long narrow ducts of various

geometries and sizes. In such apparatuses, C-J detonations are frequently observed and appear to be plane waves. For an approximate "point source" initiator, centrally located in a large volume, Atkinson, et. al.(12 ) have reported the observation of spherical detonations. The preponderant fraction of

reported detonation experiment and theory is concerned with planar detonation

wave phenomena. Much of the information derived from the study of detonations

-21-
in tubes has not been demonstrated to be directly applicable to the characterization of spherical detonation waves. Limits of detonability for spherical

detonation waves have not been demonstrated to be'the same as those for planar

waves. No widely accepted theory of detonability limits is available.

Some of the important characteristics of detonations are discussed below:

3.3.1 Detonation Initiation

Detonation waves may be initiated in a gas mixture by strong pressure

waves of strengths greater than threshold levels (Zeldovich and Razier, Reference 10). Initiating shock waves may be generated by mechanical means, or

by an accelerating deflagration wave. Shock tube apparatuses are frequently

used to initiate planar detonation waves in long tubes. An accelerating deflagration wave in a closed tube emits pressure waves which may coalesce

(Lewis and Von Elbe, 1962, Reference 2) to provide C-J detonations. For the

spherical configuration, mechanical shock wave generation for initiation is

generally provided by a blast wave (Atkinson, et. al 1980, Reference 12). The

centrally initiated blast wave is, in turn, created by the detonation of a

small solid explosive charge.

The overpressure emitted by an accelerating chemical reaction in a recirculating turbulent deflagration wave may induce an asymmetric spherical detonation wave (Knystantas, et. al 1979, Reference 25). Various obstacles and

obstacle patterns may create such recirculating turbulent deflagration waves.

Where detonable mixture ratios exist, such turbulent deflagration waves may

serve as detonation initiators.

In general , any high power density source may ultimately lead to detonation ignition of a detonable mixture. Bach, et. al( 2 6 ) demonstrated that

intense Laser energy sources could initiate spherical detonation waves in both

solid explosives and in gaseous mixtures.

3.3.2 Detonability Limits

The lower detonability limit for hydrogen-air mixtures in long tubes has

been observed by Zeldovich(lI) and others to occur at about 18 percent hydrogen. For spherical waves, Atkinson et. al( 1 2 ) has reported a lean detonability limit to occur at 13 percent hydrogen. The observations reported by

-22-
Atkinson et al., (Figure 3-5) are limited to steady state waves which

traveled a distance of only 30 cm. without appreciable decay. This distance is too short to establish the steady state nature of such waves.

Demonstration of a steady-state C-J detonation in tubes usually requires

a much larger spatial traverse. Furthermore, a precise definition of a

spherical C-J detonation wave is not agreed upon (Jouget( 2 7 ), Taylor( 2 8 ),

Zeldovich and Kompaneets( 1 1 ), Strehlow( 2 9) and Bach( 2 6 )). Thus, detonability limits for spherical detonation waves will be difficult to establish by either theoretical or experimental means.

Just outside detonability limits, a decaying detonation wave may still

derive substantial support from a post-shock reaction rate. Accordingly,

when a propagating detonation wave suddenly enters a spatial regime that is

just outside the detonability limits, only slow decay of the shock strength

may occur. Therefore, a wall (or other barrier) which is contiguous to a nondetonable mixture may still sustain substantial damage.

3.4 Combustion Generated Pressure Effects

Combustion of a flammable gas mixture in a confined volume leads to an

increase in pressure. When the velocity of the combustion process is much

less than the speed of sound, the pressure will rise uniformly throughout the

volume. For a uniform gas mixture the pressure rise is given by an equilibrium calculation which depends only on the mixture composition and initial conditions (Lewis and Von Elbe, 1962, Reference 2, pp 644 ff). An estimate of

pressure rise effects due to combustion of a gas pocket in a confined volume

is given by Sibulkin( 3 0 ).

When the velocity of the combustion process becomes comparable to the

speed of sound, dynamical effects occur which lead to pressures exceeding the

equilibrium pressure rise. The damage done by a blast or detonation wave to

any structure is a function of both the magnitude of the peak pressure and

the impulse of the wave (Strehlow, R. A., Reference 29). No damage can be

inflicted to a structure if the impulse'is below a certain threshold value

irrespective of the magnitude of the peak pressure. For a blast wave these

two factors are proportional to the energy input and inversely proportional

to the distance to the blast center. A local detonation confined in a limited

-23-
m. 400

Figure 3-5:

200 300 400 500 " 600 700 800

RS, rmm

Typical radius time plot for combustion

and blast waves initiated at 1 atm initial

pressure by 1 g Tetryl. (Ref. R. Atkinson

et al., Initiation of Spherical Detonation

in Hydrogen-Air, Combustion and Flame, 39,

287 (1980).

-.24-
space in the center of a volume will probably not seriously threaten the integrity of the walls while inflicted damage may be serious if a detonation

occurs near the walls.

3.4.1 Effects of Water Sprays

Water droplet spray systems are available in reactor containment buildings to reduce pressure build up by the condensation of steam. Such water

sprays may affect combustion of hydrogen in a number of ways.

Where use of a water spray system leads to a large steam component in the

gaseous mixture, flame propagation may be completely suppressed. (As noted in

Section 2.0, complete inertion of hydrogen-air mixtures occurs for saturated

water vapor addition at temperatures above 860C( 6 , 7 ).)

Water in the form of liquid droplets, when present in sufficient quantity, will also suppress flame propagation by acting as a heat sink. (The use

of liquid water and solid rock dust as flame suppressants is a standard practice in mine safety technology( 3 9 ).)

At lower concentrations which permit flame propagation, the effect of

water droplets will be to lower the equilibrium pressure after burning. The

rate of evaporation of water droplets depends inversely on the square of the

drople÷ diameter. Thus, for large droplets, the peak transient pressure associated with a hydrogen burn may exceed the final equilibrium pressure.

-25-
4.0 HYDROGEN COMBUSTION CHARACTERISTICS RELATED TO

REACTOR ACCIDENTS

There are a number of proposals which emphasize the "preventive burning

of hydrogen" to mitigate the hazards which may derive from degraded core accidents. It is intended that released hydrogen be burned in a predictable and

well-controlled manner. These proposals generally assume that:

(a) Mixing processes are adequate to assure "reasonably uniform hydrogen

concentrations" within a containment building (or subcompartment);

(b) Hydrogen generation rates are such that "reasonably uniform" hydrogen concentrations increase monotonically in time, until a combustion event causes a reduction;

(c) Combustion initiation can be effected for hydrogen concentrations

which are somewhat larger than those for the nominal lean flammability limit;

(d) After such a "preventive burn" the subsequent low hydrogen concentration may then again increase in a "reasonably uniform" manner

and the "preventive burn" tactic repeated;

(e) This strategy is intended to provide an acceptable pressure history

for the containment building.

If events develop in such a way as to make these assumptions questionable, the success of the "preventive burn" strategy may be in doubt. Clearly,

accidental and/or planned hydrogen burns need not necessarily imply catastrophic consequences. The Three Mile Island burn, in itself, did not appear

to be an intolerable event.

4.1 Uniformity of Hydrogen Concentrations

Accidental release of hydrogen into an initially normal (preaccident compositions) containment atmosphere invariably leads to nonuniform hydrogen concentrations. Molecular transport and free convective processes tend to suppress these nonuniformities. Forced convective processes (jets and ducted

flows) may also be effective in suppressing nonuniform concentrations of hydrogen.

Several processes tend to accentuate the hydrogen concentration nonuniformities. One, of course, is the existence .6f a localized, continuous

-26-
source of hydrogen. In the spatial neighborhood of such a source, hydrogen

concentrations are necessarily high, as long as the hydrogen source is significantly active. Where the localized hydrogen source is also a source of

steam, the maximum gaseous concentration of hydrogen is limited by the local

(gaseous) hydrogen/steam ratio. However, should a local condensation of steam

occur, the corresponding hydrogen/steam ratio may increase rapidly. In general, a rapid condensation event (e.g., restoration of containment cooling

capability) may correspond to the rapid transformation of an inert hydrogenair-steam mixture to a flammable hydrogen-air-steam mixture.

Also to be noted is the fact that the low molecular weight of hydrogen

acts as an inhibitor to mixing through hydrogen's tendency to stratify in the

upper portions of a large volume. The low molecular weight also results in

the very -high molecular diffusivity of hydrogen which tends to promote mixing.

The question of the spatial and temporal hydrogen concentrations associated with an accident is important. The existence and characteristic

properties of combustion phenomena are sensitive functions of composition.

The current limited state of knowledge of possible reactor accident scenarios

and of condensation and mixing processes limits our ability to predict the

spatial and temporal containment building history of hydrogen concentrations.

These limitations cast serious doubt on the validity of the previously cited

assumptions, (a) - (e).

4.2 Significance of Various Combustion Characteristics

The body of known combustion characteristics may be employed to help assess the combustion-related hazards as well as mitigating strategies that are

possible( 3 0) for containment building atmospheres.

4.2.1 Minimum Ignition Energies

Spark ignition of flammable hydrogen-air mixtures can be achieved with

very small spark energies. Minimum ignition energies of the order of millijoule or less are typical. The precise values which appear in the literature (e.g., Lewis and Von Elbe, 1962, Reference 2) appear not to be very significant in our deliberations. If, spark igniters are employed, ignition

energies required are small. If nonspark ignition occurs (due to operator.

and/or accident-initiated processes), these data are not applicable as quantitative measures of the ease of ignition.

-27-
4.2.2 Flame Spreading Rates

Flame or deflagration spreading rates have a lower limit specified by the

laminar burning velocity. Scenario analyses which involve tabulated laminar

flame speeds for hydrogen-air mixtures will generally give rise to minimal

rates of hydrogen burning and minimum rates of pressure rise.

Turbulent-burning velocities may correspond to a broad range of experimental conditions and spreading rates. Observed spreading rates may be an

order of magnitude or more greater than those tabulated for laminar flames.

Scenario analyses which involve such experimental results implicitly assume

levels and characteristics of turbulence which may or may not realistically

apply to containment building atmospheres. These assumptions could result in

an order of magnitude increase in pressure rise rates.

Nonlaminar flame spreading may also occur due to the presence of obstacles or other recirculation-causing conditions. These flame spreading

rates also may be an order of magnitude or more. (Moen, et.. al)(14) greater

than those for laminar flame propagation.

4.2.3 Flame Quenching

Where a containment building consists of more than one compartment (e.g.,

an ice condenser plant) the question arises as to whether or not a flame in

one compartment can propagate through a small opening into another.- Figure

4-1 provides quenching distance versus pressure data for hydrogen and air.

Openings between compartments '(even cracks) as small as 0.01 cm. may, under

some circumstances,(5,31) permit flame propagation. Accident analyses and

scenarios for mitigation of hazards in multicompartment containment building

may need to consider the significance of these very small quenching distances

on flame propagation between compartments.

4.2.4 Combustion and Pressure Suppression By Liquid Water Sprays

Liquid sprays may be used to abstract heat from combustion gases, thereby

reducing the adiabatic pressure rise. Such procedures are critically dependent upon droplet diameters, droplet number density, the initial thermodynamic

state of the containment gases, and the timing and duration of the water spray

relative to the combustion event. A combination of large number density and

-28-
0'2

0.1

dq

(cm)

0-05 -

002

0015

0-2

P. (atm.)

Figure 4-1: Effect of. pressure on Quenching Distance of Hydrogen-Air

Mixtures. (Ref. A. E. Potter, Jr. and A. L. Berlad, The

Effect of Fuel Type and Pressure on Flame Quenching, VI

Symposium (1957)).

-29-
small drop sizes may prevent a planned combustion event from occurring. Mechanisms of flame extinction include the abstraction of flame reaction zone heat

by droplet vaporization, and reduction of the flame reaction zone kinetic

rates by inert water vapor addition. Given sufficient time, any continuous

spray will lead to a saturated atmosphere. At ambient temperatures above a

critical value (e.g., 86°C at 1 atmosphere pressure) such a continuous spray

will prevent burning. Under accident conditions, containment pressures may

vary, implying varying saturation temperatures. The structuring of water

spray/combustion timing to suppress the (transient) peak pressure rise may be

ineffective if drop sizes are too large. Large drops may evaporate too slowly

to be effective.

4.2.5 Flame Flash Back

Techniques and apparatuses in place to promote mixing of atmospheric constituents include ducts used-for forced convective flow. Such ducts may also

serve to separate/connect different containment building compartments (e.g.,

an ice condenser plant). The question as to whether or not a flame in one

compartment may "flash back" (against the forced convective flow) into the

duct may be addressed through examination of the critical "boundary velocity

gradient for flash back". Figures (2-6) and (2-7) provide flash back data for

laminar and selected turbulent conditions, respectively. Given a flammable

hydrogen-air mixture in a duct which issues into an ignited space, downstream,

the very<large "boundary velocity gradients for flash back" (of Figures 2-6

and 2-7) show that the potential for flash-back under such circumstances must

be considered.

4.2.6 Flame Composition Limits

Composition limits for propagation of a hydrogen-air deflagration are

illustrated in Figure (2-5). For hydrogen and air at standard conditions,

upward flame propagation at some 4.5 percent hydrogen in air and some 9.0

percent for downward propagation represent limiting conditions on the ability

to initiate quasi-steady flame propagation by a localized ignition source.

For spatially uniform mixtures, these limits also apply to non-continually

operating ignition sources. The composition limits given in the reviews of

Drell and Belles( 5 ) and by Lovachev(15,19, 2 1,2 2 ) are apparatus dependent.

-30-
Accordingly, spatially distributed, continuous ignition sources (in large

closed volumes) may correspond to a somewhat different experimental definition

of flammability limits than those given by Lovachev. Degree of reactant consumption may be different. As a practical matter, "preventive burn" strategies generally require igniters whose operating limits are characterized as

"ignition limits" and are device specific. Device specific "ignition limits"

are narrower than the flammability limits defined in either the classic way

(for a 5 cm. tube) or by the methods described by Lovachev. For deliberate

ignition attempts, the most successful igniters are those which closely

approximate "flammability limit" performance with only a small (< 1 sec)

ignition delay.

For the assumption of uniform composition in the containment building,

literature values of flammability limits provide the approximate boundaries

within which (non-catalytically-assisted) combustion processes may occur. Analysts who employ correct values of spatially-averaged hydrogen-air-steam compositions cannot determine, however, the flammability characteristics of various subvolumes of the containment building atmosphere. Depending on the

diversity of possible conditions, these may range from "completely inert" to

"readily detonable", even for a spatially averaged composition which corresponds to neither of these extremes.

4.2.7 Detonations and Detonation Limits

The concern that detonations may occur in containment buildings stems

from the fear of possible damage to the building shell by very high pressure

loadings. The current state of knowledge about detonations in uniform mixtures (Section 3.3) is incomplete. Further, the best understood aspects of

detonations are for planar waves that may be characterized in terms of the

highly simplified Chapman-Jouget theory. Local ignition of spherical detonations in the laboratory normally requires high power density sources (compared to those required to initiate ordinary burning). However, transition

from ordinary burning to detonation-like combustion may be possible in large

chambers with internal obstructions( 2 5 ,

2 9). The limitations of current

detonation theory and experiment for central (and noncentral) ignition of

detonations in large volumes correspondingly limits our ability to accurately

-31-
predict pressure and impulse loading histories for containment building walls.

This makes the accurate assessment of possible damage to building walls difficult.

For the case of nonuniform accident-derived hydrogen concentrations,

detonable mixtures may exist locally even where spatially averaged hydrogen

concentrations are considered nondetonable. Local detonations (or other destructive combustion processes) may damage and incapacitate ducts, ventilators, coolers, recombiners, heat exchangers or other devices whose unimpaired

operation during the period of an accident may be considered necessary. Nondetonable mixtures in the immediate vicinity of a wall may not necessarily

imply that wall damage by detonations cannot occur. Detonations initiated in

spatial regimes which are remote from walls, and sustained by large volumes of

detonable gaseous mixtures, may decay only. slowly, when propagating through a

localized "nondetonable' mixture near a wall. Depending on conditions (where

the detonation is initiated and how much detonable gas exists) wall pressure

and impulse loading histories may vary substantially.

Although definitive conclusions regarding anticipated damage from detonations cannot be provided, one cannot conclude that containment building

walls and building contents are immune to unacceptable detonation damage.

-32-
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors are indebted to Drs. R. A. Bari and W. T. Pratt for many

helpful discussions.

-33-

/A
.REFERENCES

1. W. T. Pratt and R. A. Bari, "Containment Response During Degraded Core

Accidents Initiated by Transients and Small LOCA in the Zion/Indian Point

Reactor Plants", NUREG/CR-2228, BNL-NUREG-51415, July 1981.

2. B. Lewis and G. Von Elbe, "Combustion, Flames and Explosions of Gases",

Academic Press, 1962.

3. F. A. Williams, "Combustion Theory", Addison-Wesley Pub. Co., 1965.

4. T. Mitani and F. A. Williams, "Studies of Cellular Flames in

H2 -0 2 -N2 Mixtures", Combustion and Flame 39, 169 , 1980.

5. I. L. Drell and F. E. Belles, "Survey of Hydrogen Combustion Properties",

NASA Report No. 1383, 1958.

6. H. F. Coward and G. W. Jones, "Limits of Flammability of Gases and

Vapors", Bureau of Mines Bulletin 503, 1952.

7. M. G. Zabetakis, "Flammability Characteristics of Combustible Gases and

Vapors", Bureau of Mines, Bulletin 627, 1965.

8. B. Fine, "Stability Limits and Burning Velocities of Laminar Hydrogen-Air

Flames at Reduced Pressures", NACA TN 3833, 1956.

9. B. Fine, "Further Experiments on the Stability of Laminar and Turbulent

Hydrogen-Air Flames at Reduced Pressures", NACA TN 3977, 1957.

10. Ya. B. Zeldovitch and Yu. B. Raizer, "Physics of Shock Waves and High

Temperature Hydrodynamic Phenomena", Vol. I, p. 92, Academic Press, 1965.

11. Ya. B. Zeldovitch and A. S. Kompaneets, "Theory of Detonation", Academic

Press, 1960.

12. R. Atkinson, D. C. Bull, and P. J. Shuff, "Initiation of Spherical Detonation in Hydrogen-Air", Combustion and Flame, 39, 287, 1980.

13. P. A. Libby and K. N. C. Bray, "Implications of the Laminar Flamelet Model in Premixed Turbulent Combustion", Combustion and Flame, 39, 33, 1980.

14. I. 0. Moen, M. Donato, R. Knystantas and J. H. Lee, "Flame Acceleration

Due to Turbulence Produced by Obstacles", Combustion and Flame 39, 21,

1980.

15. L. A. Lovachev,. "Flammability Limits - A Review", Combustion Science and

Technology 20, 209, 1979.

16. E. S. Oran, J. P. Boris, T. R. Young, T. Burks and M. Picone, Eastern

States Section of the Combustion Institute, Paper 34, 1979.

-34-
REFERENCES (Cont'd.)

17. W. W. Jones, Eastern States Section, The Combustion Institute, Paper 50,

1980.

18. V. S. Babin'and A. V. V'yun, Goren ie i Vzryv, Nauka, Moscow, P. 289,

1972.

19. L. A. Lovachev, V. S. Babkin, V. A. Bunev, A. V. V'yun and V. N.

"Flammability Limits: An Invited Review", Combustion and Flame 20,

259, 1973.

20. P. F. Ivashchenko and V. S. Rumyantsev, Fizika Gorenia i Vzryva 14, 83,

1978.

21.- L. A. Lovachev, Dokl. Akad. Nauk SSSR 193, p. 634, 1970.

22. L. A. Lovachev and L. N. Lovachev, "Kinetics of Hydrogen Oxidation, Part

4", Combustion Science and Technology 19, 195, 1979.

23. A. L. Furno, E. B. Cook, J. M. Kuchta and D. S. Burgess, 13th Symposium (International) on Combustion-, p. 593, 1971.

24. R. G. Abdel-Sayed and D. Bradley, Sixteenth Symposium (International) on

Combustion, p. 1725, 1977.

25. R. Knystantas, J. H. Lee, I. Moen and H. G. G. Wagner, "Direct Initiation

of Spherical Detonation by a Hot Turbulent Jet", Seventeenth Symposium'

(International) on Combustion, p. 1235, 1979.

26. G. G. Bach, R. Knystantas and J. H. Lee, Twelfth Symposium (International) on Combustion, p. 853, 1969.

27. M. Jouget, Comptes Rendue 142, p.-4034, 1934.

28. G. I. Taylor, Proc. Roy. Soc. (London) A200, p. 235, 1935.

29. R. A. Strehlow, American Scientist 68, p. 420, 1980.

30. M. Sibulkin, Combustion and Flame 38, p. 329, 1980.

31. A. L. Berlad, M. Sibulkin and C. H. Yang, "Containment Building Hydrogen

Control Methods Related to Degraded Core Accidents", BNL-NUREG-28976,

Informal Report, Nov. 1980.

32. A. L. Berlad and C. H. Yang, "A Theory of Flame Extinction Limits", Combustion and Flame 4, 325, 1960.

33. J. Buckmaster, "The Quenching of Deflagration Waves", Combustion and

Flame 26, 151, 1976.

-35-
REFERENCES (Cont'd.)

34. A. Levy, Proc. Roy. Soc. (London) A283,134, 1965.

35. D. B. Spalding, Proc. Roy. Soc. A240, 83, 1957.

36. J. Hirschfelder, C. F. Curtiss and R. B. Bird, "The Molecular Theory of

Gases and Liquids", John Wiley and Sons, New York, 1954.

37. A. E. Potter and A. L. Berlad, "The Effect of Molecular Structure on

Flame Quenching", Sixth Symposium (International) on Combustion, Reinhold

Publ. Corp. p. 27, 1957.

38. G. Von Elbe and M. Mentser, J. Chem. Phys. 13, 89, 1945.

39. K. N. Palmer, "Dust Explosions and Fires", Chapman and Hall (London),

1973.

-36-
NRC FORM 335 1. REPORT NUMBER (Assigned by DDC)

(7-77US. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION NUREG/CR-2475

BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATA SHEET BNL-NUREG-51492

4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE (Add Volume No., if appropriate) 2. (Leave blank)

HYDROGEN COMBUSTION CHARACTERISTICS RELATED TO 3. RECIPIENT'S ACCESSION NO.

REACTOR ACCIDENTS

7. AUTHORI.11 5. DATE REPORT COMPLETED

MPNTH I YEAP

A. L. Berlad, M. Sibulkin, and C. H. Yang September 1981

9. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND MAILING ADDRESS (Include Zip Code) DATE REPORT ISSUED

Department of Nuclear Energy MONT" u Yp

Brookhaven National Laboratory July 1983

Upton, New York 11973 6. (Leave blank)

8. (Leave blank)

12. SPONSORING ORGANIZATION NAME AND MAILING ADDRESS (Include Zip Code)

Division of Systems Integration 10. PROJECT!TASKiWORK UNIT NO

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation I. CONTRACT NO.

U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Washington, D. C. 20555 FIN A-3315

13. TYPE OF REPORT FPERIOD COVERED (Inclusive dates)

Technical Report October 1, 1980 to January 30, 1981

15. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 114. (Leave blank)

16. ABSTRACT (200 words or less)

A knowledge of combustion phenomena and their characteristics is necessary in accident

analyses related to the release of hydrogen. As a result of the accident at Three Mile

Island, and from the results of related studies of hypothetical degraded core accidents,

it is recognized that combustion of hydrogen may, under some circumstances, threaten the.

integrity of a reactor containment building. In general, detailed combustion information

is required in order to understand and characterize the combustion phenomena and processes

which may occur in a containment building. It is also important to identify the criticality

or limiting conditions under which important combustion processes may be extinguished, initiated, or otherwise transformed. Data and information is also required for analytic modeling of safety-related hypothetical accident scenarios and to allow modelers to predict with

confidence the consequences of combustion processes. Safety-related strategies aimed at

mitigation of accident-related combustion also require a knowledge of combustion phenomena.

The report identifies areas where inadequate understanding exists and distinguishes among

the ranges of applicability of selected items and classes of combustion data, experiments,

theories, and models. In pursuit of these objectives, this report attempts to provide a

perspective on combustion processes which may not otherwise be derived easily from the

enormously diverse combustion literature.

17. KEY WORDS AND DOCUMENT ANALYSIS 17a. DESCRIPTORS

Combustion Phenomena

Degraded Core

Hydrogen

Detonation

1

7 h. IDENTIFIERS/OPEN.ENDED TERMS

1. AVAILABILITY STATEMENT 1 iq CR rIJmTY CI ASS !x7, re,.,, t) . 21 %0 \T PA6

Unclassified I Unlimi ted

$4 O)~M 335 7.77)

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