The ignition and flame reactions of ethylene oxide

Abstract

Spontaneous ignition pressure-temperature relationships of ethylene oxide-oxygen and -air mixtures have been studied. A low-temperature ignition system exists and cool flames can be initiated in air at atmospheric pressure and below. The propagation of cool flames through cold mixtures imder this condition has not, however, been observed. Nevertheless, ethylene oxide itself propagates a decomposition flame and is inflammable at constant volume in admixture with air for all percentages above 3*6. The products of decomposition are almost entirely accounted for by the two overall reactions: C 2 H 4 0 = CH 4 + CO +17-2 kcal., 2C 2 H 4 0 = C 2 H 4 + 2CO + 2H 2 - 2 x 6-15 kcal. These reactions are also very significant in the non-luminous flames that have been found to be propagated through the richer mixtures of ethylene oxide with air. It is shown that the latter flames are initiated only at high temperatures, of the same order as for normal flames, and that they correspond with the non-luminous flames occurring near to the hightemperature spontaneous ignition limit of richer mixtures.