University of Technology

Thermodynamics 2

Ignition and Flammability

Members:

Anthony Grant 1301242

Shannon McCarthy 1300585

Date: 02/03/16

Lecturer: Lt. Col. Virgo

 Ignition

What is ignition?

The action of setting something on fire or starting to burn.

The process of starting the combustion of fuel in the cylinders of an internal-combustion

engine.

Ignition of a reactive system may be homogeneous (only for perfectly premixed systems

uniformly heated, as in compression ignition)

Heterogeneous, as when locally initiated by a spark or a catalyst in either a premixed or a

non-premixed system (a subsequent deflagration front, i.e. a flame develops).

Types of Ignition

Contact ignition, i.e. by just coming into contact some special fuels with special

oxidizers. There are substances (called pyrophoric substances) which have autoignition

temperatures below that of the environment.

Eg. the mixture of hydrogen and fluorine, H2(g)/F2(g)

Spark ignition- locally supplying the activation energy required to triggers the reaction,

based on the production of a tiny burning particle.e.g. by striking a piece of flint and steel

together.

Autoignition is usually by compression ignition, but also by hot-surface ignition, i.e. by

raising the temperature of the gases by rapid compression or by heat transfer, either

previously mixed, or, more commonly, by raising the temperature of the oxidizer.Eg.

Diesel engine (i.e. to ignite a cold liquid jet being injected in hot surrounding air)
 Flammability

Flammability is the ability of a substance to burn or ignite, causing fire or combustion.

Testing:

Flash Point

A material's flash point is a metric of how easy it is to ignite the vapour of the material as

it evaporates into the atmosphere.

A lower flash point indicates higher flammability.

Vapour Pressure

A measure of how much the vapour of the liquid tends to concentrate in the surrounding

atmosphere as the liquid evaporates.

The vapour pressure of a liquid varies with its temperature.

Vapour pressure is a major determinant of the flash point, with higher vapour pressures

leading to lower flash points and higher flammability.

Table showing degree of flammability of common materials.
Degree of flammability