Combustion inhibition by methyl chloride and the effects of steam injection in a two stage turbulent flow reactor

An experimental and modeling study of the combustion inhibition of CH₃Cl and the effects of steam injection in a two stage, turbulent flow reactor is presented. Premixed C₂H₄, air and nitrogen with or without CH₃Cl were fed to the first stage of the reactor. Steam was injected into the second stage. The feed fuel equivalence ratio was kept constant at 0.6 or 1.3. The loading of CH₃Cl was changed from a feed molar CH₃Cl/C₂H₄ ratio of 0 to 0.4. Reactor temperatures and CO, CO₂, and light hydrocarbon concentrations were measured at various locations along the reactor. Experiments showed that the presence of CH₃Cl inhibited CO burnout and increased the yield of light hydrocarbons. Predicted species concentrations from detailed reaction modeling agree well with the experimental observations. Rate-of-production (ROP) calculations indicate that OH + HCl = Cl + H₂O is a major channel for OH consumption. The resulting depletion of OH inhibits the CO burnout reaction OH + CO = CO₂ + H₂O. Experiments showed that steam injection into the second stage of the reactor increased CO and light hydrocarbon burnout. The ROP calculations indicate that OH supply enhancement from the injected steam was responsible.