Flame propagation across gelled alkane-in-water emulsions

Flame propagation rates were measured for flames spreading across surfaces of gel-like alkane-in-water emulsions. A long, slender, water-cooled trough was used to contain the mixtures. Abrupt changes in the flame propagation velocities - of nearly two orders of magnitude - were observed to occur near 'critical' concentrations of certain alkane/water mixtures. Four alkanes were used - pentane, hexane, heptane, and octane - and fuel rich emulsions (in which water was the continuous phase) were employed. The ability of the aqueous phase of the emulsion to inhibit the release of fuel into the vapor phase plays an important role in the observed behavior. That is, the rate at which fuel can diffuse through both the emulsion and the thin liquid layers that reside on it, is an essential kinetic aspect of the phenomena which determine the flame propagation rate across gelled alkane-in-water emulsions.