On the Flammable Limits of Gas Mixtures

INTRODUCTIONCarbon monoxide occupies a special place among combustible gases. The high flammable limit, the slowness of its flame propagation, and the role of water vapor in its combustion all suggest a resistance to oxidation that its heat of combustion would not have allowed us to anticipate. It behaves among gases a little like aluminum among metals. We thought that it would be interesting to define its flammable conditions slightly more precisely than previously done.Carbon monoxide was prepared by decomposing sodium formiate with sulfuric acid; recovered in a small water gas holder, the gas contained 7% air at time of use.Normal Flammable LimitsThese limits were determined in defined conditions by one of us as the most favorable for this type of test, that is, in a test tube 40 mm in diameter and 20 cm in length, with ignition by a 1-cm flame through the opening held in

INTRODUCTION Carbon monoxide occupies a special place among combustible gases. The high flammable limit, the slowness of its flame propagation, and the role of water vapor in its combustion all suggest a resistance to oxidation that its heat of combustion would not have allowed us to anticipate. It behaves among gases a little like aluminum among metals. We thought that it would be interesting to define its flammable conditions slightly more precisely than previously done.