Suppression of deflagration flame propagation of methane-air in tube by argon gas and explosion-eliminating chamber

To explore the inhibitory effect of argon gas and explosion-eliminating chamber on methane-air deflagration flame propagation in the tube, based on the Φ = 120 mm, L = 5.5 m stainless steel pipeline test system to measure methane-air deflagration flame structure, flame propagation speed, and deflagration pressure. The results show that: 10–30% argon is mixed into the methane-air premixed gas with different equivalent ratios. With the increase in the mixed argon content, the tensile distortion and instability of the flame front increase, and the average value of flame propagation speed decreases by 2.52–60.0%. The first and second deflagration pressure peaks are reduced by about 13.1–62% and 17.7–86.5% respectively. The average value of the methane-air deflagration flame propagation velocity was reduced by 5.7–37.0% with the explosion-eliminating chamber laid at the nozzle. The second and third deflagration pressure peaks are reduced by about 10–30% and 50–90% respectively. The inhibitory effect of argon on the propagation of methane-air flame is considered better than the laying of the explosion-eliminating chamber under the experimental conditions.