# 2007 IChemE

IChemE SYMPOSIUM SERIES NO. 153

NEW SIMPLE METHOD FOR CALCULATION FLAMMABILITY LIMITS OF MIXTURES

OF FLAMMABLE FUELS
Pavel A. Fomin and Jenq-Renn Chen
National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology, Department of Safety, Health and Environmental Engineering,
1 University Road, Yanchau, Kaohsiung 824, Taiwan, R.O.C.; e-mail: pavel_fomin@mail.ru, e-mail: jrc@ccms.nkfust.edu.tw
A simple method for calculation the flammable limits of a mixture of two or more fuels, based on
chemical thermodynamics, is presented. Flammable limits of separate fuels assumed to be known.
The method allows taking into account the possibility of condensed carbon formation in fuel-rich
mixtures (i.e. mixtures of cyclohexane with acetylene) and can be used for normal and elevated pressures and temperatures. In the frames of presented method a simple algebraic formulas for calculation
adiabatic flame temperature and corresponding heat release of chemical reaction are proposed.
The upper flammable limits for mixtures of H2, C2H2, CH4, C6H12 and CO have been calculated.
Results of calculations for cyclohexane/acetylene mixture practically coincide with corresponding
results, based on Le Chateliers mixing rule.

KEYWORDS: flammability, mixture, thermodynamics

other properties and for upper flammable limit (including

upper flammable limit of fuel-rich mixtures) is still not
developed. It seems to be interesting for safety assessment
and better understanding of processes, governing of
flammability limits, to find that fuels mixtures and set of
assumptions, at which Le Chateliers mixing rule is valid.
In present work a simple method for calculation the
flammable limits of a mixture of two or more fuels, based
on chemical thermodynamics, will be presented. Flammable
limits of separate fuels assumed to be known. The method
will allows taking into account the possibility of condensed
carbon formation in fuel-rich mixtures. To calculate the
flammable limits of fuels mixture, adiabatic combustion of
a gas at constant pressure to its final state of chemical
equilibrium will be considered. Additional assumptions
about the value of heat release of chemical reaction or products temperature will be used.
Thermodynamic parameters of gaseous reaction products in state of chemical equilibrium will be described by
the high accuracy model of chemical equilibrium, presented
by Nikolaev and Fomin (1983), Nikolaev and Zak (1988).
This model allows calculating the molar mass and thermodynamic parameters of gas by explicit algebraic formulas.
The model is quite simple and accurate to be used in scientific and engineering calculations.
The model of chemical equilibrium was modified
later by Fomin et al. (2004) for gaseous mixtures with
chemically inert particles. This modified model is valid
for approximate description of chemical equilibrium in
mixtures of gas with particles of condensed carbon too.
The model will be used in present calculations of flammable
limits for description of thermodynamic parameters of gassoot mixtures. In correspondence with this model a set of
assumptions about the properties of condensed carbon
particles will be used.
The use of preliminary known values of flammable
limits of single fuels, the simple models of chemical

INTRODUCTION
The flammable limits of fuels mixtures are the results of
complex chemical transformation and should be described
in the frames of chemical kinetics. Unfortunately, for
many fuels, including most heavy hydrocarbons, the mechanism and constants of chemical reactions are not completely known. Moreover, the presence of condensed carbon
particles (soot) in reaction products is the essential feature
of combustion processes in a wide range of chemical compositions of single fuels (i.e. acetylene and cyclohexane)
and fuels mixtures, at which the upper flammable limits
are registered. Usually such particles are formed as a
result of chemical reaction and subsequent carbon condensation if the total number of carbon atoms in a mixture is
more as compare with the total number of oxygen atoms.
The kinetics of soot formation is still under investigations.
Non-comprehensive understanding of reaction mechanism
and process of carbon condensation and low accuracy of
kinetic constants prevent the adequate theoretical consideration of flammable limits of fuels mixtures, based on
detailed system of equations of chemical kinetics. As a
result, simple empirical and semi-empirical methods are
still used for preliminary estimations of these limits. The
further development of such kind of methods remains to
be useful, especially for calculation of upper flammable
limit of fuels mixtures at normal and elevated parameters.
Well known Le Chateliers mixing rule is the most
simple and frequently used method for estimation of flammable limits of fuels mixtures. The rule is empirical and
still there is no comprehensive proof of it for wide range
of fuels and initial parameters. Mashuga and Louvar
(2000) presented a proof to Le Chateliers mixing rule for
lower flammable limit, based on thermodynamics and
number of assumptions about adiabatic temperature rise,
combustion kinetics and thermodynamic parameters of
reaction products. The theoretical proof of Le Chateliers
mixing rule for lower flammable limit of mixtures with

# 2007 IChemE

IChemE SYMPOSIUM SERIES NO. 153

equilibrium for gaseous and gas-soot mixtures and assumptions, related to heat release and products temperature will
give us the possibility to calculate flammability limits of
fuels mixture by only one algebraic equation. Despite the
simplicity of the method for calculation of flammable
limits, the real thermodynamic properties of a gas and presence of condensed particles in reaction products will be
taken into account. Note, that present work can be considered as some proof of Le Chateliers mixing rule in
case of good coincidence between results of flammable
limits calculations, based on this rule and suggested method.
There are no principal problems in theoretical calculation of adiabatic flame temperature, based on detailed
system of equations of atomic balance and chemical equilibrium. Nevertheless, the systems of equations are quite
cumbersome, especially in case of fuel-rich mixtures. That
is why for many scientific and engineering applications it
is useful to have simple, but high accuracy formulas for
calculation adiabatic flame temperature of a mixture with
known initial composition. In the frames of present work
such simple formula will be presented. It can be used for
any hydrocarbon-air mixtures, including fuel-rich mixtures
with condensed carbon in reaction products.

considered:
K U Cn Hm Ol (1  K U ) (0:21O2 0:79 N2 )
! products in chemical equilibrium

(1)

The pressure of the mixture assumed to be constant.

The mole fraction of the fuel is noted as K U . The value
K U , initial pressure P0, temperature T0 and chemical
composition of the fuel (the values n, m, l) assumed to be
known. Index U notes the UFL-composition, UFL
U
 100%.
Kmix
The molar mass of the fuel, molar mass of air and
initial molar mass of fuel-air mixture are: mfuel nmC
U
mmH lmO , mAir 0:42mO 1:58mN , mU
0 K mfuel
U
(1  K )(0:42mO 1:58mN ). The enthalpy of air and
the chemical and thermodynamic parts of this enthalpy
chem
(0:21mO2 HOchem

at initial conditions equal: HAir

2
chem
therm

0:79
m
0:79mN2 HN2 )=mAir , HAir (0:21mO2 HOtherm
N
2
2
HNtherm
)=mAir . Here HOchem
, HNchem
and HOtherm
, HNtherm
are
2
2
2
2
2
the chemical and thermodynamic parts of the enthalpy of
chem
therm
HAir
.
oxygen and nitrogen respectively, HAir HAir
U
The mass fractions of single fuel and air equal: bfuel
U
U
U
U
U
K U mfuel =mU
0 , bAir (1  K ) mAir =m0 , bfuel bAir 1.
Note the enthalpy and the thermodynamic and chemical parts of the enthalpy of fuel at initial conditions as
chem
therm
and Hfuel
respectively. According to defiHfuel , Hfuel
chem
therm
.
nition, Hfuel Hfuel Hfuel
The specific enthalpy of gaseous reaction products
and the thermodynamic and chemical parts of the enthalpy
will be described here by the following explicit formulas
of the model of chemical equilibrium, presented by
Nikolaev and Fomin (1983), Nikolaev and Zak (1988):
H(T,m) H therm (T,m) H chem (m),

NOTATIONS
T, m, P are temperature, molar mass and pressure of gas; H,
H chem , H therm are the enthalpy and the chemical and thermodynamic parts of the enthalpy; ma, mmin, mmax are the molar
masses of gas in the atomic, completely dissociated and
completely recombined states, Q is the effective temperature of excitation of the vibrational degrees of freedom of
the molecules, E is the average energy of dissociation of
the reaction products, R is the universal gas constant, b is
the mass fraction, K is the molar fraction of fuel or fuels
mixture, a is the molar fraction of fuel on combustible
basis, ZC and Zg are the mass fractions of condensed
phase and gas in gas-particles mixture, Qfuel is the heat of
chemical reaction per mass of the fuel, LFL and UFL are
the lower and upper flammable limits, LFL-composition
and UFL-composition are the initial chemical composition,
at which the lower and upper flammable limits are
registered. Indexes 0, L and U notes the initial stage,
LFL-composition and UFL-composition, indexes i,
fuel and mix correspond to single fuel and mixture of
fuels respectively, index  notes adiabatic conditions.

H therm (T,m) 3=4(m=ma 1)

3=2(m=ma  1)Q=T=( exp (Q=T)  1)
(2)
 RT=m RT=m
H chem (m) E(1=m  1=mmin )

(3)

The mixtures, which have condensed carbon (soot) in

reaction products, will be called as fuel-rich mixtures. The
model, presented by Fomin et al. (2004) will be used here
for calculation thermodynamic parameters of gaseous mixtures with particles of condensed carbon in state of chemical
equilibrium. Thus, in correspondence with this model the
following assumptions assumed to be valid. There is no
soot, if the total number of carbon atoms in the mixture
(regardless of the components, that received these atoms)
is less as compare with total number of oxygen atoms
(regardless of the components, that received these atoms,
too). All atoms of carbon, which lack of oxygen atoms for
forming CO, are in the condensed state. Particles of condensed carbon are in mechanical and heat equilibrium
with the gas (i.e. the velocity and temperature of gas and
soot particles are equal). The total volume of condensed particles is negligibly small. The pressure of saturated vapour

AN ALGORITHM FOR CALCULATION ADIABATIC

FLAME TEMPERATURE AND HEAT RELEASE
OF CHEMICAL REACTION OF LFL- AND
UFL-COMPOSITION MIXTURE OF A SINGLE
FUEL WITH AIR
The initial chemical composition of a fuel-air mixture, at
which the lower and upper flammable limits are registered,
will be called as LFL-composition and UFL-composition.
The following chemical transformation of the UFLcomposition mixture of the single fuel with air is

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IChemE SYMPOSIUM SERIES NO. 153

The molar masses of single fuels and fuels

P mixture
equal: mfueli ni mC mi mH li mO , mfuelmix ai mfueli .
i
Initial molar mass of the fuels-air mixture
is:
U
U
mU0 Kmix
mfuelmix (1  Kmix
)mAir . The mass fractions of
single fuels
P on a combustible basis are: bfueli ai mfueli =
mfuelmix ,
bfueli 1. The total mass fraction of fuels and
i
U
U
U
mass fraction of air (bU
fuelmix bAir 1) equal: bfuelmix (Kmix )
U
U
U
Kmix
mfuelmix =mU0 , bUAir (Kmix
) (1  Kmix
)mAir =mU
Note
0.
the total enthalpy of fuels and the thermodynamic and
chemical parts of the enthalpy at initial conditions as
chem
therm
Hfuelmix , Hfuel
and Hfuel
respectively. These values can
mix
mix
therm
chem
be calculated by the formulas: Hfuelmix Hfuel
Hfuel
,
mix
mix
P
P
chem
chem
therm
therm
Hfuelmix bfueli Hfueli , Hfuelmix bfueli Hfueli ,
where
i
i
chem
therm
Hfuel
and
H
are
the
chemical
and
thermodynamic
fueli
i
parts of the enthalpy of single fuel.
U
U
U
U
Parameters mU
min , mmax , ma , ZC and Zg for fuel-air
mixture under consideration can be calculated by algorithm,
presented by Nikolaev and Fomin (1983). These parameters
U
. Note the chemical and thermodynamic parts
depend on Kmix
therm,U
chem,U
and Hproducts,mix
. The enthalpy
of the enthalpy as Hproducts,mix
of the gaseous reaction products of the mixture equals
therm,U
chem,U
U
Hproducts,mix
Hproducts,mix
.
Hproducts,mix
Typically, as in case of single fuel, the temperature of
reaction products of UFL-composition mixture of fuels with
air is relatively low. As a result, the chemical composition of
gaseous products corresponds to completely recombined
state and mU mU
max . Thus, according to (2) and (3):

of carbon is negligible small. Thermodynamic parameters of

condensed carbon are assumed to be as corresponding parameters of graphite.
U
U
U
U
Parameters mU
min , mmax , ma , ZC and Zg can be calculated by algorithm of Nikolaev and Fomin (1983). These
parameters depend on K U . Here ZCU and ZgU are the mass
fractions of condensed carbon and gas in gas-particles
mixture, ZgU 1  ZCU . The enthalpy of the gaseous reaction
chem,U
U
Hproducts

products of the mixture equals: Hproducts

therm,U
chem,U
chem,U
Hproducts , where Hproducts and Hproducts are the chemical and
thermodynamic parts of the enthalpy. Typically, the temperature of reaction products of UFL-composition mixture
is relatively low. As a result, the chemical composition
of gaseous products of chemical reaction corresponds to
completely recombined state and molar mass of gas in
reaction products equals: mU mmax .
chem,U
E(1=mU
According to (2) and (3) Hproducts
max 
therm,U
U
U
U
U
1=mmin ), Hproducts (T ) 3=4(mmax =ma 1) 3=2(mU
max =
mUa  1)u=TU =( exp (u=TU )  1)RTU =mUmax RTU =mUmax ,
where TU is the adiabatic flame temperature of UFLcomposition mixture.
Note the enthalpy of condensed carbon and the
chemical and thermodynamic parts of the enthalpy as
HC , HCchem and HCtherm respectively, HC HCtherm HCchem .
In adiabatic process at constant pressure the enthalpy of
mixture does not change. Thus, the following equation
of enthalpy conservation for process (1) can be written:
U
bUfuel Hfuel bUAir HAir Hproducts
 ZgU HCU  ZCU .
Taking into account the formulas, presented above,
this equation can be written in the following form:

  U

U
3 mmax (Kmix
)

1
U
4 mU
a (Kmix )
 U


U
3 mmax (Kmix
)
u=TL
 1  u=T L

U
2 mU
e  1
a (Kmix )

U
U
H therm,U
products,mix (Kmix ,T )

therm
U
chem
therm
bUfuel (H chem
fuel H fuel ) bAir (HAir HAir )
therm,U
U
U
H chem,U
products H products (T )  Zg

HCchem HCtherm,U (TU )  ZCU :

From this algebraic equation the value TU can be calculated.

The heat release of chemical reaction of UFL-composition
mixture per mass of the fuel equals:

RTU
U ,
U
mmax (Kmix
)

U
U
U
U
U
H chem,U
products,mix (Kmix ) E(1=mmax (Kmin )  1=mmin (Kmix ))

chem,U
U
chem
U
QUfuel bUfuel H chem
fuel bAir HAir  H products  Zg

RTU
U
U
mmax (Kmix
)

Two algorithms for calculation the flammable limits are

suggested. In the frames of the first algorithm the explicit algebraic formula for calculation adiabatic flame temperature of
fuels mixture, corresponding to UFL-composition, is proposed. According to the formula, this temperature depends
on mass fractions of single fuels on combustible basis, adiabatic flame temperatures TUi and heat releases of chemical
flammable limits of
reaction QU
fueli , whichPcorrespond toP
U
=
QU
separate fuels: TU bfueli  QU
fueli
fueli  Ti .
i
i
This temperature should be used in equation of
enthalpy balance:

HCchem ZCU =bUfuel :

CALCULATION OF THE UPPER AND LOWER

FLAMMABLE LIMIT OF FUELS MIXTURE
The following chemical transformation of the UFLcompositionPmixture of fuels with air is considered:
U
U
ai Cni Hmi Oli (1  Kmix
)(0:21O2 0:79 N2 )
Kmix
P
i
ai 1.
The
! products in chemical equilibrium,
i

pressure of the mixture assumed to be constant. The total

U
, UFL
mole fraction of the fuels is noted as Kmix
U
 100%. Initial pressure, temperature, chemical comKmix
position of the fuels (the values ni, mi, li), the mole fraction
U
assumed to be
of fuels on a combustible basis ai and Kmix
known.

U
U
therm
U
chem
therm
bUfuelmix (Kmix
)(H chem
fuelmix H fuelmix ) bAir (Kmix )(HAir HAir )
therm,U
U
U
U
U
U
H chem,U
products,mix (Kmix ) H products,mix (Kmix ,T )  Zg (Kmix )
U
):
HCchem HCtherm,U (TU )  ZCU (Kmix

(4)

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IChemE SYMPOSIUM SERIES NO. 153

U
From this algebraic equation the value Kmix
can be
easily calculated.
The second algorithm uses the assumption that the
heat release of chemical reaction, which corresponds to
flammable limits of fuels mixture, equals to the sum of products of corresponding heat releases of separate fuels and
mass fractions of fuels on a combustible basis:
U
bUfuelmix (Kmix
)

condensed carbon in reaction products at all values of

aC6 H12 and aC2 H2 . For example, if aC6 H12 equals 1 and 0,
the value ZCU equals 0.338.1021 and 0.685 respectively.
Results of calculations of UFL for C6H12/H2-air mixtures at P0 1 atm and CH4/CO-air mixtures at P0 6 atm
are presented on Figure 1. Results of calculations, obtained
by II algorithm, better correspond to the Le Chateliers
mixing rule, than corresponding results, based on I algorithm (formula (4)).
Some results of calculations for mixtures of three
fuels with air, based on II algorithm and Le Chateliers
mixing rule, are presented in Tables 2 and 3. Additionally,
the mass fraction of condensed carbon in reaction products
is shown. The values UFL, calculated by II algorithm
are less, than the corresponding values, obtained by Le
Chatelier mixing rule.

U
b fueli QUfueli bUfuelmix (Kmix
)  H chem
fuelmix

i
chem,U
U
chem
U
bU
Air (Kmix )  HAir  H product,mixs (Kmix )
U
U
 ZgU (Kmix
)  HCchem  ZCU (Kmix
):

(5)

U
The value Kmix
is the variable of this algebraic equation and
can be easily calculated.
All formulas, presented here, are written for UFLcomposition mixtures. Similar formulas will be valid for
corresponding LFL-composition mixtures, if index U
will be changed into index L, which corresponds to
LFL-composition mixture.

CONCLUSIONS AND DISCUSSIONS

The simple method for calculation the upper and lower flammable limits of a mixture of two or more fuels, based on
chemical thermodynamics and list of assumptions, are
presented. Flammable limits of separate fuels assumed to
be known. The method can be used for any fuels mixtures,
including fuels-rich mixtures (i.e. mixtures of cyclohexane
with acetylene) with possibility of condensed carbon formation in reaction products.
The use of the simple models of chemical equilibrium
for gaseous and gas-soot mixtures and assumptions, related
to heat release and products temperature give us the possibility to calculate flammability limits of fuels mixture by
only one algebraic equation. Such calculation of flammable
limits is essentially simpler, as compare with calculations,
based on detailed kinetic scheme.
Calculations of adiabatic flame temperatures and UFL
for single fuels and mixtures of two and three fuels have
been performed. The following fuels have been considered:
H2, C2H2, CH4, C6H12 and CO.
Adiabatic flame temperatures of single fuels, calculated by the presented formulas, very good correspond to
the results of exact calculations, based on detailed
equations of chemical equilibrium. Such good coincidence
can be considered as additional proof of high accuracy of
the used simple explicit formulas for calculation thermodynamic parameters of a gas in chemical equilibrium state.
Results of calculations of UFL for C6H12/H2
and CH4/CO mixtures, based on the second algorithm,
better correspond to the Le Chatelier mixing rule, than

RESULTS OF CALCULATIONS
Calculations of adiabatic flame temperatures and UFL for
mixtures of fuels have been performed for the following
substances: H2, C2H2, CH4, C6H12 and CO. The algorithm,
presented by Nikolaev and Fomin (1983), Nikolaev and
Zak (1988) have been used to calculate the values
chem
, HNchem
, HOtherm
, HNtherm
, HCchem , HCtherm and Hfuel
,
E, u, HOchem
2
2
2
2
therm
chem
Hfuel for H2, C2H2, CH4, and CO and the data Hfuel and
therm
for C6H12. Experimental values of flammable limits
Hfuel
for single fuels, presented in book of Crowl and Louvar
(2002) are used in present calculations of adiabatic flame
temperature and flammable limits of fuels-air mixtures.
Adiabatic flame temperatures of single fuels, calculated by the formulas, presented above, very good correspond to the results of exact calculations, based on
detailed equations of chemical equilibrium (Table 1). Such
good coincidence can be considered as additional proof of
high accuracy of the used simple explicit formulas for
calculation thermodynamic parameters of a gas in chemical
equilibrium state.
The upper flammable limit of all kinds of C6H12/
C2H2 mixtures (0  aC6 H12  1) at P0 1 atm, calculated
by the algorithm II (formula (5)), practically ideal (better,
than 0.5%) coincides with the corresponding calculations,
based on Le Chateliers formula. Note, that there is

Table 1. Adiabatic flames temperature for UFL- and LFL-composition of CH4/Air and C2H2/Air mixtures
Mixture
CH4/Air, LFL-composition
C2H2/Air, LFL-composition
CH4/Air, UFL-composition
C2H2/Air, UFL-composition

Present calculations
TL 1524 K
TL 1273
TU 1742 K
TU 2900 K

Exact calculations
1481
1268
1774
2831

K (Mashuga and Crowl, 2000)

(Mashuga and Crowl, 2000)
K (Arpentinier et al. 2001)
(Arpentinier et al. 2001)

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IChemE SYMPOSIUM SERIES NO. 153

0.8

0.75

C6H12/H2-air, P0 = 1 atm

CH4/CO-air, P0 = 6 atm

0.4

KUmix

KUmix

I algorithm

II algorithm
Le Chatelier
I algorithm

0.0
0.0

0.5

0.50

Le Chatelier
II algorithm

0.25
0.00

1.0

H2

0.25

0.50

CH4

Figure 1. The upper flammable limit of fuel-air mixtures. a - C6H12/H2-air, P0 1 atm, b - CH4/CO-air, P0 6 atm

Table 2. The upper flammable limits of C6H12/C2H2/CH4 mixtures with air, aC6 H12 =aC2 H2 1, P0 1 atm

aC6 H12

aC2 H2

aCH4

U
Kmix
(Le Chateliers formula)

U
Kmix
(II algorithm)

ZCU

0.5
0.45
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0

0.5
0.45
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0

0
0.1
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1

0.145
0.146
0.146
0.147
0.148
0.149
0.15

0.145
0.138
0.131
0.13
0.137
0.139
0.15

0.82.1021
0.55.1021
0.31.1021
0
0
0
0

corresponding results, based on the first one. The values of

UFL for mixture of three fuels (C6H12/C2H2/CH4), calculated by II algorithm, are less, than the corresponding
values, obtained by Le Chatelier mixing rule.
The upper flammable limit of C6H12/C2H2 mixtures
P0 1 atm, calculated by the algorithm II, practically
ideal coincides with the corresponding calculations, based
on Le Chateliers mixing rule. Note that at all molar
fractions of components on a combustible basis there is
condensed carbon in reaction products.
As it pointed above, in the work of Matshuga and
Crowl (2000) it was possible to obtain the proof of Le

Chatelier mixing rule only for LFL of the narrow range of

fuels and initial conditions. The results of calculations for
C6H12/C2H2 mixtures show, that the methods for UFL
and LFL calculations, presented here, can be considered
as further step in proof of Le Chateliers mixing rule for
rich fuels-air mixtures with carbon condensation in reaction
products. At least for C6H12/C2H2-air mixtures the
calculations, based on chemical thermodynamic and the
assumptions, presented above, give the same UFL as Le
Chateliers mixing rule. Additional calculations are necessary to investigate the range of fuels mixtures, at which the
methods of UFL and LFL calculations, presented here,

Table 3. The upper flammable limits of C6H12/C2H2/CH4 mixtures with air, P0 1 atm

aC6 H12
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0

aC2 H2

aCH4

U
Kmix
(Le Chateliers formula)

0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
0
0
0
0
0

0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1

0.145
0.134
0.126
0.118
0.111
0.104
0.111
0.119
0.128
0.138
0.15

U
Kmix
(II algorithm)

ZCU

0.145
0.128
0.114
0.103
0.104
0.103
0.108
0.115
0.123
0.134
0.15

0.82.1021
0.52.1022
0.37.1022
0.17.1022
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

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IChemE SYMPOSIUM SERIES NO. 153

Fomin, P.A., Mitropetros, K. and Hieronymus, H. (2004)

Approximate model of chemical equilibrium in heterogeneous gas-particles mixtures. Proceedings of the 4th International Seminar on Fire and Explosion Hazards, Bradley,
D. et al. (Eds.), FireSERT, University of Ulster,
N. Ireland, UK, pp. 219 228.
Mashuga, C.V. and Crowl, D.A. (2000) Derivation of Le
Chateliers mixing rule for flammable limits. Process
Safety Progress, 19, 2, pp. 112 117.
Nikolaev, Yu.A. and Fomin, P.A. (1983) Approximate equation
of kinetics in heterogeneous systems of gas-condensedphase type, Combustion, Explosion and Shock Waves, 19,
6, pp. 737 745.
Nikolaev, Yu.A. and Zak, D.V. (1988) Agreement of models of
chemical reactions in gases with the second law of thermodynamics, Combustion, Explosion and Shock Waves, 24, 4,
pp. 461 464.

will give the same results as Le Chateliers mixing rules and

can be considered as some proof of Le Chateliers mixing
rules.
The method for calculation flammable limits of fuels
mixtures, proposed here, can be generalized for fuels
mixtures in presence of water and chemically inert small
particles. For such generalization it is necessary to change
only the equation of enthalpy balance to take into account
water or inert particles additions.
REFERENCES
Arpentinier, P., Cavani, F. and Trifiro, F. (2001) The technology of catalytic oxidations. Volume 2: Safety aspects, Editions Technip, Paris.
Crowl, D.A. and Louvar, J.F. (2002) Chemical process safety:
fundamentals with applications, Prentice Hall PTP, Upper
Saddle River, New Jersey.