Author: Elihu Zimet

Publisher:

Published: 1969

Total Pages: 78

ISBN-13:

The two chemical reactions given by N2O4 + M = 2NO2 + M = 2NO + O2 + M, where M represents the inert carrier gases argon or nitrogen, were studied. The experiments were carried out in a temperature controlled shock tube and a light absorption technique permitted the time dependent concentration of the species NO2 to be determined. For shock strengths where the temperature did not exceed 400K only the first chemical reaction took place. Stronger shock waves excited both chemical reactions with temperatures up to 2100K, and for this reason, flow fields with two nonequilibrium modes could be investigated. Since the relaxation times of these two reactions were different by about three orders of magnitude, they could be experimentally uncoupled. A study of the reaction mechanisms and rate constants for both reactions was carried out. At shock strengths exciting only the first chemical reaction the complete picture of a non-equilibrium flow field with only one nonequilibrium mode could be investigated. In this situation, the shock strengths were varied from weak, fully dispersed waves to strong, partly dispersed waves. (Author).