Use of a vaporizer and flame-tube combustor in studying combustion of hydrocarbon fuels.

The combustion of hydrocarbon fuels is essentially the more or less complete oxidation of the hydrogen and carbon constituents. The theoretical heat content per pound of fuel may be calculated from the known heat of combustion of hydrogen and carbon. The process of obtaining energy from the burning of liquid (and gaseous) hydrocarbons applies to a great number and range of heat engines; from the common coal-oil heater through a variety of internal combustion reciprocating engines, up to the present day gas turbine. From oil heaters to reciprocating engines to gas turbines, we ascend in an order of increasing refinement of control of the process. There are certain fundamental requirements for efficient combustion: (1) Stoiciometric Air/Fuel ratio, (2) Thorough mixing of air and fuel vapor, (3) A sufficiently high localized temperature to sustain the ignition process, (4) Time and space to permit the process to go to completion. Regardless of how the energy of combustion may be used, the conditions outlined above must still be met to a greater or less degree as economy in dollars, weight, or size may dictate.[...