Equilibrium Composition of the C/H System at Elevated Temperatures

Abstract

Thermodynamic functions for a large number of C–H molecules were computed from the molecular parameters presented in the preceding paper. These functions and others taken from the literature were used to calculate the equilibrium composition of the C/H gas phase system over the composition range C/H=1/10, ¼, ½, 1, 2, 3. The temperature range was 500–5000°K, and the pressures used were 0.1, 1.0, and 10 atm. In additional calculations solid carbon was assumed to be present. Representative graphs of the results are presented. They show that the familiar, stable hydrocarbons are not important in characterizing the equilibrium composition above 2000°K. Acetylenic molecules and their radicals dominate the composition at high temperatures.