Procedure and apparatus for the optimization of reactive gas mixtures

Procedure for producing a final mixture of at least two reactive gases A, B in an inert or base gas, characterized in that it comprises:

• mixing the gas A in the inert or base gas, in order to form a first mixture, the composition of which changes, during its formation, outside the flammability region of the ternary diagram of the A/B/inert gas mixture, or passes through the flammability region with one or more mixing times of the mixer(s) used, or a transit time through the flammability region, less than the chemical induction time of the first mixture;
• mixing the gas B into the first mixture, forming a mixture whose composition changes towards that of the final mixture, the composition of this mixture changing, in the said ternary diagram, either without passing through the flammability region or by passing through the flammability region, with one or more mixing times of the mixer(s) used, or a transit time through the flammability region, less than the chemical induction time of the mixture.

Apparatus for establishing the flammability risk of gas mixtures, each mixture comprising at least two reactive gases A, B, in an inert or base gas, or for determining the order of mixing of these reactive gases into the inert or base gas, characterized in that it comprises:

• means (52) for storing at least one database (54) containing, for gas mixtures, data on the ternary diagrams of these mixtures, and the flammability regions in these diagrams for given temperature and pressure conditions;
• means (80) for selecting a gas mixture and temperature and pressure conditions to be used for this gas mixture;
• means (79) for displaying a ternary diagram and the flammability region of a mixture in this diagram.

Apparatus for establishing the flammability risk of mixtures, each mixture consisting of at least two reactive gases A, B in an inert or base gas, or for establishing the order of mixing of these reactive gases into the inert or base gas, characterized in that it includes means for computing, or means especially programmed for computing, as a function of temperature and pressure conditions:

• the ternary diagram of a mixture and the flammability region in this diagram;
• a chemical induction time of these mixtures.