Enhancement of calcium alginate and urea in gel-modified dry water inhibition of methane-air explosion

Methane has a wide range of applications in several industries. However, it also exhibits flammable and explosive properties, which pose a potential hazard. This study used calcium alginate to make ordinary dry water powder have a stable network gel structure, and urea was added to enhance further dry water powder’s chemical inhibition. A visual test system verified the explosion suppression effect of gel-modified dry water powder on the methane-air explosion. The results show that the optimal parameters for Ordinary dry water preparation were as follows: mass ratio of SiO 2 to H 2 O = 9:100, stirring speed = 5000 r/min, stirring time = 240 s. The powder concentration for the best explosion suppression effect is 0.52 g/L. 10 mass% Urea-modified dry water, which achieves high explosion suppression efficiency in the methane-air explosion system by cooling and endothermic suppressing the explosion reaction. The spatial distribution of Calcium alginate gel urea modified dry water hinders the propagation of the flame. Urea continuously produces nitride at different temperatures, and nitride competes for O 2 and OH· Free radicals, thus destroying the methane-air explosion chain reaction. Calcium alginate gel urea (10 mass%) modified dry water of 0.52 g/L has the best explosion suppression efficiency, which reduces the flame propagation velocity of methane-air explosion system by 42.48 %, the suppression efficiency of flame temperature reaches 40 %, and the suppression effect on explosion relief pressure reaches 16 %. Calcium alginate gel urea modified dry water, a new explosion suppression material, significantly improve the explosion suppression effect of methane-air explosions, which can not only improve the industrial safety of methane-containing processes, extend equipment life, and reduce production costs but also help improve environmental protection and resource utilization efficiency by inhibiting methane explosions. This study helps to promote the development of gas explosion suppression materials and has practical significance for safe energy utilization and industrial methane applications.