Estimation of the synergistic effect due to the action of composite suppressants on gas combustion

A method is proposed to estimate synergistic effects that arises when composite suppressants act on propagation process of gas flames. This method is based on the assumption that the chemical and thermal constituents of the action of such suppressants on flammability limits are independent of each other. For complete description of the action of a composite suppressant, three parameters are required: depth of inhibition, the amount of the additive required for saturation of the chemical action, and the thermal parameter. In the absence of a synergistic effect, the depth of inhibition for a composite suppressant is equal to the greatest depth of inhibition for one of the components of the composite suppressant. The synergistic effect is manifested in the fact that the depth of inhibition of a composite suppressant is not equal to the maximum depth of inhibition of one of the components. It is shown that the pairs of suppressant considered do not have a synergistic effect.