Approximate analytic solution for the dissociation of molecular iodine in the presence of singlet oxygen

Abstract

Abstract A computational study including sensitivity, nondimensional, and stedy‐state analyses of the gas‐phase kinetics associated with Chemical Oxygen‐Iodine Lasers (COIL) was performed to develop a simplified kinetic model and assess kinetic limitations to laser performance. A minimal set of 13 reactions is developed that adequately describes the time evolution of the major chemical constituents of a COIL device. A characteristic time for the dissociation of molecular iodine by singlet oxygen is established in terms of iodine fraction, water content, yield of singlet oxygen, and rate parameters. Finally, an approximate analytic solution to the iodine dissociation problem is established for a broad range of reagent concentrations. The current study is limited in applicability due to the exclusion of chemical heat release and reactive mixing phenomenon. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.