An Alternative and Novel Explanation for the Formation of Toxic Carbon Monoxide from the Combustion of Methane

It is not only the imperfect combustion of solid materials that can lead to the formation of carbon monoxide (CO), but also the reaction of a perfectly combusted gas, methane, the presence of which unfortunately cannot be ruled out in the case of open-combustion gas-burning equipment. The main danger of this type of reaction is that the formation of CO is extremely rapid. Due to the high speed of the reactions taking place in the combustion chamber and the simultaneous appearance of CO in living spaces without CO alarm devices, it is almost impossible for people to escape. The formation of CO is possible due to several chemical reactions. In our study, the conditions of the methane - carbon dioxide - carbon monoxide reactions were examined; primarily the chemical and physical conditions that cause the sudden appearance of CO. Our results lead us to conclude that the cause of CO formation is not an oxygen-deficient environment, but rather a chemical reaction driven by a highly exothermic chain reaction mechanism. Based on the authors' research, the cause of the sudden increase in CO concentration is the chain reaction mechanisms controlling the chemical reaction speed, i.e., not only the concentration of the components but the temperature referenced in the Arrhenius equation seems to be the determining factor. Based on our conclusions, in addition to measuring the CO concentration, it is also justified to measure the CO₂ concentration at the same time. This is especially important in the case of retrofitted ventilation fans or windows when the possibility of backflow of combustion products should be expected.