COMBUSTION

COMBUSTION IS A RAPID CHEMICAL REACTION WHICH TAKES PLACE WHEN A COMBUSTIBLE ELEMENT OF FUEL,COMBINES WITH OXYGEN AND GIVES OFF HEAT. THE SUPPLY OF OXYGEN FOR COMBUSTION COMES FROM THE ATMOSPHERE.THE NITROGEN ALSO PLAYS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE COMBUSTION PROCESS.IT ENTERS THE BOILER IN AMBIENT CONDITION AND LEAVES THE BOILER AT A VERY HIGH TEMP HENCE CARRIES AWAY HEAT TO THE BOILER STACK. EXCESS AIR PERFECT COMBUSTION CANNOT BE ACHIEVED IF FUEL IS BURNT WITH THEORETICAL AMOUNT OF AIR ONLY BECAUSE FOR THE REACTION TO TAKE PLACE EFFECIENTLY,THE MOLECULES OF OXYGEN MUST COME IN ACTUAL CONTACT WITH THE ATOMS OF THE COMBUSTIBLE.IT BECOMES IMPOSSIBLE BECAUSE AIR CONTAINS ALMOST FOUR TIMES THE AMOUNT OF NITROGEN MOLECULES HINDER THE PHYSICAL CONTACT BETWEEN THE COMBUSTIBLE AND THE OXYGEN,SIMULTANEUSLY NON COMBUSTIBLE MATTERS PRESENT IN THE COAL. EXCESS AIR LOSSES THERE ARE THREE MAIN LOSSES WHICH ARE INFLUENCED SIGNIFICANTLY BY THE EXCESS AIR UNBURNT GAS LOSS THIS LOSS IS MAINLY THE RESULT OF BURNING CARBON TO CARBON MONOXIDE INSTEAD OF CARBON DIOXIDE,WHEN CARBON BURNS TO CARBON MONOXIDE ONE THIRD OF THE POTENTIAL HEAT OF THE CARBON IS RELEASED.AN EXCESS SUPPLY OF OXYGEN WILL REDUCE THIS LOSS. DRY FLUE GAS LOSS A FURTHER LOSS OF HEAT IS DUE TO THE DRY FLUE GAS,GENERALLY REFERRED AS STACK LOSS.WITH THE ADMISSION OF EXCESS AIR THIS LOSS GOES ON INCREASING. COMBUSTIBLE IN ASH LOSS THE LOSS IS HIGH WHEN THERE IS A LITTLE OR NO EXCESS AIR BECAUSE MIXING OF COMBUSTIBLE AND OXYGEN IS VERY POOR. FUEL OIL IT IS USED FOR INITIAL LIGHT UP OF THE BOILER,AS AN AUXILIARY SUPPORT TO COMPENSATE THE PROBLEM OF COAL FLOW AND ESSENTIALY AT THE TIME OF LEAN PERIOD.