COURSE INFORMATION SHEET

Course code: CHL012P5G

Course title: Introduction to Combustion

Course coordinator: Dr. Manisha B. Padwal

LTP and credits: (3-0-0), 3

Lecture hours per week: 03

Course objectives:

 Introduce fundamental concepts of combustion

 Emphasize on the importance of chemical kinetics, thermochemistry, and physics in
combustion problems
 Apply the concepts of chemical reaction engineering to analyze problems in
combustion
 Analyze laminar and turbulent flames and characterize their properties
 Understand the problem of combustion generated pollutant emissions and introduce
modern methods for control and prevention
Course outcome:

After completing the course, students should

 become proficient in estimating thermochemical properties and handling chemical kinetic

mechanisms
 be able to identify the types of flames and select appropriate analysis methods
 gain capability to apply analytical methods to solve combustion problems
 be able to design laboratory scale burners used to measure properties of flames
 be able to undertake and solve practical problems related to combustion
Course contents:

Introduction, Thermochemistry: stoichiometry, first and second law of thermodynamics

applied to combustion, heat of reaction, adiabatic flame temperature, chemical equilibrium,
Chemical kinetics: definition of rate of reaction, relative rate of reactions, rate law (law of
mass action), reaction order and molecularity, single (global) and multiple reactions,
elementary and non-elementary reactions, reversible reactions, rate of reaction for multistep
mechanism, chain and chain branching reactions, criteria for explosion, general oxidative
characteristics of fuel, steady-state approximation, partial equilibrium, Coupling chemical
and thermal analyses of reacting systems: constant-pressure fixed mass reactor, constant–
volume fixed mass reactor, well-stirred reactor, plug-flow reactor, reactor network,
applications to combustion system modeling, Laminar premixed flames: Introduction to
deflagration and detonation waves, physical description, flame structure, burning velocity,

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quenching, flammability, ignition, flame stabilization, Turbulent premixed flame: overview
of turbulent flows and length scales, turbulent flame speed, structure of turbulent premixed
flames, Damköhler number, flame stabilization methods, Diffusion flames: non-reacting jet
description, jet flame description and phenomenological analysis, flame lengths and
variables, soot formation and destruction, droplet vaporization and burning, solid fuel
combustion, Combustion and pollution: sources of air pollution and its ill effects on human
health and environment, oxides of nitrogen-chemical mechanism and control strategies,
carbon monoxide, unburnt hydrocarbons, quantification of emissions, combustion
modification methods

Module-wise distribution of course:

Brief Description of Modules (Flexible)

Module Topic Covered No. of
No. Hours
1 Introduction
Course overview and interaction session 1
Scope of combustion, definition of combustion, 1
Types of fuels and oxidizers, physical and chemical characterization
of fuel, road map
2 Thermochemistry
Thermodynamic properties, stoichiometry, first and second law 2
applied to combustion
Heat of formation, heat of reaction, heat of combustion or heating 2
value (HHV and LHV) adiabatic flame temperature
Chemical equilibrium 1
3 Chemical Kinetics
Definition of rate of reaction, relative rate of reactions, rate law (law 1
of mass action), reaction order and molecularity, single (global) and
multiple reactions
Elementary and non-elementary reactions, reversible reactions, rate 2
of reaction for multistep mechanism,
Chain and chain branching reactions, criteria for explosion, general 2
oxidative characteristics of fuel
Steady-state approximation, partial equilibrium 1
4 Coupling Chemical and Thermal Analyses of Reacting Systems
Introduction, constant-pressure fixed mass reactor, constant-volume 2
fixed mass reactor
Well-stirred reactor, plug-flow reactor 2
Reactor networks, application to combustion system modeling 2
5 Laminar Premixed Flames
Introduction: deflagration and detonation waves, Physical 2
description, flame structure
Burning velocity and measurement techniques 2
Quenching, flammability and ignition 2
Flame stabilization 1

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 6 Turbulent Premixed Flames
Overview of turbulent flows and length scales 1
Turbulent flame speed 1
Structure of turbulent premixed flames and Damköhler number 1
Flame stabilization methods 1
7 Diffusion Flames
Non-reacting laminar jet description, jet flame description and 2
phenomenological analysis
Flame lengths and variables 1
Soot formation and destruction 1
Droplet vaporization and burning 2
Solid fuel combustion 1
8 Combustion and Pollution
Introduction-sources of air pollution and its ill effects, oxides of 1
nitrogen-chemical mechanism and control strategies
Carbon monoxide, unburnt hydrocarbons, quantification of 1
emissions
Combustion modification methods 1
Total Lecture Hours 40

*Tutorial activities (conducted during evaluation slot):

Discussion hour: Friday (6:00-6:50 PM)

Module Description Demo

No. (min.)
- Introduction to Chemkin software (CK1) 50
2 Calculation of complex equilibria for combustion gases (CK2) 50
4 Analysis of combustion problems using chemical reactor theory (CK3) 50
5 Burning velocity and ignition calculation for laminar premixed flames 50
(CK4)
Total Tutorial Hours 3.33

*This is a completely voluntary activity to give hands-on experience to students on the

computational/analytical approaches for combustion. The objective of this initiative is to
enhance the learning experience of students, so that he/she understands the complexity of
problem and develop skills to solve practical problems related to combustion.

Text book and reference material:

1. Stephen R. Turns, “An Introduction to Combustion: Concepts and Applications”, McGraw

Hill, 3rd Edition
2. Irvin Glassman and Richard A. Yetter, “Combustion”, Academic Press, 4th Edition
3. J. Warnatz, U. Mass, R. W. Dibble, “Combustion”, Springer, 4th Edition

CHL012P5G/Introduction to Combustion/ Dr. Manisha Padwal Page 3 of 4

4. K. K. Kuo, “Principles of Combustion”, Wiley, 2nd Edition

Course activity timeline:

Activity September October November December

Assignments (As) As-1: 25 As-1’: 02 As-2’: 06 As-3’: 04
As-2: 30 As-3: 27

Tutorial (ChemKin) CK1: 11 CK3: 09 CK4: 06

CK2:18
Project To be announced soon
Tests - T1: 16 T2: 11
As- assignment, As’- submission due, CK- Chemkin, T- Tests

Assessment and evaluation policy:

 Assignments: 3 assignments each of 10 marks
 Tests: one minor and one final
 Project activity: Group of two or more depending upon strength of class
Assignments: 20 % weightage

Project: 20 % weightage

Tests:

First- 20 % weightage

Final- 40 % weightage

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