7/13/21

Combustion
(Liquid and Gaseous Fuels)

ME134-2
Combustion Engineering
Lecture 8

Engr. Emmanuelle R. Biglete

School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering

Liquid and Gaseous Fuels

CHEMICAL FORMULA OF SOME LIQUID AND GASEOUS FUEL

Gaseous Fuel
Methane, CH4
Ethane, C2H6
Propane, C3H8
Butane, C4H20

Liquid Fuel
Gasoline, C8H18
Dodecane, C12H26
Diesoline, C16H32

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Combustion of Hydrocarbon Fuels

HYDROCARBON FUELS- mainly composed of combustible elements carbon
and hydrogen. The chemical formula for hydrocarbons is CnHm.

Added only
Cn H m + xO2 + 3.76xN 2 → yCO2 + zH 2O + 3.76xN 2 + 𝑎𝑂! if there is
PRODUCTS excess air
FUEL AIR

Sample Problem 1 (with Theoretical Air):

Liquid octane (C8H18) fuel is burned with ideal proportion of air. Calculate the
ideal air/fuel ratio by weight.

Sample Problem 2 (with Excess Air):

A typical industrial fuel oil, C16H32, is burned with 120% theoretical air. Calculate
the actual air-fuel ratio by weight.

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Excess Air
Excess air can also be determined by the following relation (Strotzki and Vapot, 1960).

O2 - 0.5CO
%ExcessAir = x100
0.264N 2 - ( O2 - 0.5CO )
where CO, O2, and N2 are percentages in volume in DFG.
An approximate formula for the excess air is

é ( CO2 )0 ù é O - 0.5CO ù
%ExcessAir = 100 ê - 1ú = 100 ê 2 ú
ë ( CO2 - CO ) û ë 21 - O2 û
Where (CO2)0 = %CO2 in the stoichiometric dry product,
CO2, CO, O2 = % in the actual products.

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Combustion of Gaseous Fuels

Sample Problem 1
A furnace burns natural gas with a volumetric analysis as follows:
Methane(CH4) = 85%, Ethane(C2H6) = 12%, Propane(C3H8) = 3%. The gas flow
rate is 0.50 m3/s and 25% excess air is required for complete combustion.
Combustion air is supplied to the furnace at 250C and 1 atm pressure. Find the
molal air-fuel ratio and the volume flow rate of the flue gas in m3/s.

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Combustion of Gaseous Fuels

Sample Problem 2 (with moist air)
A certain natural gas has the following volumetric analysis: 72% methane, 9%
hydrogen, 14% nitrogen, 2% oxygen, and 3% carbon dioxide. This gas is now
burned with the stoichiometric amount of air that enters the combustion
chamber at 200C, 1 atm, and 80% relative humidity. Assuming complete
combustion and a total pressure of 1 atm, determine the dew-point temperature
of the products.

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Classifications of Combustion Reactions

1. Combustion reaction with chemically-
correct of stoichiometric condition,
general formula of the fuel CnHm
2. Combustion reaction with excess air, or
fuel-lean mixture
3. Combustion reaction with deficient air, or
fuel-rich mixture.
Equivalence ratio- ratio of the actual A/F to
the stoichiometric A/F
(𝐴/𝐹)!"#$!%
𝜆=
(𝐴/𝐹)&#'("/(*+!%
If 𝜆< 1,it is a fuel-lean mixture
If 𝜆> 1, it is a fuel-rich mixture
If 𝜆= 1, there is a stoichiometric mixture

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Sample Problems
Sample Problem 1 (Incomplete Combustion)
Given the volumetric analysis of fuel, calculate the air-fuel ratio by weight.
CO2 = 2.4%
N 2 = 1.8%
CH 4 = 64.1%
C2 H 2 = 31.7%
assumption: CO is 20% of carbon dioxide

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Sample Problems
Sample Problem 2 (Design of a Chimney)
A coal fired steam boiler uses 3000 kg of coal per hour. Air required for combustion is 15
kg per coal at a barometric pressure of 98.2 kPaa. The flue gas has a temperature of
2850C an an average molecular weight of 30 kg/kmol. Assuming an ash loss of 11% an
an allowable gas velocity of 7.5 m/s, find the diameter of the chimney.

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Reverse Combustion Analysis

Sample Problem 1
Octane (C8H18) is burned with dry air. The volumetric analysis of the products on a dry basis is:
CO2 = 10.02%, O2 = 5.62%, CO = 0.88%, N2 = 83.48%. Determine (a)the air-fuel ratio and
(b)the percentage of theoretical air used. Assume 100 kmol.

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Homework 5
Copy and answer the question below.
1. A natural gas has the following molal analysis: CH4, 80.62%; C2H6, 5.41%; C3H8, 1.87%;
C4H10, 1.60%; N2, 10.50%. The gas is burned with dry air, giving products having a molal
analysis on a dry basis: CO2, 7.8%; CO, 0.2%; O2, 7%; N2, 85%. Determine the (a) air–fuel
ratio on a mass basis, (b)excess air, (c)equivalence ratio (is it fuel lean, fuel rich, or ideal?).
Assume 100 kmol.

2. Ethane is burned with atmospheric air and the Orsat Analysis yields the following
composition: 11% CO2, 1% CO, 3% O2, and 85% N2. Determine the (a)actual combustion
equation, (b)percentage of excess air, ©air-fuel ratio, and (d)the dew point of the
combustion products.

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