 COMBUSTION

Is that rapid chemical union with

oxygen of an element whose exothermic heat
of reaction is sufficiently great and whose
rate of reaction is sufficiently fast whereby
useful quantities of heat are liberated at
elevated temperature.
 Complete Combustion
Occurs when all the combustible elements
has been fully oxidized

 Incomplete Combustion
Occurs when some of the combustible
elements has not been fully oxidized
 COMPOSITION of AIR (in theoretical
combustion)

% Age by Volume (or by Mole)

O2 = 21% Argon = 0.93%
N2 = 79% CO2 = 0.04%

% Age by Mass
O2 = 23.2%
N2 = 77%
 MOLE RATIO
The molar ratio or the ratio by volume of
nitrogen to oxygen in air when both gases are at
the same temperature.
 MOLE RATIO

1. Composition by weight
76.8 percent nitrogen, 23.2 percent oxygen
Thus, for 100 lb. of air

lb. of nitrogen / lb. of oxygen

 MOLE RATIO
2. Composition by volume

79.0 percent nitrogen, 21.0 percent oxygen

Thus, for 100 lb. of air

lb. of nitrogen / lb. of oxygen

3. Molecular weight, MW
Air = 28.97 kg mass/ kmol
Gas Molecular Weight in
(kg/kmol)
Carbon, C 12
Hydrogen, H 1
H2 2
Oxygen, O 16
O2 32
Carbon dioxide CO2 44
Nitrogen, N 14
N2 28
Sulfur, S 32
 THEORETICAL AIR
It is the minimum amount of air required
to oxidize the reactants with theoretical air
alone; no O2 is found in the product

 EXCESS AIR
It is an amount of air in excess of the
theoretical air requirement in order to
influence a complete combustion; with excess
air O2 found in the product
 AIR-FUEL RATIO
o If the ratio is on Mole Basis

AFR =
Where:
N- no. of moles
o If the ratio is on a Mass Basis

AFR =
Where:
MW of air = 28.97 kg-mass/kg-mole
 Gas Constant,

Where:
- universal gas constant
= 8.3143 kJ/kg-mol K

mol. wt. of the gas

 Theoretical air-fuel ratio,
exact amount of air needed to furnish oxygen
for complete theoretical combustion
(stoichiometric condition)

Where:
= n + 0.25m
2. Actual air-fuel ratio,
determined by the presence of excess air which
is defined as the amount of air supplied over
and above the theoretical air

o in mathematical expression

% excess air =
2. Actual air-fuel ratio,

Where:
= n + 0.25m
= e (n+0.25m)
= e(a)
 STOICHIOMETRY and
ENERGETICS of
COMBUSTION
 STOICHIOMETRY

A. Stoichiometric mixture
is a reactants of one in which the molal
proportion of the reactant are exactly as given
by the stoichiometric coefficient so that no
excess of any constituent is present.
B. Stoichiometric combustion
is one in which all the oxygen enters in
the oxidizers react chemically to appear in the
products. The most common oxidizer is Air
which may be considered a mixture of 21%
and 79% .
If more air is supplied, not all will be involved
in the reaction and the composition of the
product will differ from that of a stoichiometric
combustion. The additional air supplied is
called excess air or theoretical air

Example:
125% theoretical air is also supply air with 25%
excess air.
 TYPICAL COMBUSTION
REACTION

fuel + air Product of combustion

reactant
 COMBUSTION of COMBUSTIBLE
ELEMENTS with AIR
A. Combustion of Carbon with Air

 Mole Basis

1 + 1 + 3.76 → (1)(1) + 3.76 *note

Solution cont..
 Mass Basis

1(12) +1(32) +3.76(28) → 1(44) +3.76(28)] /4

3 + 8 + 3.76(7) → 11 + 3.76(7) * note

B. Combustion of Hydrogen with Air

 Mole Basis

 Mass Basis

] /2
C. Combustion of Sulfur with Air
 HYDROCARBON FUELS
o Fuels containing the elements Carbon and
Hydrogen
o Chemical formula: CnHm

 Family of Hydrocarbon
o 1. Paraffin ( )
o 2. Olefins ( )
 HYDROCARBON FUELS
o 3.Diolefins ( )
o 4. Naphthene ( ) – this type of fuel has the
same formula as olefins but at different structures
o 5. Aromatics ( )
 CLASSIFICATIONS of
COMBUSTION REACTION
1. combustion reaction with chemically-correct
or stoichiometric condition general chemical
formula of the fuel is
2. combustion reaction with greater amount of
theoretical air, or having a fuel-lean mixture
3. combustion reaction with lesser amount of
theoretical air, or having a fuel-rich mixture
 Equivalence ratio for a given mass of
air,

note:
= 1, for stoichiometric mixture
< 1, for fuel-lean mixture
= 1, for fuel-rich mixture
 COMBUSTION of HYDROCARBON
FUEL ( )

fuel + air Product of combustion

reactant
A. Combustion of with 100%
Theoretical Air

+( + )( + 3.76 ) n +

( + )

Or simplified
+ ( + 0.25m) + (n + 0.25m) 3.76

n + 0.5 m
Or simplified

Where:
= n + 0.25m
=n
= 0.5m
Actual combustion equation with percent 100%
Theoretical Air
Example 1

1. Write the combustion equation of methane

(C ) burned with 100% theoretical air.

C + air product of combustion

Solution:
C + air product of combustion

where:

C +2( + 3.76 ) 1C O +2 O+2(3.76

B. Combustion of with Excess Air

)
Where:
= e (n+0.25m)
= e(a)
e = excess air
Note: The value of a,b,c & d above in terms of n+m is
applicable only for the combustion of one type of
hydrocarbon
Actual combustion equation with percent %
excess air
Example 2

1. Write the combustion equation of methane

(C ) burned with 125% theoretical air.

C + air product of combustion

Solution:
C + air product of combustion

where:

d = e(n + 0.25m) = .25 (1+.25*4) = 0.5

e = .25
C +2( + 3.76 ) 1C O +2 O+2(3.76 )
Solution cont.:
% excess air

C + 1.25 (2) ( + 3.76 C +2

+ 0.5 + 1.25 (2) (3.76

C + 2.5 + (3.76) C +2 + 0.5

+ 2.5(3.76 )
Example 3
1. Write the combustion equation of methane
(C ) and calculate the air-fuel ratio in
theoretical and actual with 25% excess air

Solution:
C + air product of combustion

C +2( + 3.76 ) 1C +2 O+2(3.76 )

Solution cont.:
C +2( + 3.76 ) C +2 +2(3.76)

C +2 + 7.52 C +2 +7.52
air-fuel ratio in theoretical
Solution cont.:

air-fuel ratio in actual with 25% excess air

e = 0.25

(1.25) ( 17.16)
Exercises:
Write the chemical equation for
stoichiometric combustion for the following
hydrocarbon fuels.
1.
2. O
3.
4.
5. C
Assignment 3
1. Liquid Octane (C_8 H_18) fuel is burned with
ideal proportion of air. Calculate the ideal air-
fuel ratio by weight.
2. A typical industrial fuel oil C16H32 with 20%
excess air by weight assuming complete
oxidation of the fuel. Calculate the actual fuel
ratio by weight.
3. Write the combustion equation for Octane
C8H18 if the dilution coefficient is 120 and
calculate the actual air-fuel ratio.