All three methods of carrying out material balances on reactive systems

Extents of Reaction, Atomic Balances, and Molecular Balances necessarily yield the same results,
the question is which one to use for a given process. There are no hard and fast rules but we suggest
the following guidelines:
 Extents of Reaction are suitable for chemical equilibrium problems and when equation solving
software is to be used.

 Atomic Balances generally lead to the most straightforward solution procedure, especially when
more than one reaction is involved.

 Molecular Balances require more complex calculations than either of the other two approaches
and should be used only for simple systems involving one reaction.

Moles of NH3 consumed = 2.5 mol O2 consumed

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Combustion Reactions
Combustion is the rapid reaction of a fuel with oxygen to produce energy.
Combustion is a very important industrial chemical reaction.
Classification of fuels
1. Solid Fuel: Coal (C, H, S, and others).
2. Liquid Fuel: Fuel oil (high Mw hydrocarbons and some S)
3. Gaseous Fuel: Natural gas (mostly Methane), LPG Fuel, Liquefied Petroleum Gas
(propane and/or butane).
The purposes of any combustion is to produces maximum energy, which is produced when
fuel is completely burned (oxidized), and the product gas is called Stack Gas or Flue Gas.
Complete combustion of Butane:

Complete combustion results in all C oxidized to CO2, all H oxidized to H2O, and all S
oxidized to SO2. In incomplete combustion, C is oxidized to CO and CO2

Side reaction; incomplete combustion of butane:

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Dr.Firas Salim Mohammed Al-Ghulami
Theoretical and Excess Air
Air is the source of oxygen in combustion reactions, which is composed of (79% N2, 21% O2).
Therefore, combustion reactions are always conducted with excess air, thus ensuring good
conversion of the expensive fuel.

Theoretical oxygen is the moles or molar flow rate of O2 required for complete combustion
of all the Fuel.
Theoretical air is the quantity of air that contains the theoretical oxygen.

Excess air is the amount of air fed to the reactor that exceeds the theoretical air.

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Dr.Firas Salim Mohammed Al-Ghulami
Example 5.13 Coal Combustion Process
The combustion process of coal as shown, Calculate the flow rate
of all streams and their compositions. Assuming all the coal is
consumed, calculate the percent excess air and the ratio of water
vapor and dry gas.
Note that the feed composition is given in
mole fraction. The following reactions
are taking place:

Known quantities: Inlet and Exit stream mole fractions are known.
Find: The percent excess air and the ratio of water vapor and dry gas.
Solution
Basis: 100 mol / min of Dry Gas. 140
Dr.Firas Salim Mohammed Al-Ghulami
Molar flow rate of nitrogen in the dry gas:

Since nitrogen is an inert gas, its amount is the same as

that in the inlet air. Accordingly, the inlet air molar flow
rate is

min

C Atomic Balance:

C atoms in Feed = C atom in Product

C atoms in the feed = (100 mol / min)(0.09 + 0.03)

= 12.0 mol C/ min in the feed stream

Amount of feed stream per 100 mol dry gas:

mol / min
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Dr.Firas Salim Mohammed Al-Ghulami
Moles of C atoms in the feed = 12.0 mol / min
Moles of atomic S in the feed (0.11)(16.7)= 1.84 mol / min
Moles of atomic H in the feed (0.17)(16.7)= 2.84 mol / min
The number of moles of oxygen required for complete combustion of C, S, and H is:

Total inlet theoretical O2 in the fed air =12+1.8+0.7 = 14.5 mol/min:

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Dr.Firas Salim Mohammed Al-Ghulami
Total inlet air:

Excess air (equal to excess O2) Total theoretical air= 14.5/0.21 = 69 mol / min

Assume all H2O in the product gas is from the combustion process. Form 2.8 mol H reacted,
1.4 mol of H2O is produced. Ratio of water vapor to dry gas:

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Dr.Firas Salim Mohammed Al-Ghulami