Combustion

(Solid Fuels)

ME134-2
Combustion Engineering

Engr. Emmanuelle R. Biglete

School of Mechanical and Manufacturing
Engineering
 Combustion
à A chemical reaction in which fuel combines with oxygen then a liberation
of a large amount of heat energy.
Types of Combustion
 Complete Combustion
Four basic conditions for complete combustion:
ü Mixture: To have enough turbulence for thorough mixing of fuel and air.
ü Air: Adequate supply of air for complete combustion.
ü Temperature: Sufficient temperature inside chamber to ignite the incoming fuel air
mixture.
ü Time: Provide sufficient time for complete combustion.

Stoichiometric air (O2 based)

The ultimate analysis of the
fuel ,

𝐶 + 𝐻! + 𝑂! + 𝑁! + 𝑆 + 𝑀 + 𝐴𝑠ℎ = 100%
 Combustion Stoichiometry
Proximate analysis- parameters include
moisture, volatile matter, ash content, and fixed
carbon.

Ultimate analysis- is dependent on quantitative

analysis of various elements present in the coal
sample such as carbon, hydrogen, sulfur, oxygen,
and nitrogen.
 Combustion of Solid Fuels
Facts:
• when C is burned, it becomes flue gas
H2 • mole (a unit for the amount of substance)
C • all products of combustion should be
N2 released on the stack or chimney
• hot molecules are lighter
O2 S Assumptions:
• Air is assumed to contain no water vapor
(dry air)
a. Combustion of Carbon, C • Nitrogen is inert

C + O2 → CO2
1moleC +1moleO2 →1moleCO2
⎡ lb ⎤ ⎡ lb ⎤ ⎡ lb ⎤
1mole ⎢12
⎣ mole ⎥⎦
C +1mole ⎢⎣16 ⎥ ( 2 ) O2 →1mole ⎢⎣ 44 ⎥CO2
mole ⎦ mole ⎦
12lbC + 32lbO2 → 44lbCO2
(12lbC + 32lbO2 → 44lbCO2 )1 12

2 2
1 lb of C requires 2 lbs of O2 to produce 3 lbs of CO2
3 3
 Combustion of Solid Fuels
b. Combustion of Hydrogen, H2
(2) H 2 + O2 → (2) H 2O
2molesH 2 +1moleO2 → 2molesH 2O
⎡ lb ⎤ ⎡ lb ⎤ ⎡ lb ⎤
2moles ⎢1 ⎥
⎣ mole ⎦
( 2 ) H 2 +1mole ⎢16
⎣ mole ⎦ ⎥ ( 2 ) O2 → 2mole ⎢18
⎣ mole ⎥⎦
H 2O

4lbH 2 + 32lbO2 → 36lbH 2O

(4lbH 2 + 32lbO2 → 36lbH 2O)1 4
à 1 lb of H2 requires 8 lbs of O2 to produce 9 lbs of H2O
c. Combustion of Sulfur, S
S + O2 → SO2
1moleS +1moleO2 →1moleSO2
⎡ lb ⎤ ⎡ lb ⎤ ⎡ lb ⎤
1mole ⎢12
⎣ mole ⎥⎦
S +1mole ⎢⎣16 ⎥ ( 2 ) O2 →1mole ⎢⎣ 64 ⎥ SO2
mole ⎦ mole ⎦
32lbS + 32lbO2 → 64lbCO2
(32lbS + 32lbO2 → 64lbCO2 )1 32
à 1 lb of S requires 1 lb of O2 to produce 2 lbs of SO2
 Combustion of Solid Fuels
Generalization:
O 2 lbO2 lbO2 lbO2 𝑙𝑏𝑂!
(oxygen-fuel ratio) = 2 +8 +1 −1
F 3 lbC lbH 2 lbS 𝑙𝑏𝑂!

For a given gravimetric analysis of coal,

O 2 lbO2 ⎛ lbC ⎞ lbO2 ⎛ lbH 2 ⎞ lbO2 ⎛ lbS ⎞ 𝑙𝑏𝑂! 𝑙𝑏𝑂!

=2 ⎜C ⎟+8 ⎜ H2 ⎟ +1 ⎜S ⎟ −1 𝑂
F 3 lbC ⎝ lbfuel ⎠ lbH 2 ⎝ lbfuel ⎠ lbS ⎝ lbfuel ⎠ 𝑙𝑏𝑂! 𝑙𝑏𝑓𝑢𝑒𝑙
2 ⎛ lbO2 ⎞ ⎛ O2 ⎞ lbO2 ⎛ lbO2 ⎞
= 2 ⎜C + 8
⎟ ⎜ 2H − ⎟ +1⎜S ⎟
3 ⎝ lbfuel ⎠ ⎝ 8 ⎠ lbfuel ⎝ lbfuel ⎠

Supplying air instead of pure oxygen,

Air Component Gravimetric Analysis Volumetric Analysis

Oxygen 23.1% 21%
Nitrogen 76.9% 79%
 Combustion of Solid Fuels
⎛ ⎞
A ⎡ O lbO2 ⎤⎜ 1 ⎟
=⎢ ⋅ ⎥⎜ ⎟
F ⎣ F lbfuel ⎦⎜ 0.231 lbO2 ⎟
⎝ lbair ⎠
⎛ ⎞
⎡ 2 ⎛ lbO ⎞ ⎛ O2 ⎞ lbO2 ⎛ lbO2 ⎞⎤⎜ 1 ⎟
2
= ⎢2 ⎜ C ⎟ + 8⎜ H 2 − ⎟ +1⎜ S ⎟⎥⎜ ⎟
3
⎣ ⎝ lbfuel ⎠ ⎝ 8 ⎠ lbfuel ⎝ lbfuel ⎠⎦⎜ 0.231 lbO 2 ⎟
⎝ lbair ⎠

lbair ⎛ O2 ⎞ lbair lbair

A / Ft = 11.5 (C ) + 34.63⎜ H 2 − ⎟ + 4.33 ( S )
lbfuel ⎝ 8 ⎠ lbfuel lbfuel
If the ultimate analysis of the coal is not available:
HHV (kJ / kg)
A / Ft =
3117
 Combustion of Solid Fuels
⎛ ⎞
A ⎡ O lbO2 ⎤ ⎜ 1 ⎟
=⎢ ⋅ ⎥⎜ ⎟
F ⎣ F lbfuel ⎦⎜ 0.231 lbO2 ⎟
⎝ lbair ⎠
⎛ ⎞
⎡ 2 ⎛ lbO ⎞ ⎛ O2 ⎞ lbO2 ⎛ lbO2 ⎞⎤⎜ 1 ⎟
2
= ⎢2 ⎜ C ⎟ + 8 ⎜ H 2 − ⎟ +1⎜ S ⎟⎥⎜ ⎟
⎣ 3 ⎝ lbfuel ⎠ ⎝ 8 ⎠ lbfuel ⎝ lbfuel ⎠⎦⎜ 0.231 lbO2 ⎟
⎝ lbair ⎠

lbair ⎛ O2 ⎞ lbair lbair

A / Ft = 11.5 (C ) + 34.63⎜ H 2 − ⎟ + 4.33 ( S )
lbfuel ⎝ 8 ⎠ lbfuel lbfuel

If using Material Balance:

𝑁𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑓𝑢𝑒𝑙 + 𝑢 𝑂! + 3.76𝑁! → 𝑤𝐶𝑂! + 𝑥𝑆𝑂! + 𝑦𝑁! + 𝑧𝐻! 𝑂
If the ultimate analysis of the coal is not available:
HHV (kJ / kg)
A / Ft =
3117
 Analysis of Flue Gas
Orsat Apparatus- a laboratory equipment used to analyze gaseous products of
combustion. The combustion products contain carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide,
oxygen, nitrogen, and water vapor. It gives the volumetric or molal analysis of
the products on a dry basis.
Added if there is excess air
mdg = mCO2 + mSO2 + mN2 + mO2
=O/F(excess)
mwg = mdg + mH 2O
The weight of dry flue gas formed per kg of fuel burned:
Wdfg = A/Fa + 1 – (SO2 + H2O + Ash loss)

Where: SO2 = (2 x %S)/100

H2O = (9 x %H)/100
Ash loss = %Ash/100
Stoichiometric air- theoretical amount for complete combustion
Excess Air- Amount of air in excess of the theoretical air required to influence
complete combustion.
Percent Excess Air:
e = (A/Fa – A/Ft) / A/Ft
Sample Problem (Combustion of Solid Fuels)
Sample Problem 1
Given the ultimate/gravimetric analysis of coal as follows: Assume 100 kg of fuel.
S = 4.79%; H2 = 5.39%; C = 62.36%; N2 = 1.28%; O2 = 15.5%
Calculate the following:
• Theoretical oxygen-fuel ratio
• Actual air-fuel ratio at 20% excess
• Gravimetric analysis of dry and wet flue gas (per kg of flue gas)
 Sample Problem (Combustion of Solid Fuels)
Sample Problem 2
A coal from Indonesia which has an ultimate analysis (by mass) as 61.40% C, 5.79%
H2, 25.31% O2, 1.09% N2, 1.41% S, and 5% ash (non-combustibles) is burned with
25% excess air in an industrial boiler. Assuming complete combustion and that the
pressure in the boiler smoke stack is 1 atm, calculate the following: (a)the mass if air
required per unit mass of coal burned (b)the apparent molecular weight of the
product gas neglecting the ash content and (c)the minimum temperature, in 0C, of the
combustion products before liquid begins to form in the chimney. Assume 100 kg of
coal.