SAMPLE PROBLEMS

1. An ultimate analysis of the bituminous coal in the as-received basis

shows the following:

C H2 O2 N2 S A M Total
78.28 4.98 4.78 1.37 1.20 6.23 3.16 100

Calculate the theoretical amount of air needed for the complete

combustion of a unit mass of fuel.

Solution:

𝑂2 𝑘𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑟
mta = 11.5 C + 34.5 (H2 - ) + 4.32 S,
8 𝑘𝑔𝑐𝑜𝑎𝑙
0.0478
= 11.5 (0.7828) + 34.5 (0.0498 - ) + 4.32 (0.012)
8
𝑘𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑟
= 10.566
𝑘𝑔𝑐𝑜𝑎𝑙
2. Coal has the following ultimate analysis in the as-fired or as-
received:

C H2 O2 N2 S A M Total
71.7 5.21 8.39 1.30 3.40 6.50 3.50 100

Determine the actual air for 20% excess air.

SOLUTIONS:

Solving for the theoretical or stoichiometric air,

𝑂2 𝑘𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑟
mta = 11.5 C + 34.5 (H2 - ) + 4.32 S,
8 𝑘𝑔𝑐𝑜𝑎𝑙
0.0839
= 11.5 (0.7170) + 34.5 (0.0521 - ) + 4.32 (0.0340)
8
𝑘𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑟
= 9.828
𝑘𝑔𝑐𝑜𝑎𝑙

Solving for the actual air,

maa = (1 + e) mta
= (1 + 0.20) (9.828)
𝑘𝑔
= 11.794 𝑎𝑖𝑟
𝑘𝑔𝑐𝑜𝑎𝑙
3. Ethane (C2H6) is burned with just twice the theoretical amount of
air. How much air is used to oxidized 6 kilograms of fuel?

Given:
Fuel, ethane (C2H6)
Actual air, maa= 2 (mta)
Mass of fuel, m= 6 kg

First solution:
𝑘𝑔
Molecular weight (MW) of C2H6 = 2 (12) + 6 = 30
𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒

(2)(12)
C= x 100 = 80%
30

6
H2 = x 100 = 20%
30
Total = 100%

𝑂2 𝑘𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑟
mta = 11.5 C + 34.5 (H2 - ) + 4.32 S,
8 𝑘𝑔𝑓𝑢𝑒𝑙
𝑘𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑟
= 11.5 C + 34.5 H2,
𝑘𝑔𝑓𝑢𝑒𝑙
= 11.5 (0.80) + 34.5 (0.20)
𝑘𝑔
= 16.10 𝑎𝑖𝑟
𝑘𝑔𝑓𝑢𝑒𝑙
maa= 2 (mta)
𝑘𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑟
= 2(16.1) = 32.2
𝑘𝑔𝑓𝑢𝑒𝑙

Therefore, the total amount of air needed for the complete

combustion of 6 kilograms of C2H6 is,
= (32.2) (6)
= 193. 2 kgair
Second solution:

Chemical Balance Reaction

Basis: 1 kmole C2H6

Reactants Products
Fuel + Air Products

C2H6 + a (O2 + 3.76 N2) x CO2 + y H2O + z N2

Material Balance:
C balance: H2 balance:
reactant = products reactant = products
2=x 3=y
x=2 y= 3

O2 balance: N2 balance:
reactant = products reactant = products
1
a=x+ y a (3.76) = z
2
1
= 2 + (3) z = (3.50) (3.76)
2
= 3.50 = 13.16

Complete chemical combustion reaction equation,

Fuel Air Products
C2H6 + 3.50 (O2 + 3.76 N2) 2 CO2 + 3 H2O + 13.16 N2

𝐴 𝑛𝑜.𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑎𝑖𝑟

Air-fuel ratio, (mol basis) =
𝐹 𝑛𝑜.𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑓𝑢𝑒𝑙
Ƞ𝑂2 + Ƞ𝑁2
=
Ƞ𝑓𝑢𝑒𝑙
3.50+13.16 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑎𝑖𝑟
= = 16.66
1 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑓𝑢𝑒𝑙
 𝑘𝑔 𝑘𝑔
MW of air = 29 MW of C2H6= 30
𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙

𝑘𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑟⁄
𝐴 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑎𝑖𝑟 29 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑎𝑖𝑟
(mass basis) = 16.66 [ ]
𝐹 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑓𝑢𝑒𝑙 30 𝑘𝑔 𝑓𝑢𝑒𝑙⁄
𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑓𝑢𝑒𝑙
𝑘𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑟
= 16. 1
𝑘𝑔𝑓𝑢𝑒𝑙
maa= 2 (mta)
𝑘𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑟
= 2(16.1) = 32.2
𝑘𝑔𝑓𝑢𝑒𝑙

Therefore, the total amount of air needed for the complete

combustion of 6 kilograms of C2H6 is,
= (32.2) (6)
= 193. 2 kgair
 𝑘𝑔
4. In a combustion chamber, ethane (C2H6) is burned at a rate of 6
ℎ𝑟
𝑘𝑔
with air which enters the combustion chamber at a rate of 132 .
ℎ𝑟
Determine the percentage of excess air used during this process.

SOLUTION:

Fuel, ethane (C2H6)

Solving for the actual air-fuel ratio maa,

𝑚𝑎𝑖𝑟 132 𝑘𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑟

maa= = = 22
𝑚𝑓𝑢𝑒𝑙 6 𝑘𝑔𝑓𝑢𝑒𝑙

Solving for the theoretical air-fuel ratio mta,

𝑘𝑔
Molecular weight (MW) of C2H6 = 2 (12) + 6 = 30
𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒

(2)(12)
C= x 100 = 80%
30

6
H2 = x 100 = 20%
30
Total = 100%

𝑂2 𝑘𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑟
mta = 11.5 C + 34.5 (H2 - ) + 4.32 S,
8 𝑘𝑔𝑓𝑢𝑒𝑙
𝑘𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑟
= 11.5 C + 34.5 H2,
𝑘𝑔𝑓𝑢𝑒𝑙
= 11.5 (0.80) + 34.5 (0.20)
𝑘𝑔
= 16.10 𝑎𝑖𝑟
𝑘𝑔𝑓𝑢𝑒𝑙
Solving for the percentage of excess air “e”,

𝑚𝑎𝑎 − 𝑚𝑡𝑎 22−16.1

e= = x 100 = 36.65%
𝑚𝑡𝑎 16.1