Department of Chemical Engineering

University of Cape Town • Rondebosch 7701 - South Africa

CHE2005W: Block 3
Mass and Energy
Balances with Reaction

Dr Lisa October

Lecture 5:
Elemental Balances and
Combustion
 Elemental Balances

• Mass balances done to date makes use of molar extent of

reaction. Requires balanced equation.
• In cases we may not know stoichiometry of reactions taking place.
Think of dealing with mixtures – fuel, gasoline, coal.
• Approach with extent of reaction thus falls apart.
• Elemental approach can be used.
o If we look at the elements that are present (C,H, O, S, N) we can do a
balance on elements because they are not created or destroyed.
o Unlike molecules where a CH4 is fed and a CO2 comes out.
o With atoms, C goes in as C and it comes out as C.
o Material balance is then reduced to:
Input = Output

Department of Chemical Engineering

 Combustion

Hydrocarbon fuel (burn with O2/air) → CO2, CO, H2, H2O, SO2… + HEAT
(Energy)

Depending on
composition of
fuel

In in SA almost all electric power is generated by burning coal.

Coal → Solid material, black in colour, mostly Carbon

H:C ≈ 0.5
very high Sulfur content
Arsenic in coal
High ash content (pollutant)

Department of Chemical Engineering

 Combustion

Fuel oil → Used by ships at sea

H:C ≈ 2
Sulfur content not as high as coal
No ash
Diesel/Petrol →
H:C ≈ 2
Sulfur content lower
LPG → Usually in gas can – buy at garage (use for cooking)
Propane/butane – composition varies depending on where its
bought
H:C ≈ 2+
Low in Sulfur
Natural gas (CH4) → Lots of Hydrogen
Very little Sulfur

Department of Chemical Engineering

 Combustion

• Complete combustion → Does not mean that everything burns, rather

that which does burn, burns completely. Total oxidation, meaning that
the products are CO2, H2O, SO2 (No CO, as C burns completely to
CO2)

• Incomplete combustion → Partial oxidation, products are CO, H2 in

addition to other products. Sometimes you’ll have CO and not H2;
Hydrogen = reactive and burns completely to H2O.

• Tend to use air instead of O2 for burning – cheaper, accessible.

• Air composition (dry basis): 78% N2, 21% O2, 1% Ar, 0.03% CO2 and
0.01% other. Simplified to 79% N2 (Ar inert like N2) and 21% O2.

Department of Chemical Engineering

 Combustion
• When air/ flue gas analyses are given on a dry basis, does not
mean there is no water in the stream. The analysis excludes it.
• Traditionally old-fashioned analytical methods could not deal with
water, excludes it. Dry analyses determined by ORSAT
instrument.
• To understand the difference between wet and dry basis and how
to calculate – H&R Ex. 5.14.

• Combustion reactor used to burn gas, called a furnace.

• Schematically,
Flue/ Stack gas (combustion
products)

Feed

Department of Chemical Engineering

 Combustion

• Theoretical Oxygen: Amount of O2 required for combustion of all the fuel.

E.g. C3H8 as fuel, what will be the theoretical oxygen required to burn
For every mole of C we need 1 mol O2 and for every 2 moles H we need 1 mol of
O.
𝐶3 𝐻8
Need 3 mols Need 4 mols O (2 mols O2)
O2 → CO2 → H2O
So, we would need 3 moles of O2 to burn C and 4 moles of O (2 moles of O2),
therefore we need 5 moles O2

• Theoretical Oxygen has nothing to do with what’s happening in the

problem stated, might have partial oxidation, conversion may be low BUT
theoretical oxygen is still this value and can be calculated for all cases
regardless of what is happening.
• Theoretical Air: amount of air required to provide the theoretical oxygen

Department of Chemical Engineering

 Example 5.1

C2H6
C2H4
C2H6
H2 40 mol/min
100 mol/min

Department of Chemical Engineering

 Example 5.1

C – Balance
𝑛𝐶2 𝐻6 𝑥 2 = 𝑛𝐶2𝐻6 𝑥2+ 𝑛𝐶2 𝐻4 𝑥2+ 𝑛𝐻2 𝑥0 C2H6
C2H6
200 = 2𝑛𝐶2𝐻6 + 2𝑛𝐶2𝐻4 ……. 1 100 mol/min
C2H4
H2 40
mol/min
H – Balance
𝑛𝐶2 𝐻6 𝑥 6 = 𝑛𝐶2𝐻6 𝑥6 + 𝑛𝐶2𝐻4 𝑥4 + 𝑛𝐻2 𝑥2
600 = 6𝑛𝐶2𝐻6 + 4 𝑛𝐶2 𝐻4 + 2(40)
520 = 6𝑛𝐶2𝐻6 + 4 𝑛𝐶2 𝐻4 …….. 2

2 Equations, 2 unknowns. Solve simultaneously → 𝑛𝐶2 𝐻6 = 60 mol/min and

𝑛𝐶2 𝐻4 = 40 𝑚𝑜𝑙/𝑚𝑖𝑛

Department of Chemical Engineering

 Example 5.2

Basis: 1 mol/s gasoline (liquid assume % as wt%)

Assume C3 and C4 refer to parafins (alkanes)

Calculate mol% gasoline

20 g C3H8 = 20/44 = 0.45 mol C3H8
80 g C4H10 = 80/58 = 1.38 mol C4H10
∴ 1 𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑔𝑎𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑒 = 0.25 𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐶3𝐻8 𝑎𝑛𝑑 0.75 𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐶4𝐻10

Department of Chemical Engineering

 Example 5.2

C – Balance
𝑛𝐶3 𝐻8 𝑥 3 + 𝑛𝐶4𝐻10 𝑥 4 = 𝑛𝐶𝑂2 𝑥 1
3 0.25 + 4 0.75 = 𝑛𝐶𝑂2
𝑛𝐶𝑂2 = 3.75 mol

 Total dry flue gas = 3.75/0.092 = 40.8 mol

N – Balance
𝑖𝑛 𝑜𝑢𝑡
𝑛𝑁2
= 𝑛 𝑁2
Department of Chemical Engineering
 Example 5.2

𝑖𝑛
𝑛𝑁2
= 40.8 x 0.836 = 34.1 mol

34.1
 = 43.2 mol air in
0.79

Department of Chemical Engineering