Combustion

A chemical reaction between substances, usually including oxygen and

usually accompanied by the generation of heat and light in the form of
flame.
The substance which undergoes combustion is called a combustible substance.
It is also called a fuel. Sometimes light is also produced during combustion
either as a flame or as a glow. Air is necessary for combustion.
Types Of Combustions
1. Complete Combustion
2. Incomplete Combustion
3. Rapid Combustion
4. Spontaneous Combustion
5. Explosive Combustion
1. Complete Combustion

One of the types of combustion is Complete Combustion. Complete combustion

occurs in an unlimited supply of air, oxygen in particular. Also, complete combustion is
also known as clean combustion. Here the hydrocarbon will burn out completely with
the oxygen and leave only two byproducts, water, and carbon dioxide.
An example of this is when a candle burns. The heat from the wick will vaporize the
wax which reacts with the oxygen in the air. The two products of the reaction are
water and carbon dioxide. In an ideal situation all the wax burns up and complete
combustion takes place
2.Incomplete Combustion
Incomplete combustion takes place when the air is in limited supply. And as opposed
to complete combustion it is otherwise known as dirty combustion. Due to lack of
oxygen, the fuel will not react completely. This, in turn, produces carbon monoxide
and soot instead of carbon dioxide.
An example is burning of paper. It leaves behind ash (a form of soot) as a byproduct. In
a complete combustion, the only products are water and carbon dioxide. Also,
incomplete combustion produces less energy than complete combustion.
Rapid Combustion

Another type of combustion is Rapid Combustion.

Rapid energy needs external heat energy for the
reaction to occur. The combustion produces a large
amount of heat and light energy and does so rapidly.
The combustion will carry on as long as the fuel is
available.
An example is when you light a candle. The heat
energy is provided when we light the candle with a
matchstick. And it will carry on till the wax burns out.
Hence it is a rapid combustion
 Spontaneous Combustion

As the name suggests the combustion occurs

spontaneously. This means that it requires no external
energy for the combustion to start. It happens due to
self-heating. A substance with low-ignition
temperatures gets heated and this heat is unable to
escape.
The temperature rises above ignition point and in the
presence of sufficient oxygen combustion will happen.
The reaction of alkali metals with water is an example.
Explosive Combustion
Explosive Combustion happens when the reaction occurs very rapidly. The
reaction occurs when something ignites to produce heat, light and sound
energy, The simple way to describe is it to call it an explosion. Some classic
examples are firecrackers or blowing up of dynamite.
 Combustion Systems
The system where the combustion takes place is called combustion system.
Combustion systems convert essentially all of the fuel into CO2,H2O and heat whereas
gasification systems only partially oxidize the fuel, creating intermediates, such as CO,
H2 and hydrocarbons.
Common examples of combustion systems include boilers, fireplaces, furnaces, gas
burners and other heating systems.

Boiler Furnace Burner

 Boiler
Boiler is a closed vessel in which water or other liquid is heated, steam or vapor is
generated, steam is super-heated, or any combination thereof, under pressure or
vacuum, for use external to itself, by the direct application of energy from the
combustion of fuels, from electricity or nuclear energy.
The boiler is a primary part of global heating system in power plants.  
• The boiler system functions with the heat distribution system, heat-emitting
system & control systems.
• Boiler is the main working component of thermal power plants
 Types of Boiler and Classifications of Boiler:
There are following Boilers Types:
1. According to the position of water and hot gasses
• Fire Tube Boiler
• Water Tube Boiler
2. According to Axis of Shell
• Horizontal Boiler
• Vertical Boiler
3. According to the position of the boiler
• External Fired Boiler
• Internally Fired Boiler
4. According to the pressure 
• Low-Pressure Boiler
• High-Pressure Boiler
5. According to the method of circulation
• Natural Circulation Boiler
• Forced Circulation Boiler
6. According to use of boilers
• Mobile Boiler
• Stationary Boiler
7. According to drums
• Single drum Boiler
• Multi drum Boiler
 Boiler Fuel Types
Boiler Furnaces compatible with following types of Fuels
1.Boiler Solid Fuels
• Wood
• Coal
• Briquettes
• Pet Coke
• Rice Husk
2.Boiler Liquid Fuel
• LDO
• Furnace oil
3.Boiler Gaseous Fuels
• LPG
• LNG
• PNG can be used to carry out the combustion for a specific purpose.
 MAJOR PARTS
A boiler normally consists of following four major sections:

Burner:
This part of the boiler is responsible for commencing the combustion process inside the boiler. It receives electronic signals
from the temperature sensing devices like thermostats, as and when the heat needs to be generated out of the system. In
most cases, a fuel tank is positioned just next to the boiler for providing fuel source. A filter system is employed to pump the
fuel to the boiler. This fuel is then sprayed as fine particles via a nozzle mounted on the burner which tends to produce
ignition and combustion reaction inside the chamber.

Combustion Chamber:
The burning of the fuel takes place inside a combustion chamber which is generally constructed of cast iron material. This
combustion chamber is designed to experience intense heat energy since the temperature inside the chamber tends to
reach very higher limits in a very short period of time. Heat produced inside this chamber is then finally transmitted to the
heat exchanger unit.

Heat Exchanger:
A sequence of flue passages is used to filter the liquid inside the combustion chamber in a boiler arrangement. The
pressurized, boiling water is then pumped through pipes to baseboard heaters or radiators, which give off the heat energy
produced in the boiler.

Fuel Sources:
For its functioning, a boiler consumes variety of fuels such as heating oil, kerosene oil, liquid propane etc.
 MAIN FEATURES
Key features of boilers include:
•The efficiency offered by a typical boiler system falls between 75% and 85%. However, advanced boiler
systems made up of copper heat exchangers have now been designed which are capable of providing
as high as 90% efficiency.

•Besides heating applications, a usual boiler system can be employed in many other areas like steam-
operated locomotives, external combustion engines and power generation plants.
•In order to get high efficiency out of boiler systems, they must be periodically cleaned and maintained.
The maintenance process generally includes activities like making combustion chamber free from
useless remains and debris, changing of components such as gaskets and checking of temperature.
•The installation and maintenance of boiler systems must be carried out by professionally skilled and
certified personnel. Inappropriate installation and operation of boilers can result in very hazardous
effects owing to the severe heat energy involved with them.
•The efficiency of a boiler system also depends upon the total heating surface encompassed by the
boiler. More the heating surface more is the efficiency. The heating surface of a boiler is generally
represented in square feet.
•As a general rule, horse power rating is used for small boilers and thousands of pounds of steam rating
is used for large boilers in industrial applications.