FUELS AND HEAT POWER

ENGR. ROXANNE R. NAVARRO

• Ethane (C2H6) is burned with 20 percent excess air
during a combustion process. Assuming complete
combustion and a total pressure of 100 kPa, determine
(a) the air–fuel ratio and (b) the dew-point temperature
of the products.
C2H6
CO2, H20, N2, O2

AIR

• The fuel is burned completely with excess air. The AF and the Dew point
of the products are to be determined.
• The combustion products contain CO2, H2O, N2, and
some excess O2 only. Then the combustion equation
can be written as
• C2H6 + 1.2ath (O2 + 3.76N2) aCO2 + bH2O + cN2 + 0.2athO2
• C: 2 = a
• H: 6 = 2b; b= 6/2; b=3
• O2: 1.2ath = a + b/2+ 0.2ath; ath= (2+3/2) = 3.5
• N2: (1.2x3.5)x(3.76)= c; c+=15.792
• Substituting,

• C2H6 + 4.2(O2 + 3.76N2) 2CO2 + 3H2O + 15.792N2 + 0.7O2

• AIR- FUEL RATIO

• AFn= number of moles of air/ no. of moles of fuel
• AFn = 4.2(4.76)/1 = 19.992/1 = 19.992 kmol air/kmol C2H6

• AFm= mass of air/ mass of fuel

• AFm= (MW x n)air / (MW x n)fuel
• AFm= (4.2 x 4.76kmol)(28.97kg/kmol) / [(12kg/kmol x 2kmol) + (1kg/kmol x 6kmol)]
• AFm= 19.305608 kgair/kgC2H6
Dewpoint Temperature
• The dew-point temperature of the products is the temperature
at which the water vapor in the products starts to condense as
the products are cooled at constant pressure.
• The dew-point temperature of a gas–vapor mixture is the
saturation temperature of the water vapor corresponding to its
partial pressure.
• Therefore, we need to determine the partial pressure of the
water vapor Pv in the products first.
• Assuming ideal-gas behavior for the combustion gases, we
have
 • Pv = (Nv / Nprod) Pprod
Pv = [( 3 kmol) / (21.492 kmol)] x (100 kPa)

Pv = 13.9586823 kPa

Using your steam table, find the value of saturation temperature

corresponding the computed partial pressure.

•` A certain natural gas has the following volumetric
analysis:
 72 percent CH4
 9 percent H2,
 14 percent N2
 2 percent O2
 3 percent CO2.

• This gas is now burned with the stoichiometric amount of

air that enters the combustion chamber at 20°C, 1 atm,
and 80 percent relative humidity. Assuming complete
combustion and a total pressure of 1 atm, determine the
dew-point temperature of the products.
• A gaseous fuel is burned with the stoichiometric amount
of moist air. The dew point temperature of the products is
to be determined.

• We note that the moisture in the air does not react with
anything; it simply shows up as additional H2O in the
products.
• Therefore, for simplicity, we balance the combustion
equation by using dry air and then add the moisture
later to both sides of the equation.
• Consiedring 1 kmol of fuel and 100% stoichiometric air
(dry air),
FUEL AIR

0.72CH4 + 0.09H2 + 0.14N2 + 0.02O2 + 0.03CO2 + ath (O2+3.76N2) aCO2 + bH2O + cN2

C: 0.72 + 0.03 = a; a= 0.75

H: (0.72×4) + (0.09×2) = 2b; b= 1.53
O2: 0.02 + 0.03 + ath = a + b/2; ath = 1.465
N2: 0.14 + 3.76ath = c; c= 5.6484
• Next we determine the amount of moisture that
accompanies the total number of moles of dry air that is,
4.76ath(4.76)(1.465) = 6.97 kmol of dry air
• The partial pressure of the moisture in the air is
• Pv,air = Φair × P sat@20℃
• where:
• Φair = humidity
• P sat@20℃ = 2.3392 kPa (using your steam table)

• Pv,air = 0.80 × (2.3392 kPa) = 1.871 kPa

• Assuming ideal-gas behavior, the number of moles of the
moisture in the air is,

• Nv,air = (Pv, air / Ptotal) Ntotal

• Nv,air = [1.871 kPa × 101.325 kPa] / [6.97 + Nv,air]
• Nv,air =0.131 kmol
• The balanced combustion equation is obtained by
substituting the coefficients determined earlier and adding
0.131 kmol of H2O to both sides of the equation

• 0.72CH4 + 0.09H2 + 0.04N2 + 0.02O2 + 0.03CO2 + 1.465(O2+3.76N2) + 0.131H2O

0.75CO2 + 1.66H2O + 5.648N2
• The dew-point temperature of the products is the
temperature at which the water vapor in the products
starts to condense as the products are cooled.
• Again, assuming ideal-gas behavior, the partial pressure
of the water vapor in the combustion gases is,
• Pv,Prod = (Nv, prod / Nprod) Pprod
• Pv,Prod = [1.661 kmol × 8.059 kmol] / [101.325 kPa]
• Pv,Prod = 20.88 kPa

• Tdp = Tsat @ 20.88 kPa = 60.9℃