Results and calculations

Natural Gas in

Flue Gases
Boiler

Air in

Water in

Time
(minu
tes)
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
55
60

Inlet
temperarur
e
water
(C)
105.8
105.9
104.39
103.67
103.58
103.31
103.2
102.4
102.4
103.73
104.08
105.02
103.19

Nitrogen + trace air

components
Water out

Outlet
temperatur
e
water
(C)
118.56
118.84
118.62
118.31
118.72
118.54
118.68
118.68
118.56
118.6
118.94
119.03
119.09

volume
compositio
of water n of flue
in (m3)
gas, % O2

composition
of flue gas,
% CO2

265002
265014
265026
265039
265051
265063
265076
265088
265100
265113
265125
265137
265149

4.2
4.6
4
4.3
4.5
4.5
4.4
4.6
4.4
4.2
4.7
4.5
3.8

9.5
9.4
9.6
9.5
9.3
9.4
9.4
9.4
9.4
9.2
9.4
9.9
9.6

Gas
Meter
reading
(m3)
860917.9
860935.8
860953.4
860971.2
860989.7
861007.7
861025.9
861044
861062.3
861080.4
861098.3
861115.7
861132.7

flue
gas
temp
(C)
190
191
192
190
190
190
190
190
191
190
189
188
186

Calculating the Natural Gas flow rate: Average volumetric flowrate by finding the
average of the difference of the Gas meter readings and dividing by 300 seconds
=0.05967 m3s-1
Energy released on combustion = (0.05967 m3s-1 x 0.717Kg m-3 [2] x -890kJ kg-1 [3] )
= 2375.6 kJ s-1
To write out the stoichiometric material balance, first start by working out the input
mols-1 of CH4 by multiplying the mass flow rate of CH4 by 1000 and then dividing by
the molecular mass of methane this gives 2.666 mol s-1 using the reaction equation
the generation of CO2 and H2O can be calculated as well as the consumption of CH4
and O2
We now know the output of CO2 is 2.666 from the reaction equation. Therefore we
can work out the output of O2 by comparing the flue gas composition %. To work out
the volume of CO2 produced, multiply by the (molecular mass of CO2/1000) divided
by the density of CO2 (1.977)[4] which is
0.059 m3 s-1. To find the output of O2
multiply this value by the average flue gas composition of O 2/ the average flue gas
composition of CO2 this gives 0.128 m3s-1. This can then be converted to moles to
give 5.710 mols-1 of oxygen.
The output of O2 can be used to find the input of O2 by comparing with the
consumption.

N2 input and output can be calculated by multiplying the input of O2 by (79/21) which
is roughly the ratio of nitrogen to oxygen in air. Because nitrogen doesnt get involved
in the reaction, the output is the same
Now the equation [ = Cp(T2 - T1) x moles s-1 ] can be used to find the energy
transferred to heating each component of the flue gases.
The mean heat capacities of oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide and water vapour may
be taken to be 30.5, 29.4, 41.3 and 34.6 J/molC, respectively
The temperature difference for each is taken to be the average temperature of the
flue gases on output - 25C.
The energy transferred per second to heating the flue gases is shown in the table
The total energy transferred to the gases is the the energy transferred to each
component in the flue gases

Mass Balance
Species
input (Mol s-1 ) generation (Mol s-1 ) consumption (Mol s-1 ) output (Mol s-1 ) Q
CH4

2.666

0.000

2.666

0.000

O2

11.043

0.000

5.333

5.710

28697.23824

CO2

0.000

2.666

0.000

2.666

18145.31218

H2O

0.000

5.333

0.000

5.333

30403.28337

N2

41.544

0.000

0.000

41.544

201247.834
total Q (kJ)
278.4936678

The energy produced by forming CO2 and H2O are the molar flow rate of the
generated multiplied by the respective heats of formation of CO 2 and H2O. [CO2 heat
of formation = -393.5 KJ mol-1 ] [H2O heat of formation = -285.8 KJ mol-1 ][5] both
assuming that the standard heat of formation is the same as the heat of formation at
around 110C. This gives the total enthalpy of formation for both to be -2573.4 KJ s-1
The energy that the water receives per second can be calculated by multiplying the
average volumetric flow rate of water in seconds by 1/v f (the density) value in steam
tables for 110C (approx. temp of average temp of water in system which is exactly
111.3C) then multiplying by Cpf (steam tables 110C) x the average temperature
difference:

= 2433 KJ s-1
Using a Hesss law cycle:
rate of energy released by combustion the stream enthalpy of the flue gas =

[enthalpy of combustion of methane + enthalpy of formation of water + enthalpy of

formation of carbon dioxide] the energy to heat the flue gases
= [2573.4 + 2375.6] 278.5 = 4670.5 kJ s-1

Rate of energy transferred to water = 2433.0 kJ s-1

Therefore the supposed thermal efficiency from this experiment =

= 52.1%