Chapter 1.

Fire science and combustion

1
Fire Science and
Combustion
Exercise 1.1
Ideal gas law: pV

nRT

m
RT U
Mw

m
V

pM w
RT

Atmospheric conditions:
p = 101325 Pa
T = 298 K

R 8.314

CO2:

M w,CO2

pM w
RT

pM w
RT

C4H10: M w,C4 H10

(Table 1.9)

1 M w ,C  2 M W ,O

C3H8: M w,C3 H8

J
mol K

pM w
RT

12

101325 Pa 0.044
8.314

g
g
 2 16
mol
mol

kg
mol

J
298 K
mol K

3 M w ,C  8 M W , H
101325 Pa 0.044

3 12
kg
mol

J
298 K
8.314
mol K

4 M w,C  10 M W , H
101325 Pa 0.058
8.314

1.799

4 12
kg
mol

J
298 K
mol K

44

0.044

kg
mol

g
mol

0.044

kg
mol

kg
m3

g
g
 10 1
mol
mol

2.372

g
mol

kg
m3

g
g
 8 1
mol
mol
1.799

44

kg
m3

58

g
mol

0.058

kg
mol

(Table 1.8)

Solutions to the exercises of An introduction to Fire Dynamics

Exercise 1.2
pV

nRT

p, n, R do not change during heating, therefore

V1
T1

V2
V2
T2

V
T

1 m3
(700  273) K
(20  273) K

V
T2 1
T1

constant
3.32 m3

Exercise 1.3
a) n-octane
E = 9221.0
T = 273 K
log10 p o
po

n-C8H18
F = 7.8940

0.2185

log10 p o

0.2185

(Equation 1.14)

F = 8.6398

(Table 1.12)

E
 F 1.45
T

28.41 mmHg

c) acetone
E = 7641.5
T = 273 K
log10 p o
po

0.51

3.26 mmHg

b) methanol CH3OH
E = 8978.8
T = 273 K

po

E
F
T

(Table 1.12)

(CH3)2CO
F = 7.9040

0.2185

61.38 mmHg

E
 F 1.79
T

(Table 1.12)

Chapter 1. Fire science and combustion

Exercise 1.4
T = 298 K
n-hexane (n-C6H14)

n-decane (n-C10H22)

UA

660 kg A m3A

UB

730 kg B m3B

VA

2% 0.02

VB

98% 0.98

m3A
m3mixture

6 M W ,C  14 M W , H

MW , A

86

g
mol

XA

VA U A
MW , A

xA

XA
XA  XB

Table 1.12:
E = 7627.2

M W ,B

kg
mol
mol
153.49 3 A
m mixture

0.03

molA
molmixture

pA

F = 7.7171

2.12 p Ao 133.25 mmHg

x A p Ao

3.94 mmHg

Exercise 1.5
Similar to exercise 1.4

g
mol

XB

VB U B
MW ,B

xB

XB
XA  XB

Table 1.12:
E = 10912.0
log10 p o

log10 p Ao

10 M W ,C  22 M W , H
142

0.086

0.2185

kg
mol
mol
5038.03 3 B
m mixture
0.142

0.97

molB
molmixture

F = 8.2481

E
F
T

log10 pBo
pB

m3B
m3mixture

(Equation 1.14)

0, 25 p Ao 1.77 mmHg

xB pBo

1.71mmHg

Solutions to the exercises of An introduction to Fire Dynamics

Exercise 1.6
C3 H8 + 5O 2 3CO 2 + 4 H 2 O
'H c (C3 H8 )

'H f (C3 H8 )

5 'H f (O 2 )

3 'H f (CO 2 )

4 'H f (H 2O)

Energy released
during
combustion =

(energy needed
to reform C3H8 to
C and H2)

(energy needed
to reform O2 to
O2) = 0

+ (energy released in formation of CO2

from C and O2)

+ (energy released in formation of H2O

from H2 and O2)

'H f (C3H8 ) 'H c (C3H8 )  3 'H f (CO 2 )  4 'H f (H 2 O)  5 'H f (O 2 )

kJ
kJ
kJ

2044
 3 393.513
 4 241.826

mol
mol
mol
 

(Table 1.13)

103.843

(Table 1.14)

(Table 1.14)

kJ
mol

Minus-sign means: energy is released; plus-sign means: energy is consumed.

Exercise 1.7
Similar to exercise 1.6
n- C5 H12 + 8O 2 5CO 2 + 6 H 2 O
'H c (n - C5 H12 )

'H f (n - C5 H12 )  8 'H f (O 2 )  5 'H f (CO 2 )  6 'H f (H 2 O)

'H f (n - C5 H12 )

'H c (n - C5 H12 )  5 'H f (CO 2 )  6 'H f (H 2 O)  8 'H f (O 2 )

kJ
kJ
kJ

3259
 5 393.513
 6 241.826

mol
mol
mol
 

(Table 1.13)

159.521

(Table 1.14)

kJ
mol

(Table 1.14)

Chapter 1. Fire science and combustion

Exercise 1.8
n - C5 H12 + 5.5O 2 5CO+ 6 H 2 O

'H R ,CO (n - C5 H12 )

'H f (n - C5 H12 )  5 'H f (CO)  6 'H f (H 2 O)  5.5 'H f (O 2 )

kJ
kJ
kJ
kJ

159.521
 5 110.523
 6 241.826
1844
mol
mol
mol
mol
 

(Exercise 1.7)

(Table 1.14)

(Table 1.14)

Another solution:
1x
n - C5 H12 + 5,5O 2 5CO+ 6 H 2 O

(1)

+5x

CO+ 0.5O2 CO2

(2)

n - C5 H12 + (5.5 + 2.5) O2 5CO2 + 6 H 2 O

(3)

'H c ,(3)

'H R ,(1)  5 'H c ,(2)

'H c ,(2)

'H c (CO) 283

kJ
mol

'H c ,(3)

'H c (n - C5 H12 )

3259

'H R ,CO

'H R ,(1)

kJ
mol

'H c ,(3)  5 'H c ,(2)

(Table 1.13)

3259

kJ
kJ
kJ

 5 283
1844
mol
mol
mol

Subscript c: Heat of combustion. This name is only valid when the reaction is stoichiometric, and
the only products are CO2 and H2O.
Subscript R: Reaction

Solutions to the exercises of An introduction to Fire Dynamics

Exercise 1.9
Products CO2 and CO in ratio 4:1
This means that 5 mol n - C5 H12 o 4 mol CO 2  1 mol CO
5 'H R ,4:1

'H R ,4:1

4 'H c (n - C5 H12 )  'H R ,CO (n - C5 H12 )

4 'H c (n - C5 H12 )  'H R ,CO (n - C5 H12 )
5
(Exercise 1.8) 


 
kJ
kJ

4 3259
 1844

mol
mol

5
kJ
2976
mol
(Table 1.13)

Another solution:
1x

n - C5 H12 + 8O 2 5CO 2 + 6 H 2 O

(1)

1x

CO+ 0.5O 2 CO 2

(2)

n - C5 H12 + (8 - 0.5) O 2 4 CO 2 + CO

(3)

'H R ,4:1

'H R ,(3)

'H c (n - C5 H12 )  'H c (CO)

kJ
kJ
 283

mol
mol
kJ
2976
mol
3259

Chapter 1. Fire science and combustion

Exercise 1.10
kJ
. This means that 2976 kJ of energy is released when 1 mol of n-C5H12 is
mol
partially burned, with the reaction products CO2 and CO in the ratio of 4:1.
'H R ,4:1

2976

Knowing that M w (n - C5 H12 ) 5 M W (C)  12 M W (H) 5 12

calculate 'H c , g

'H c ,mol

2976 kJ/mol
72 g/mol

Mw

41.33

g
g
 12 1
mol
mol

72

g
, we can
mol

kJ
, meaning that 41.33 kJ of energy is released
g

when 1 gram n-C5H12 is partially burned.

From exercise 1.9: n - C5 H12 + (8 - 0.5) O 2 4 CO 2 + CO
So 7.5 mol O2 is needed for the partial burning of n-C5H12.
'H c (n - C5 H12 )

2976

And with M w (O 2 )
'H c (n - C5 H12 )

kJ
moln-C5H12

2 16

g
mol

32

396.8 kJ/molO2
32 g/mol

2976 kJ
7.5 molO2

396.8

kJ
molO2

g
mol
12.4

kJ
g O2

Air: 1g air contains 0.77 g N2 and 0.23 g O2. To have 1 g O2, one would thus need 4.3478 g air.
'H c (n - C5 H12 )

12.4 kJ/g O2
4.35 g air /g O2

2.85

kJ
g air

Conclusion: 2.85 kJ energy is produced per gram air consumed, in the partial burning of n-pentane.

Solutions to the exercises of An introduction to Fire Dynamics

Exercise 1.11
1 mol air contains 0.79 mol N2 and 0.21 mol O2.
0.79
3.76 mol N2 in air.
0.21
1 g air contains 0.77 g N2 and 0.23 g O2
For every mol O2, there is

For every g O2, there is

0.77
0.23

3.35 g N2 in air.

Propane (C3H8)

C3 H8 + 5  O 2 + 3.76 N 2  3CO 2 + 4 H 2 O+ 5 3.76 N 2

M w (C3 H8 ) 3 M w (C)  8 M w (H) 3 12

g
g
 8 1
mol
mol

44

g
mol

1 g propane equals 0.0227 mol propane

0.0227 mol propane needs 0.0227 5 (1  3.76) mol air for complete burning

M w (air) 0.79 M w (N 2 )  0.21 M w (O2 ) 0.79 28

g
g
 0.21 32
mol
mol

28.84

g
15.61 g air
mol
15.61 g air is needed for complete combustion of 1 g propane.

>0.0227 5 (1  3.76)@ mol 28.84

n-pentane (n-C5H12)

n - C5 H12 + 8  O 2 + 3.76 N 2  5CO 2 + 6 H 2 O+ 8 3.76 N 2

M w (n - C5 H12 ) 5 M w (C)  12 M w (H) 5 12

g
g
 12 1
mol
mol

72

g
mol

1 g n-pentane equals 0.0139 mol n-pentane

0.0139 mol n-pentane needs 0.0139 8 (1  3.76) mol air for complete burning
g
15.25 g air
mol
15.25 g air is needed for complete combustion of 1 g n-pentane.

>0.0139 8 (1  3.76)@ mol 28.84

g
mol

Chapter 1. Fire science and combustion

Decane (C10H22)

C10 H 22 +15.5  O 2 + 3.76 N 2  10 CO 2 +11H 2 O+15.5 3.76 N 2

M w (C10 H 22 ) 10 M w (C)  22 M w (H) 10 12

g
g
g
 22 1
142
mol
mol
mol

1 g decane equals 0.00704 mol decane

0.00704 mol decane needs 0.00704 15.5 (1  3.76) mol air for complete burning
g
14.99 g air
mol
14.99 g air is needed for complete combustion of 1 g decane.

>0.00704 15.5 (1  3.76)@ mol 28.84

Exercise 1.12

n-pentane and oxygen

n - C5 H12 + 8O 2 5CO 2 + 6 H 2 O

'H c (n - C5 H12 )

3259

kJ
mol

-3259 kJ is the energy released when 1 mol of n-pentane is burned. This energy will be used to heat
up the products of combustion.
J
J
J
 6 41.2
518.7
(Table 1.16)
mol K
mol K
mol K
518.7 J is the energy needed to heat up the combustion products by 1 K when 1 mol n-pentane is
burned.
c p , products

'T

Tf

5 c p  CO 2   6 c p  H 2 O  5 54.3

T f  T0

T0 

'H c
c p , products

'H c
c p , products

25 C
o

3259000 J
518.7 J

mol

mol K

6308o C

Solutions to the exercises of An introduction to Fire Dynamics

10

n-pentane and air

n - C5 H12 + 8  O 2 + 3.76 N 2  5CO 2 + 6 H 2 O+ 30.08 N 2

'H c (n - C5 H12 )

c p , products

3259

kJ
mol

5 c p  CO 2   6 c p  H 2 O   30.08 c p  N 2 

J
J
J
 6 41.2
 30.08 32.7
mol K
mol K
mol K
J
1502.8
mol K
'H c
T f  T0
c p , products
5 54.3

'T

Tf

T0 

'H c
c p , products

25o C

3259000 J
1502.8 J

mol

(Table 1.16)

2194o C

mol K

1,5% n-pentane in air

0.015 n - C5 H12 + 0.985  0.21 O 2 + 0.79 N 2  products

Divide by 0.015. (Since 'Hc is given per mol of n-pentane, we need to know the cp of the products
per mol of n-pentane. This is why the reaction has to be rewritten.)
n - C5 H12 +13.79 O 2 + 51.88 N 2 5 CO 2 + 6 H 2 O+ 13.79 - 5 - 3 O 2 + 51.88 N 2

'H c (n - C5 H12 ) = -3259

c p , products

kJ
mol

5 c p  CO 2   6 c p  H 2 O   5.79 c p  O 2   51.88 c p  N 2 
J
J
J
J
 6 41.2
 5.79 34.9
 51.88 32.7
mol K
mol K
mol K
mol K
J
2417.2
mol K

5 54.3

(Table 1.16)

Tf

T0 

'H c
c p , products

25o C

3259000 J
2417.2 J

mol

mol K

1373o C