UNIVERSITI TENAGA NASIONAL

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Thermodynamics II, MEHB312

Semester 2, 2016/2017

Assignment on Combustion

Prepared by:

Ahmad Afiq bin Azahari

ME098419

Section 2A

Checked by:

Sir Eng Kian Hin

(Thermodynamics II Lecturer)
(Part A)

Effects and Hazards of Combustion in Transport, Utility and

Industry to the Health, Safety, Culture, Society and Environment.

According to Dr. Anna Marie Helmenstine, a chemistry expert, she defines

[1]combustion as a chemical reaction that occurs between a fuel and an oxidizing agent that
generates energy in a form of heat energy and light energy. Combustion can be useful as it
helps human to enhance their ability to survive and for some working sectors, it may
generate millions of money especially in farming and engineering sectors. But on the other
hand, if there are no any precautionary steps taken, combustion may lead to some
unfavourable condition that of course not only may harm humans, but it will then effect the
animals and the environment too.
[2]By research, it has been identified that the dry air contains 21 per cent of oxygen,
78 per cent of nitrogen, 0.93 per cent of argon, 0.04 per cent of carbon dioxide and small
amount of other gases. When a fuel burns in plenty of air, it will receive a sufficient amount
of oxygen for a complete combustion. This behaviour is well known as a complete
combustion as the elements in the fuel will fully react with the oxygen. The easiest example
that can be seen around us is the compounds of hydrogen and carbon that can be found in
natural gas and petrol. When they burn completely with the oxygen, the carbon will oxidises
into carbon dioxide and the hydrogen oxidises into water. This of course is a good sign.
Carbon dioxide produced from the combustion can be recycled so that it can be used
by other organisms. This recycle process can be described as carbon cycle. Firstly, the
carbon dioxide produced from the combustion will enters the atmosphere. Then, it will be
absorbed by the plants to make carbohydrates during the process of photosynthesis.
Thirdly, the animals that feed on the plants will passing through the carbon compounds
along the food chain. The carbon that they consumed from the plants will be exhaled as
carbon dioxide formed during respiration. And when the animals and plants died, the dead
organisms will be eaten by the decomposers so that the carbon is returned back to the
atmosphere.
In contrast, when a complete combustion turns out be an incomplete combustion,
this will cause severity. Incomplete combustion occurs when the air supply of the oxygen is
poor. Water is still produced but instead of carbon dioxide, other elements will be produced
such as carbon monoxide and carbon. The carbon itself will be released as soot.
Carbon dioxide emission must not be taken for granted as it can be contaminated
and poisonous similarly to the inert gas such as nitrogen. The impact of carbon dioxide can
be harsh as it may cause local suffocation to human. 10 per cent content of carbon dioxide
in human body may lead to fatality, even 5 per cent of it already produce troublesome to
human. At global scale, in the same boat as methane, high fraction of carbon dioxide in the
air can brings foreseeable consequences on climate change. This is due to the increase of
greenhouse effect that may lead to unwanted scenarios such as desertification, floods,
hurricanes that might put human safety and life on a thin thread. In fact, this will also divide
the society.
Scientifically, it is well known that carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas that can
cause death not only to humans, but to the animals too. The gas absorbed into the lungs will
binds with the haemoglobin in the red blood cells. When this happen, it will reduce the
capacity of the blood to carry out oxygen. As a result, it will lower the blood oxygen content
producing a new cell which is called carboxyhemoglobin. Surprisingly, even at low
proportion as 0.5 percent by volume of CO in the air, it can prove fatal within 1 hour (>50%
carboxyhemoglobin in blood), 0.05% produces headache after 10 hours (10%
carboxyhemoglobin in blood). That is why if there is an uncontrolled fires like in a room, the
concentration of carbon monoxide can be up to 5 per cent if the fire runs out of control.
Apart of that, when the fuels are burned in vehicles engines or engines in factories, it
definitely will cause a rise in temperature. At these high temperature, a combination of
oxygen and nitrogen from the air will produce a nitrogen gas, mainly nitrogen dioxide and
nitrogen monoxide. This type of gas is unstable at pure state as when they dissociate, their
decomposition rate may be very slow. But at a very high temperature, it can be said that
NOx (refers to all nitrogen oxides) emission is a good sign of a good combustion in contrast
to the unburnt emissions. Among all those type of nitrogen oxides, it has been proved that
nitrogen dioxide is one of the key elements that leads to heavy pollution as it is readily
condensable and smells pungently. If someone consumed the gas less than 10 ppm, it may
cause pronounced irritation of the respiratory system. If more than that, it will be fatal due
to the fact that it has destroyed the lung tissue.
Besides, nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide has been identified as two of the
major factors that lead to acid rain. These acids will fall to the ground in two different
precipitations which are wet and dry precipitation. For human health, acid rain can cause
skin cancer. In term of environment, the acid rain itself is significant to the causes of the
soils to acidify and kills the nutrients inside. Hence, it will make the trees difficult to absorb
the minerals for their need. In fact, acid rain does not only affect the soils, but also making
the water acidic thus become an unfavourable habitat for the aquatic life. In addition, the
building, the statues especially made up from steel will be decayed by the acid rain. Because
of the acidity itself, it will cause the building paint to corrode and make them look
unpleasant and old compare to their actual age. The culture of certain places about their
heritage building will effect too if no further action taken.
In a nutshell, this combustion problem from the transport, industry and utility
cannot be denied as it has brought a lot of effects and hazards to the health, safety, culture,
society and environment.
(Part B)

Condition:

39.25% Carbon, 6.93 % Hydrogen, 41.11% Oxygen, 0.72% Nitrogen, 0.79% Sulphur and 11.20% ash
(non-combustible). Mass= 200kg

i. *Chemical reaction equation.

6.542C + 6.93H2 + 2.57O2 + 0.054N2 + 0.049S + aTH [ O2 + 3.76N2 ] XCO2 + YH20 + ZSO2 + WN2 + JO2

*After calculation, the values of unknown have been determined as below:

X= 6.542

Y= 6.93

W= 39.2

Z= 0.0494

J= 2.87

Thus,

6.542C + 6.93H2 + 2.57O2 + 0.0514N2 + 0.04945S + 10.4118[ O2 + 3.76N2 ] 6.542CO2 + 6.93H20 +

0.0494SO2 + 39.2N2 + 2.854O2

ii. *Mole number of each component in the products.

NC = 6.542 kmol

NH = 6.93 kmol

NO2 = 1.285 kmol

NN2 = 0.0257 kmol

NS = 0.0247 kmol
 iii. *Amount of heat released in KJ/kmol of fuel for this combustion process.

Substance h fo in kJ/kmol h 298K in kJ/kmol h 400K in kJ/kmol

O2 0 8682 11,711
N2 0 8669 11,640
H2O (g) -241,820 9904 13,356
CO2 -393,520 9364 13,372
SO2 -297,100 h SO2= h 400K - h 298K = 4253 kJ/kmol

After applying energy balance, the equation has been set up to:

-Qwout = NP ( hfo + h400K - h298K ) - NR ( hfo + h400K - h298K )

Based on the equation above, the value has been calculated and we found that the amount of heat
released for this combustion process is 3659589.86 Kj/kmol

iv. List of the products in this combustion process that cause problems to the health or
environment.

The products in this combustion that may cause problems to the health or environment consist
of:

Carbon dioxide, CO2

Sulphur dioxide, SO2

v. The problems caused by these products to the environment or health.

Carbon dioxide emission can be contaminated and poisonous similarly to the inert
gas such as nitrogen. The impact of carbon dioxide can be harsh as it may cause local
suffocation to human. 10 per cent content of carbon dioxide in human body may lead to
fatality, even 5 per cent of it already produce troublesome to human. At global scale, in the
same boat as methane, high fraction of carbon dioxide in the air can brings foreseeable
consequences on climate change. This is due to the increase of greenhouse effect that may
lead to unwanted scenarios such as desertification, floods, hurricanes that might put human
safety and life on a thin thread.
Sulphur dioxide can cause acid rain which is not only will affect the living things but
also non-living things.
 vi. Problems would NOx and CO cause to the environment or health.

When Nitrogen monoxide and Nitrogen dioxide (NOx) and Carbon monoxide (CO) are present in
the products of this combustion process, it may lead to some unwanted scenarios.

Scientifically, it is known that carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas that can cause death not
only to humans, but to the animals too. As the gas absorbed into the lungs, it will bind with the
haemoglobin in the red blood cells. When this happen, it will reduce the capacity of the blood to
carry out oxygen. As a result, it will lower the blood oxygen content producing a new cell which is
called carboxyhemoglobin. Surprisingly, even at low proportion as 0.5 percent by volume of CO in
the air, it can prove fatal within 1 hour (>50% carboxyhemoglobin in blood), 0.05% produces
headache after 10 hours (10% carboxyhemoglobin in blood). That is why if there is an uncontrolled
fires like in a room, the concentration of carbon monoxide can be up to 5 per cent if the fire runs out
of control.

NOx mainly affect the respiratory conditions. If human were exposed to this gas for a long
term, it can decrease lung function and increase the reaction to allergens. Nitrogen dioxide has been
identified as two of the major factors that lead to acid rain. These acids will fall to the ground in two
different precipitations which are wet and dry precipitation. In term of environment, the acid rain
itself is significant to the causes of the soils to acidify and kills the nutrients inside. Hence, it will
make the trees difficult to absorb the minerals for their need. In fact, acid rain does not only affect
the soils, but also making the water acidic thus become an unfavourable habitat for the aquatic life.
In addition, the building, the statues especially made up from steel will be decayed by the acid rain.
Because of the acidity itself, it will cause the building paint to corrode and make them look
unpleasant and old compare to their actual age. The culture of certain places about their heritage
building will effect too if no further action taken.

vii. A schematic diagram of a system to reduce the amount of pollutants released to the
environment in the boiler.
 viii. Explanation on how the system works.

A system to control the air pollution method by dewatering filtration fluid from the
desulfurization of discharged water was technically proposed by [1]Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
The system was invented in a way that it includes a boiler that can burn the fuel besides an air
heater to control the heat of the flue gas emitted from the boiler. A first precipitator was designed
to reduce dust in the flue gas and a desulfurizer. Next, a dewater was used to reduce the gypsum, a
spray drying device and a flue gas introducing line. This system basically designed to control the flue
gas emitted by the boiler by inventing a spray drying device to avoid desulfurization of discharged
water.

Desulfurization discharged water is known as a product that contain a lot of harmful substances
in a large quantity such as chlorine ion and ammonium ion. To avoid that, these harmful substances
need to get rid from the desulfurization discharged water before it was discharge outside of the
system. As it goes on, the treatment cost is high but yet hard to be done. Balance in heat quantity
and coarsening of the droplet size due to the deposition of the ash in the spray liquid have been
identified as the major problems. To solve the problems, this system was invented. The system will
reduce suspended dewatering filtration fluid from the dewaterer.and collect the dust. A waste water
treatment was installed so that it can decrease the harmful substance presence in the dewaterer.

In order to achieve the purpose of this system, NOx removal equipment and NOx removal
catalyst layer was installed as it can remove the nitrogen oxides in the flue gas that was supplied
from the boiler. To make it more efficient, ammonium chloride was used as a reducing agent. When
chemical reaction occurs between those substances, the proportion of mercury chloride will
increase so it can be easily collected by the desulfurizer. But this has its own limitation as the
product formed was in small quantity, it cannot be omitted.

The air heater act as a heat exchanger that provide cover for the heat in the flue gas. As the
temperature that passes through the first compartment was very high, air heater will play its role in
exchanging the high temperature of flue gas and the combustion of air at surrounding temperature.
Combustion air is the supplied back to the boiler.

To reduce the amount of dust in the flue gas, it must go through the first precipitator and to
reduce the sulphur oxides in the flue gas, it was done by the desulfurizer. In this part, the lime slurry
was used as an alkaline absorbent and the temperature was adjusted to about room temperature.
When the lime slurry was ejected from the nozzles, it will absorb the sulphur oxides and mercury
oxides in the flue gas. Before discharged to outside the system, the flue gas was purified first as a
purged gas.

The efficiency of this system can be improved if an electric dust collector is being used as the
second precipitator.
(Part C)

How Pollution by Combustion in Transport, Utility and Industry Can

be Reduced to Conserve the Environment for Our Future Generations.

Pollution is known to be harmful for human. In order to conserve the environment

from being polluted for the benefits of future generations, a few significant steps needed to
be taken involving the transportations, utilities and the industries.
In this modern age, [2]transportation has been the integral parts in the modern
society. Yet, it is one of the leading causes of pollution as 90 percent of the pollutants in the
air come from the vehicles alone. Science has explained that the pollution causes from the
gas emitted from the vehicles not only can cause illnesses but it also disrupts the
environmental balance of Earth. To overcome this problem, the vehicles must be kept well-
tuned so that it will not produce excessive amount of gas. Buying a hybrid car, which
obviously not polluting the environment instead of normal car. Next, the concept of
carpooling should be taken seriously and needed to be implemented. Or else, take a public
transport as a medium to go anywhere. This will not only be reducing the air pollution, but
also save fuel. On the other hand, turning the engine off when it is not needed can be the
simplest way to avoid pollution. It seems like a small effort, but it will make the atmosphere
cleaner.
In term of utility, [3] some of the combustion appliances discharge combustion
directly to the living area. So, avoid slow-burning fires as it will produce a large amount of
pollutants. Besides that, always look for rusty pipe that connected to the chimney, whether
there is holes or weak spots periodically as if worst thing happens, the gas exposed inside
the house can be deadly poisonous. It is suggested that a furnace room should not be closed
tightly because the combustion equipment itself needs enough air supply.
Last but not least, [4]industrial emission controls needed to be taken as industries
nowadays as in the UK itself, by 1999, the industries contributed to 65 percent of all sulphur
dioxide emitted. To prevent this from happening again, technologies that can applied
before, during or after combustion must be used. In addition, the design of the boiler must
be changed and install the pressurised fluidised bed combustors in removing the sulphur
before burning. In contrast with the sulphur, percentage to reduce the nitrogen content of
the fuel before combustion is almost impossible. To overcome this problem, burn the fuel in
low concentration of oxygen will lessen the emission of nitrogen oxides. It also can be
reduced by treating flue gases by mixing it with ammonia thus convert the nitrogen oxides
into nitrogen and water.
In a nutshell, these steps regarding transports, utilities and our industries must be
taken so that the future generations will not facing any pollution that will harm them so that
peace can be sustained with healthy people.
References

[1] D. A. M. Helmenstine, "Combustion Definition," [Online]. Available:

http://chemistry.about.com/od/chemistryglossary/g/combustiondefinition.htm. [Accessed 8 1
2017].

[2] Z. K. Morvay, "FUNDAMENTALS FOR ANALYSIS AND CALCULATION OF ENERGY AND

ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE," John Wiley & Sons, Ltd .

[3] L. MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, "Air pollution control system and air pollution control
method". Japan Patent US20150352490, 10 12 2015.

[4] C. LAMPTON, "Top 10 Transportation Pollution Solutions," [Online]. Available:

http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/top-10-transportation-
pollution-solutions.htm. [Accessed 9 1 2017].

[5] U. o. Illionis, "Reduce Pollution From Combustion Equipment," [Online]. Available:

http://www.thisland.illinois.edu/57ways/57ways_45.html. [Accessed 9 1 2017].

[6] Enviropedia, "Industrial Emission Controls," [Online]. Available:

http://www.enviropedia.org.uk/Acid_Rain/Industrial_Emission_Controls.php. [Accessed 9 1
2017].