Department of Mechanical Engineering

ME 322 Mechanical Engineering

Thermodynamics

Lecture 36
Combustion Reactions

Combustion Processes
Why do mechanical engineers have to know about
combustion? Consider a combustion chamber in a gas
turbine cycle,
Our current model

What really happens

Fuel input

Q&in
3

Air from
compressor

Q&in m&a h 3 h 2

Air to
turbine

Air from
compressor

Combustion
products to
the turbine

How is this analyzed??

Combustion
Fuels
Stored chemical energy

Combustion Reaction
Transforms the chemical energy stored in the
fuel to thermal energy (heat)

Goals of this section of the course

Understand combustion chemistry
Use combustion chemistry to determine the
heat released during a combustion process
Heat of reaction
3

Combustion
The combustion of a fuel requires oxygen,

fuel + oxidant products

Fuel
In the most general sense, a fossil fuel makeup is,

C H S O N
The Greek letters signify the atomic composition of the fuel.
For example ...

C8 H18 octane
C 2 H 5OH ethanol (ethyl alcohol)

Combustion
fuel + oxidant products
Oxidant
The oxidant must contain oxygen. The most abundant free
source is atmospheric air. By molar percent, atmospheric air
is considered to be ...
For every mole of
oxygen involved in a
combustion reaction,
there are 79/21 = 3.76
moles of nitrogen.

Combustion
fuel + oxidant products
Products (for fuels with no sulfur content)
Complete Combustion: CO2, H2O, and N2
Incomplete Combustion: CO2, H2O, N2, CO, NOx
Combustion with Excess Oxygen: CO2, H2O, N2, and O2

NOTE: Fuels containing sulfur have the potential of

introducing sulfuric acid into the product stream.
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Combustion Terminology
Theoretical or Stoichiometric Air
The amount of air required for complete
combustion of the fuel
Determined by balancing the combustion reaction

Excess or Percent Theoretical Air

The amount of air actually used in the
combustion process relative to the
stoichiometric value
Can cause incomplete combustion or excess oxygen

Combustion Terminology
In many combustion processes, one of the parameters we
are interested in is how much air (or oxygen) is required per
unit quantity (moles or mass) of fuel.
Air-Fuel and Fuel-Air Ratios
A / F mol

moles of air
moles of fuel

A / F mass A / F mol

Equivalence Ratio

M air
M fuel

F / A mol
F / A mass

1
moles of fuel

A / F mol moles of air

1
mass of fuel

A / F mass mass of air

F / A actual

F / A stoichiometric

Equivalence Ratio and Products

Stoichiometric (=1)
CO2, H2O, N2

Lean (< 1 with T < 1800 R)

ME 322

CO2, H2O, N2, O2

Rich (1 with T < 1800 R)

CO2, H2O, N2, O2, CO, H2

Rich (1 with T > 1800 R)

CO2, H2O, N2, O2, CO, H2, H, O,
OH, N, C(s), NO2, CH4
9

Advanced
courses
ME 422 & 433

Stoichiometric (Complete) Combustion

Stoichiometric Combustion of a General Fuel in Air

C H S O N + 0 (O2 + 3.76 N2 ) 1CO2 + 2H2O + 3SO2 + 4N2

Atomic Balances
C:
H:
S:
O:
N:

10

1
2 2
3
2 0 2 1 2 2 3
2(3.76) 0 2 4

5 equations
5 unknowns
(0 through 4)

Lean Combustion
Lean Combustion of a General Fuel in Excess Air
C H S O N + 0 (O2 + 3.76 N2 ) 1CO2 + 2H2O + 3SO2 + 4O2 + 5N2

0 0 (PTA )
C:

11

PTA = Percent Theoretical Air

expressed as a decimal

H:

2 2

S:

O:

2 0 21 2 2 3 2 4

N:

2(3.76) 0 25

6 equations
6 unknowns
(0 through 5)
Requires a stoichiometric
balance first (to get 0)

Example Octane Combustion

Given: Gasoline (modeled as octane - C8H18) burns
completely in 150% theoretical air (or 50% excess air).
Find:
(a) the A/F ratios (mass and molar)
(b) the equivalence ratio
(c) the dew point of the products of combustion at assuming
that the products are at 1 atm

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Example Octane Combustion

In order to calculate the air-fuel ratios and the equivalence
ratio, we need to know how much air is used in the
combustion reaction. This is determined by balancing the
combustion reaction.
In order to determine the dew point of the products, we need
to know the molar composition of the products. This is also
determined by balancing the combustion reaction.
Everything depends on the correct balance
of the combustion reaction!

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Example Octane Combustion

Solution strategy ...
1. Balance the stoichiometric reaction to get 0
C8H18 + 0 (O2 + 3.76 N2 ) 1CO2 + 2H2O + 4N2

2. Balance the reaction with 150% theoretical air

C8H18 +1.5 0 (O2 + 3.76 N2 ) 1CO2 + 2H2O 4O2 + 5N2

3. Calculate the required (A/F) ratios, the equivalence ratio,

and the dew point temperature of the products

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Example Octane Combustion

Stoichiometric Reaction
C8H18 + 0 (O2 + 3.76 N2 ) 1CO2 + 2H2O + 4N2

C:
H:

8 1
18 2 2

S:
O:

0 3
2 0 2 1 2 2 3

N:

2(3.76) 0 2 4

2 9
0 8 9 / 2 12.5

4 3.76 12.5 47

C8H18 + 12.5(O2 + 3.76 N2 ) 8CO 2 + 9H2O + 47N2

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Example Octane Combustion

Combustion in 150% theoretical air
C8H18 +1.5 0 (O2 + 3.76 N2 ) 1CO2 + 2H2O 4O2 + 5N2
0 0 (PTA ) 0 12.5 1.5 18.75
C:

8 1

H:

18 2 2

S:

0 3

O:

2 0 21 2 23 2 4

N:

2(3.76) 0 25

2 9
4 18.75 8 9 / 2 6.25

5 3.76 18.75 70.5

C8H18 + 18.75(O2 + 3.76 N2 ) 8CO 2 + 9H2O + 6.25O 2 + 70.5N2

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Example Octane Combustion

C8H18 + 12.5(O2 + 3.76 N2 ) 8CO2 + 9H2O + 47N2
C8H18 + 18.75(O2 + 3.76 N2 ) 8CO2 + 9H2O + 6.25O 2 + 70.5N2

The molar (A/F) ratio can now be found ...

A / F mol =

moles of air moles of O2 + moles of N2

=
moles of fuel
moles of fuel

A / F mol ,stoich
A / F mol ,act

17

0 1 3.76
4.76 0 4.76 12.5 59.5

0 1 3.76

4.76 0 4.76 18.75 89.25

1

Example Octane Combustion

The mass-based (A/F) ratio can be found knowing the
molecular masses of the air and the fuel,
A / F mass A / F mol

The molecular mass of the air is,

M air
M fuel

M air 28.97

lbm
lbmol

Table C.13a

The molecular mass of the fuel is,

MW fuel M C M H M S M O M N

MW fuel 8 12.01115 lbm/lbmol 18 1.00797 lbm/lbmol 114.23 lbm/lbmol

Table C.20

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Table C.20

Example Octane Combustion

Now, the mass-based (A/F) can be found ...
A / F mass ,stoich 59.5

28.97
15.09
114.23

A / F mass ,act 89.25

28.97
22.63
114.23

Once the (A/F) ratios are determined, the equivalence ratio

can be found,

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F / A actual
F / A stoich

1/ A / F act

1/ A / F stoich

1/ 89.25
0.667 (molar based)
1/ 59.5

1/ 22.63
0.667 (mass based)
1/15.09

Example Octane Combustion

The dew point of the products is the temperature where the
water vapor condenses,
Tdp = Tsat at Pw (partial pressure of the water vapor)
Pw
yw
P

Pw yw P

C8H18 + 18.75(O 2 + 3.76 N2 ) 8CO 2 + 9H2O + 6.25O 2 + 70.5N2

2
9
yv

0.096
1 2 3 4 5 8 9 0 6.25 70.5
Pw yw P 0.096 1 atm 0.096 atm 1.411 psia
Tdp Tsat Pw 113.4F
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Example Problem 15.42

Given: Combustion exhaust with 9.1% CO2, 8.9% CO,
82% N2, and no O2
Find:
a) fuel model CnHm
b) mass percent of carbon and hydrogen in fuel
c) molar air/fuel ratio and percent theoretical air (PTA)
d) dew point temperature at .106 MPa

21

Example Problem 15.42

STEP 1: Write balance equation using ORSAT data
CnHm + a(O2 + 3.76 N2)
9.1 CO2 + 8.9 CO + bH2O + 82 N2
STEP 2: Solve for unknowns and write fuel model CnHm
n=?

22

m=?

a=?

b=?

Example Problem 15.42

STEP 3: Compute molar mass of fuel & mass composition
Mfuel = 18lbmolC/lbmolfuel*(12lbm/lbmolC)
+ 33lbmolH/lbmolfuel*(1lbm/lbmolH)
= 249 lbm/lbmol fuel
C: 18*(12)/249 87%
H: 33*(1)/249 13%

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Example Problem 15.42

STEP 4: Calculate molar air/fuel ratio
21.8 * (1 + 3.76) /1 = 103.8 moles air / mole fuel
STEP 5: Write equation for stoichiometric combustion
C18H33 + 26.25(O2 + 3.76 N2)
18 CO2 + 16.5 H2O + 98.7 N2
STEP 6: Find theoretical air
%TA = (21.8 / 26.75) * 100 = 83%
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Example Problem 15.42

STEP 7: Find dew point of combustion products
# moles of H2O (in original equation) = 16.5
# moles of other combustion products = 100
# moles of all products (in original equation) = 116.5
Pw = .106 * (16.5/116.5) = .015 Mpa
Tsat (.015 MPa) = 54 C

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