You are on page 1of 19

Prelim Topic

I. What are fuel gases?


II. Classification of Fuel Gases
III. Heating Values and heats of Combustion of Fuel
Gases.
IV. Methods of Manufacture of the different fuel gases
 Fuel Gases, any combustible gaseous mixture used as
fuel to provide energy for domestic or industrial use.

 Fuel gases consist principally of hydrocarbons, that is, of


molecular compounds of carbon and hydrogen.
 The properties of the various gases depend on the
number and arrangement of the carbon and
hydrogen atoms within their molecules.
 All these gases are odorless in the pure state, and
carbon monoxide is toxic.
 It is therefore common practice to add sulfur
compounds to manufactured gas; such sulfur
compounds, which are sometimes normally
present in the gas, have an unpleasant smell and
serve to give warning of a leak in the supply lines
or gas appliance.
 In addition to their combustible components
most gases have varying amounts of
noncombustible nitrogen and water as their end
products.
1) Natural Gas or Methane
2) Liquefied Petroleum Gases (LPG)
3) Coke-Oven Gas
4) Blue Gas or Water Gas
5) Producer Gas
6) Synthetic Natural Gas or Biogas
 Natural gas is the predominating gas that contains
about 96% methane by volume.

 Aside from being one of the fuel gases, it is


commonly used as a precursor to the manufacture
of other products under the petrochemicals.

 It is obtained as the gaseous layer in petroleum or


crude oil reservoirs.
 Obtained as the upper or overhead fraction in the
distillation of petroleum or crude oil.

 Consists of a mixture of hydrocarbon gases


(typically those with 5 or less carbon atoms in a
chain).
 Coke-oven gas is a coproduct or byproduct in the
thermal destructive distillation or pyrolysis of
coal.

 Coke-oven gas typically consist s of a mixture of


CO, CO2, H2, N2, CH4, C2H6 and other gases.
 Blue gas is the term used because generally the color
produced during combustion is blue. It is also called a
water gas because it is produced by the reaction of
steam with solid amorphous carbon.
 The main reaction involved in the production of blue
or water gas are as follows;
C(s) + H2O (g) -------------- CO(g) + H2(g)
C(s) + 2H2O(g) ------------- CO2(g) + 2H2(g)

 Blue Gas typically contains a mixture of CO(g), H2(g),


CO2(g) and other gases.
 Producer gas is made by passing air and steam
through a thick bed of hot fuel or coal.

 Constituents present in producer gas are


almost the same with coke-oven gas.
 Obtained from the anaerobic decomposition of
organic wastes.
 Can also be produced from gasification of coal or fuel
oils and the water-gas-shift reaction and
methanation.
Water-Gas-Shift Reaction
CO(g) + H2O(g) ----------- H2(g) + CO2(g)

Methanation
2CO(g) + 2H2(g) ------------ CH4(g) + CO2(g)
 Consists mainly of methane and other gases.
 Natural Gas from drilling operations contain several
contaminants and other undesirable constituents like
H2S and moisture.
 H2S contributes acidity and foul odor of natural gas
and its corrosivity is enhanced by the presence of
moisture.
 Moisture is usually removed by compression and
cooling while H2S is removed by absorption using
different absorbents.
 An alternative purification of natural gas by removal of
H2S involves the recovery of elemental sulfur from
H2S using the Claus Process.

 The major reactions involved are as follows:


H2S(g) + 3/2 O2(g) --------- SO2(g) + H2O(g)
SO2(g) + 2H2S(g) ----------- 3S(l) + 2H2O(l)
Methanation Water-Gas-Shift Reaction
2CO(g) + 2H2(g) --------- CH4(g) + CO2(g) CO(g) + H2O(g) ----------- H2(g) + CO2(g)

You might also like