Iran University of Science and Technology

School of Mechanical Engineering

THERMODYNAMICS II
Module 6: Combustion

Instructor: Samane Ghandehariun, PhD

Email: [email protected]
Winter 2023
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LEARNING OUTCOMES

► Apply the mass balance to reacting systems to determine balanced reaction equations
► Determine the parameters used in combustion analysis, such as air-fuel ratio, percent
theoretical air, and dew-point temperature
► Apply the energy balance to reacting systems
► Determine the adiabatic flame temperature

Fuels and Combustion

► Any material that can be burned to release thermal energy is called a fuel.
► Most familiar fuels consist primarily of hydrogen and carbon. They are called hydrocarbon
fuels.
► A chemical reaction during which a fuel is oxidized, and a large quantity of energy is
released is called combustion.
► The oxidizer most often used in combustion processes is air.

► During a combustion process, the components that exist before the reaction are called
reactants and the components that exist after the reaction are called products.

► Chemical equations are balanced based on the conservation of mass principle (or the mass
balance), which can be stated as follows: The total mass of each element is conserved
during a chemical reaction.

Air-Fuel Ratio
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EXAMPLE 1

One kmol of octane (C8H18) is burned with air that contains 20 kmol of O2. Assuming the products
contain only CO2, H2O, O2, and N2, determine the mole number of each gas in the products and
the air–fuel ratio for this combustion process.
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Theoretical and Actual Combustion Processes

► A combustion process is complete if all the carbon in the fuel burns to CO2, all the hydrogen
burns to H2O, and all the sulfur (if any) burns to SO2. The combustion process is incomplete
if the combustion products contain any unburned fuel or components such as C, H2, CO, or
OH.

► The minimum amount of air needed for the complete combustion of a fuel is called the
stoichiometric or theoretical air.
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Evaluating Enthalpy for Reacting Systems

Standard Reference State

► An enthalpy datum for the study of reacting systems can be established by assigning
arbitrarily a value of zero to the enthalpy of the stable elements at a state called the standard
reference state and defined by Tref = 298.15 K (25°C) and pref = 1 atm.

Enthalpy of Formation

► The enthalpy of a compound at the standard state equals its enthalpy of formation. The
enthalpy of formation is the energy released or absorbed when the compound is formed
from its elements, the compound and elements all being at Tref and pref.

► The specific enthalpy of a compound at a state other than the standard state is found by
adding the specific enthalpy change between the standard state and the state of interest to
the enthalpy of formation.

Energy Balance for Reacting Systems

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Heating Value

► The amount of heat released when a fuel is burned completely in a steady-flow process.
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EXAMPLE 2

Liquid propane (C3H8) enters a combustion chamber at 25°C at a rate of 0.05 kg/min where it is
mixed and burned with 50 percent excess air that enters the combustion chamber at 7°C. An
analysis of the combustion gases reveals that all the hydrogen in the fuel burns to H2O but only
90% of the carbon burns to CO2, with the remaining 10% forming CO. If the exit temperature of
the combustion gases is 1500 K, determine (a) the mass flow rate of air and (b) the rate of heat
transfer from the combustion chamber.
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Adiabatic Flame Temperature

► In the absence of any work interactions and any changes in kinetic or potential energies,
the chemical energy released during a combustion process either is lost as heat to the
surroundings or is used internally to raise the temperature of the combustion products.

► In the limiting case of no heat loss to the surroundings, the temperature of the products
reaches a maximum, which is called the adiabatic flame temperature of the reaction.
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EXAMPLE 3

Liquid octane (C8H18) enters the combustion chamber of a gas turbine steadily at 1 atm and 25°C,
and it is burned with air that enters the combustion chamber at the same state. Determine the
adiabatic flame temperature for a complete combustion with 100% theoretical air.
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EXAMPLE 4

A certain natural gas has the following volumetric analysis: 65% CH4, 8% H2, 18% N2, 3% O2, and
6% CO2. This gas is now burned completely with the stoichiometric amount of moist air that enters
the combustion chamber at 25°C, 1 atm, and 70% relative humidity. What is the air–fuel ratio for
this combustion process?
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EXAMPLE 5

Propane fuel (C3H8) is burned with an air-fuel ratio of 25 in an atmospheric pressure heating
furnace. Determine the heat transfer per kilogram of fuel burned when the temperature of the
products is such that liquid water just begins to form in the products.
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