I.G.U.

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING
UCK442E COMBUSTION
Prof. Dr. Ali Kodal

Problem Solutions 3:

1. Ethane (C2H6) at 25°C is burned in a steady-flow combustion chamber at a rate of 5

kg/h with the stoichiometric amount of air, which is preheated to 500 K before entering
the combustion chamber. An analysis of the combustion gases reveals that all the
hydrogen in the fuel burns to H2O but only 95 percent of the carbon burns to CO2, the
remaining 5 percent forming CO. If the products leave the combustion chamber at 800
K, determine the rate of heat transfer from the combustion chamber.

Solution:

The molar mass of C 2 H 6 is 30 kg / kmol (Table A-1).

The theoretical combustion equation of C 2 H 6 is

𝐶2 𝐻6 + 𝑎th (𝑂2 + 3.76N2 ) → 2CO2 + 3H2 𝑂 + 3.76𝑎th 𝑁2

where a th is the stoichiometric coefficient and is determined from

the O 2 balance,

ath = 2 + 1.5 = 3.5

Then the actual combustion equation can be written as

𝐶2 𝐻6 + 3.5(𝑂2 + 3.76N2 ) → 1.9CO2 + 0.1CO + 3H2 𝑂 + 0.05O2 + 13.16N2

The heat transfer for this combustion process is determined from the energy balance Ein - Eout = D Esystem
applied on the combustion chamber with W = 0. It reduces to

∘ ∘ ∘ ∘
−𝑄out = ∑ 𝑁𝑃 (ℎ̄ 𝑓 + ℎ̄ − ℎ̄ )𝑃 − ∑ 𝑁𝑅 (ℎ̄ 𝑓 + ℎ̄ − ℎ̄ )𝑅

Assuming the air and the combustion products to be ideal gases, we have h = h(T). From the tables,
 hf h500 h 298 h800
Substance kJ / kmol kJ / kmol kJ / kmol kJ / kmol
C2 H 6 ( g ) −84,680 --- --- ---

O2 0 14,770 8682 24,523

N2 0 14,581 8669 23,714

H2O ( g ) −241,820 --- 9904 27,896

CO −110,530 --- 8669 23,844

CO 2 −393,520 --- 9364 32,179

Thus,
−𝑄out = (1.9)(−393,520 + 32,179 − 9364) + (0.1)(−110,530 + 23,844 − 8669)
+(3)(−241,820 + 27,896 − 9904) + (0.05)(0 + 24,523 − 8682)
+ (13.16)(0 + 23,714 − 8669)
−(1)(−84,680 + ℎ298 − ℎ298 ) − (3.5)(0 + 14,770 − 8682) − (13.16)(0 + 14,581 − 8669)
= −1,201,005 kJ/kmol C2 𝐻6
Or
𝑄out = 1,201,005 kJ / kmol C2 𝐻6
Then the rate of heat transfer for a mass flow rate of 3 kg / h for the ethane becomes

𝑚̇ 5 kg/h
𝑄̇out = 𝑁̇𝑄out = ( ) 𝑄out = ( ) (1,201,005 kJ/kmol) = 200,170 kJ/h ≅ 200 MJ/h
𝑀 30 kg/kmol

2. 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.

Solution:
The mass of air per kmol of fuel is

𝑚air = (AF)𝑚fuel

= (25 kg air/kg fuel)(1 × 44 kg/kmol fuel)

= 1100 kg air/kmol fuel

The mole number of air per kmol of fuel is then

 𝑚air 1100 kg air/kmol fuel
𝑁air = = = 37.93 kmol air/kmol fuel
𝑀air 29 kg air/kmol air

The combustion equation can be written as

𝐶3 𝐻8 + (37.93/4.76)(𝑂2 + 3.76N2 ) → 3CO2 + 4H2 𝑂 + 𝑥𝑂2 + (37.93/4.76) × 3.76𝑁2

The coefficient for O 2 is obtained from O 2 balance:

(37.93/4.76) = 3 + 2 + 𝑥 → 𝑥 = 2.968
Substituting,
𝐶3 𝐻8 + 7.968(𝑂2 + 3.76N2 ) → 3CO2 + 4H2 𝑂 + 2.968𝑂2 + 29.96𝑁2

The mole fraction of water in the products is

𝑁H2O 4 kmol 4 kmol

𝑋𝑣 = = = = 0.1002
𝑁prod (3 + 4 + 2.968 + 29.96) kmol 39.93 kmol

The partial pressure of water vapor at 1 atm total pressure is

𝑃𝑣 = 𝑋𝑣 𝑃 = (0.1002)(101.325 kPa) = 10.15 kPa

When this mixture is at the dew-point temperature, the water vapor pressure is the same as the saturation
pressure. Then,

𝑇dp = 𝑇sat @ 10.15 kPa = 46.1°𝐶 = 319.1 K ≅ 320 K

We obtain properties at 320 K (instead of 319.1 K) to avoid iterations in the ideal gas tables. The heat transfer
for this combustion process is determined from the energy balance 𝐸in − 𝐸out = Δ𝐸system applied on the
combustion chamber with W = 0. It reduces to

∘ ∘ ∘ ∘
−𝑄out = ∑ 𝑁𝑃 (ℎ̄ 𝑓 + ℎ̄ − ℎ̄ )𝑃 − ∑ 𝑁𝑅 (ℎ̄ 𝑓 + ℎ̄ − ℎ̄ )𝑅

Assuming the air and the combustion products to be ideal gases, we have h = h(T). From the tables,

Substance h f , kJ / kmol h298 K , h320 K ,

kJ / kmol kJ / kmol
C3 H 8 –103,850 --- ---
O2 0 8682 9325
N2 0 8669 9306
H2O ( g ) –241,820 9904 10,639
CO 2 –393,520 9364 10,186

Substituting,
−𝑄̄out = (3)(−393,520 + 10,186 − 9364) + (4)(−241,820 + 10,639 − 9904)
+ (2.968)(0 + 9325 − 8682) + (29.96)(0 + 9306 − 8669) − (1)(−103,850)
−0
= −2,017,590 kJ/kmol C3 𝐻8
or ̄
𝑄out = 2,017,590 kJkmol C3 𝐻8
Then the heat transfer per kg of fuel is:
𝑄̄out 2,017,590 kJ/kmol fuel
𝑄out = = = 45,850 kJ/kg C3 H8
𝑀fuel 44 kg/kmol

3. Methane (CH4) is burned completely with the stoichiometric amount of air during a
steady-flow combustion process. If both the reactants and the products are maintained
at 25°C and 1 atm and the water in the products exists in the liquid form, determine the
heat transfer from the combustion chamber during this process?

Solution:

CH4 + 𝑎th (𝑂2 + 3.76N2 ) → CO2 + 2H2 𝑂 + 3.76𝑎th 𝑁2 Q

CH4
25C Combustion
Products
where ath is determined from the O2 balance, chamber
a th = 1 + 1 = 2 Air 25C
P = 1 atm
100% theoretical

Substituting,
CH4 + 2(𝑂2 + 3.76N2 ) → CO2 + 2H2 𝑂 + 5.64N2

The heat transfer for this combustion process is determined from the energy balance E in − E out = E system
applied on the combustion chamber with W = 0. It reduces to

∘ ∘ ∘ ∘ ∘ ∘
−𝑄out = ∑ 𝑁𝑃 (ℎ̄ 𝑓 + ℎ̄ − ℎ̄ )𝑃 − ∑ 𝑁𝑅 (ℎ̄ 𝑓 + ℎ̄ − ℎ̄ )𝑅 = ∑ 𝑁𝑃 ℎ̄ 𝑓, 𝑃 − ∑ 𝑁𝑅 ℎ̄ 𝑓, 𝑅

since both the reactants and the products are at 25C and both the air and the combustion gases can be treated as
ideal gases. From the tables,

h f
Substance
kJ/kmol
CH4 -74,850
O2 0
N2 0
H2O () -285,830
CO2 -393,520

Thus,
−Qout = (1)(−393,520) + (2)(−285,830) + 0 − (1)(−74,850) − 0 − 0 = −890,330 kJ / kmol CH 4

Qout = 890,330 kJ / kmol CH 4

 4. Propane gas (C3H8) enters a steady-flow combustion chamber at 1 atm and 25°C and is
burned with air that enters the combustion chamber at the same state. Determine the
adiabatic flame temperature for complete combustion
a) with 200 percent theoretical air.
b) With 90 percent theoretical air (products have CO)

Solution:
 5. Liquid octane burns 40% excess air at a reactor. Find the adiabatic flame temperature
for the following situations:
a) Air enters the reactor at 298 K, 1 atm at steady state conditions.
b) Consider closed rigid reactor. Air and fuel at 298 K, 1 atm initial conditions

Solution:
 6. A mixture of gases contains 40% propane (C3H8), and 60% butane (C4H10) in terms of
volume. The air-fuel ratio is 40 kg-air/kg-fuel. Assuming complete combustion, find
the followings:
a) Mole no of O2 in the products
b) Reaction heat at constant pressure

Solution: