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FUELS and COMBUSTION 2. Liquid fuels

- a mixture of numerous
Fuel
hydrocarbons and are obtained from
-any material that can be burned to release thermal
crude oil by distillation.
energy.
-in all fuels the two basic combustible elements are
carbon and hydrogen.

Classification of Fuel 3. Gaseous Fuels

1. Solid Fuels -As natural gas, oil derivatives (LPG),
- Are coal, chiefly anthracite and coke. acetylene, manufacture gas (from coal
-Coal contains varying amounts of oxygen, hydrogen, or oil residue) and biogas (from manure
nitrogen, sulfur, moisture, and ash. or sewage).

Analysis of Coal Basis of Reporting Analysis

1. Proximate Analysis - The Bureau of Mines reports coal in the following
- Determines the percentage of moisture, volatile matter, manner:
fixed carbon, and ash.
- In some cases the percentage of sulfur is also obtained. 1. As Received or As Fired
2. Dry or Moisture Free
3. Moisture and Ash Free or Combustible
2. Ultimate Analysis
4. Moisture, Ash, and Sulfur Free
- ultimate analysis divides all the remaining part of the coal into
the elements carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, sulfur, and nitrogen in
percentages by weight.
- The ash content of the coal is independent of the type of analysis
and is therefore the same for both.
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Sample Problem
1. Convert the proximate analysis of Cherokee County, Kansas coal given in
Table 5-1 to (a.) dry and (b.) to moisture and ash free. Composition of Fuels
-in all fuels the two combustible elements are carbon and
Proximate analysis of coal: (as fired) hydrogen, encountered either separately or in combinations
Moisture = 5.09% called hydrocarbons.
Volatile Matter = 34.47% - The general formula for all hydrocarbons is CnHm.
Fixed Carbon = 52.48%
Ash = 7.96%
2. Convert the ultimate analysis of Cherokee County, Kansas coal given in Table
5-1 to (a.) dry (b.) to moisture and ash free (c.) to moisture, ash, and sulfur free
bases.

Ultimate analysis of coal:

Carbon = 71.81% Sulfur = 3.34% Moisture = 5.09%
Hydrogen = 4.67% Nitrogen = 1.20%
Oxygen = 5.62% Ash = 8.27%

2. Alkenes or Olefins (CnH2n)

Types of Hydrocarbons -Chainlike hydrocarbons with double bonds

1. Alkanes or Paraffin (CnH2n+2)

- Chainlike hydrocarbons with purely single bonds

3. Alkines or Acetylenes (CnH2n-2)

-Chainlike hydrocarbons with one triple bond

Note: Hydrocarbons with chainlike structures are

Aliphatic hydrocarbon compounds
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4. Cyclo-alkanes or Naphthenes (CnH2n)

-hydrocarbons with circular structures and purely single bonds
Note: Hydrocarbons with open
chain structures are Alicyclic
hydrocarbon compounds

5. Aromatics
- hydrocarbons with circular structures and double bonds

Combustion
6. Alcohol
-is a chemical reaction in which certain elements of the fuel
-Alcohol are similar to paraffins with one of the hydrogen
combine with oxygen causing an increase n temperature of
atoms replaced with hydroxyl radical OH.
the gases.

Reactants Products

Fuel + Oxidizer Products

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Balancing Chemical Equations 1. Methane (CH ) is burned with stoichiometric amount of

4

-Chemical equations are balanced on the basis of the
conservation of mass principle, which states that the total mass
of each element is conserved during a chemical reaction.
air during a combustion process. Assuming complete
combustion, determine the air–fuel and fuel–air ratios.
2. Propane fuel (C H ) is burned in the presence of air.
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Assuming that the combustion is theoretical—that is,

1 only nitrogen (N2), water vapor (H2O), and carbon
O2 + H2 → H2O dioxide (CO2) are present in the products—determine
2
(a) the mass fraction of carbon dioxide and (b) the mole
and mass fractions of the water vapor in the products.

3. Octane (C H ) is burned with dry air. The volumetric analysis

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of the products on a dry basis is 9.21 percent CO , 0.61 2

percent CO, 7.06 percent O , and 83.12 percent N . Determine

2 2

(a) the air-fuel ratio and (b) the percentage of theoretical air
used.

4. A coal from Illinois which has an ultimate analysis (by mass)

as 67.40 percent C, 5.31 percent H , 15.11 percent O , 1.44
2 2

percent N , 2.36 percent S, and 8.38 percent ash (non-

2

combustibles) is burned with 40 percent excess air. Calculate

the mass of air required per unit mass of coal burned and the
apparent molecular weight of the product gas neglecting the ash
constituent.