Combustion of small carbon spherical particles m310

3.10 Pulverized Coal, consisting of small carbon spherical particles with

radius R0 = 1 mm, is sprayed in an environment of very high oxygen
concentration with temperature 1200 K and pressure 10 bar. At the
surface of a carbon sphere carbon reacts with oxygen (species A) to
carbon dioxide (species B) according to:
C + O2 → CO2 .
The connection between the molar oxygen flux at the surface ÑAR and
the local oxygen concentration cAR for this surface reaction is given by:
00
ÑAR = −kA cAR ,
00
with kA = 0, 05 m s−1 . The carbon dioxide (B) diffuses from the surface
of the sphere to the “infinite” environment. Oxygen diffuses in the
opposite direction. We assume the diffusion process to be isothermal
and neglect changes of R0 in time. The spherical particles are at large
distant from each other. The gas mixture satisfies the ideal gas law.
DAB = 1, 3 · 10−5 m2 s−1 . The mole fraction of oxygen at large distance
from the surface is: xA∞ = 0, 8. We focus on one single carbon sphere
which is placed in the center of the coordinate system.

a. Calculate the total molar concentration c from the given data. Is

c independent of the distance to the sphere? What is the total
(nett) molar flux ÑA + ÑB on an arbitrary distance from the center
r?
b. Give an expression for the radial diffusion flux ÑA in terms of the
concentration gradient of oxygen.
c. Give the conservation equation for oxygen, with boundary condi-
tions, and solve it for the oxygen molar fraction (xA ). Find the
value of xAR0 .
d. Which dimensionless number is an indicator for the relative signif-
icance of diffusion and surface reaction? Also give the numerical
value of this number. What is the dominant factor for the progress
of the reaction, diffusion or reaction?
e. We now assume the combustion of the carbon particle to be quasi
stationary. Determine the differential equation that describes the
change of the sphere radius R0 (t) as function of time. Also give
an estimation of the burn up time of the particle, using the aver-
age dimensionless number. Given: Molar concentration of carbon
in pulverized coal: cc = 162 kmol m−3 . Is the result you find
realistic?

1
 Answer question 3.10 m310

p
3.10 a. c = RT = 0, 1 kmol m−3 , independent of place.
ÑA = −ÑB . The total flux is zero.
b. ÑA = −cDAB dxdrA .

∂ (r2 cD ∂xA ) = 0
c. ∂r AB
∂r

With BC:
00 00
r = R0 : ÑAR = −kA cAR = −kA cxAR .
r → ∞ : xA → xA∞ ;

To solve:
∂ 2 ∂xA
∂r (r cDAB ∂r ) = 0

→ r2 cDAB ∂x A
∂r = const1

Fill in BC 1:
00
→ −R02 ÑAR = −R02 kA cAR = const1

→ r2 cDAB ∂x 2 00
A
∂r = R0 kA cAR
DAB 1
→
R R
00
R2 kA xAR
∂xA = r2
∂r
0

DAB
→ 00
R02 kA xAR
xA = − 1r + const2
0

Fill in BC 2:
→ R2 kD00AB
x
xA∞ = const2
0 A AR0

DAB DAB
→ 00
R02 kA xAR
xA = − 1r + 00
R02 kA xAR
xA∞
0 0
00
k R
→ xA = − DAAB0 xAR0 Rr0 + xA∞

To find xAR0 , fill in r = R0 :

00
k R
xAR0 = − DAAB0 xAR0 + xA∞

xA∞
→ xAR0 = k
00
R0
= 0.165
1+ DA
AB

2
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+