COMBUSTION

&
FUELS
PROCESS FLOW IN
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
ELECTRICAL ENERGY
MECHANICAL ENERGY
HEAT ENERGY
CHEMICAL ENERGY IN FUEL
PROCESS FLOW IN
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
CHEMICAL ENERGY IN FUEL
HEAT ENERGY
MECHANICAL ENERGY
ELECTRICAL ENERGY
COMBUSTI ON PROCESS
HEAT TRANSFER
TO WORKI NG
FLUI D
BOILER
TURBINE
GENERATOR
COMBUSTION
Rapid chemical combination of oxygen
with the combustible elements of the
fuel in the process of which heat is
evolved with light combustion.
With reference to the furnace it is also
defined as a series of continuous,
controlled explosion of fuel particles
with oxygen in the air causing evolution
of heat with light and formation of
product gases.
COMBUSTION
Ignition Energy
REACTANTS PRODUCTS + HEAT
REACTANTS
COMBUSTIBLES IN FUEL
Carbon,Hydrogen,Sulphur
OXYGEN
IGNITION ENERGY
HEAT
COMBUSTION
MAJOR SEGMENTS OF COMBUSTION
FOR CONSIDERATION

Combustion Efficiency as indicated by
flame stability and complete carbon
burn out
Slagging and fouling properties of Ash
Potential for metal Corrosion and
Erosion characteristics of Fly Ash in
Gas stream
Air Pollution control requirements of
the combustion product effluent
Gases (NO
x
,SO
x
)
FACTORS AFFECTING
PERFORMANCE OF COMBUSTION
SURFACE CONTACT AREA OF FUEL WITH
AIR
AIR-FUEL RATIO
RETENTION TIME
COMBUSTION CHAMBER TEMPERATURE
TURBULANCE IN COMBUSTION
CHAMBER
REMOVAL OF PRODUCTS OF
COMBUSTION
SURFACE CONTACT AREA OF
FUEL WITH AIR
Larger the particle size
lesser the molecular
contact
Inner core of molecules
will be blanketed by ash
To improve molecular
contact reduce size
Solid Fuel
Pulverisation
Liquid Fuel
Atomisation

AIR-FUEL RATIO
The quantity of air supplied must
be sufficient enough to provide the
necessary oxygen to the
combustibles of the fuel to get
them completed oxidized so that
all the chemical energy is
completely converted to heat
energy.
AIR-FUEL RATIO
INSUFFICIENT AIR
Chemical Under burning
C + 0
2
CO
2
+ Heat (33820 kJ/Kg)

2C + 0
2
2CO + Heat (10200 kJ/Kg)

Mechanical Under burning
Carbon in Ash

RETENTION TIME
Combustion reaction needs
sufficient time to complete, during
which ignition energy must be
available to the fuel-air mixture.
As the ignition energy generally
will be available only in the
furnace, sufficient retention time
must be provided to the fuel-air
mixture in the furnace to complete
the combustion reaction
COMBUSTION
TIME REQUIRED/AVAILABLE
DEPENDS
FUEL TYPE
QUALITY
SIZE
FURNACE SIZE
VELOCITY
DRAUGHT

RETENTION TIME
TEMPERATURE
EFFECTS THERMAL DIFFUSION OF
REACTING MOLECULES DUE TO
INCREASED VELOCITY OF MOLECULES
WITH INCREASE IN TEMPERATURE
INFLUENCE THE RATE OF REACTION
FACTORS AFFECTING TEMPERATURE
Heat absorbed by furnace
Heat absorbed by reactants to bring
them to ignition temperature
Heat absorbed by nitrogen in air
TURBULENCE

Mechanical agitation of reactants to
bring them into physical contact
Requirement is more at final stage of
combustion
Lesser the turbulence more
mechanical under burning
Achieved By
Tangential Firing
Supply of tertiary air in wall fired boilers
Opportunity For
Contact Between
Interacting
Molecules
Are related to
Concentration
and
Distribution of
Reactants in a
given Volume
TURBULENCE
PREPARATION OF THE REACTANTS
AND MECHANICAL TURBULANCE
Influence the reaction rate
Agitation permits greater opportunity
for molecular contact
Agitation improves both the relative
distribution and energy imparted.
Agitation assumes greater significance
if the relative concentration of the
reactants is approaching zero.
Preparation and mechanical turbulance
are the main factors for the reaction
rate.
GENERATION OF FLAME
TURBULANCE

Thermal movement of molecules as a
consequence of high temperature flame.
Turbulence produced artificially.
Turbulence require much energy as the
viscosity of hot gases have attenuating
effect
Generally achieved by injecting
combustion air into the flame with high
velocity.
REMOVAL OF PRODUCTS OF
COMBUSTION
Gases produced during the
combustion reaction should be
removed to accommodate the fresh
fuel-air mixture.
As the product gases are inert, if they
are not removed from the combustion
chamber at the rate of which they are
formed, they infringe in the molecular
contact between the fresh fuel and air
particles.

FUELS
Combustibles
Carbon
Hydrogen
Sulphur
Non-combustibles
Moisture
Ash
FUELS
SOLID
COAL
Is a mixture of ORGANIC CHEMICAL and
MINERAL matters produced by a natural
process of GROWTH and DECAY,
ACCUMULATION of DEBRIS both
VEGETAL and MINERAL with some
SORTING and STRATIFICATION and
accomplished by CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL
and METAMORPHIC action
The ORGANIC Chemical materials
produce heat when burned: the MINERAL
matterremains as residue called ASH



FUELS
SOLID
COAL
Anthracite
Bituminous
Sub bituminous
Lignite



FUELS
SOLID
BIOMASS
Bagasse
Peanut shell
Paddy husk
Coffee bean
Wood chips
Barks
Wood
Pet coke
Municipal refuse
Fused tires



FUELS
Liquid
Light Diesel Oil (LDO)
Furnace Oil (HFO)
Low Sulphur Heavy Stock(LSHS)
Refinary Process wastes
Black liquor



FUELS
Gas
Producer gas
Blast Furnace gas
Corex gas
Natural gas
LPG
Coal gas



COAL
High Ranking Coal
Classification based on Carbon content in
Coal
Meta Anthracite - 98% Carbon
Anthracite - 92% Carbon
Semi Anthracite - 86% Carbon
Low Volatile Bituminous - 78% Carbon
Medium volatile Bituminous -69% Carbon
COAL
Low Ranking Coal
Classification based on the heat content

High Volatile Bituminous
Sub Bituminous
Lignite

FUEL OIL
Distillate
Light Diesel oil
Residual Oil
Heavy Fuel Oil (Furnace oil)
Low Sulphur Heavy stock (LSHS)
FUEL ANALYSIS
PROXIMATE ANALYSIS
Moisture
Surface
Inherent
Volatile matter
Ash
Fixed Carbon
FUEL ANALYSIS
ULTIMATE ANALYSIS
Carbon
Hydrogen
Sulphur
Nitrogen
Ash
Oxygen
FUEL ANALYSIS
MOI V.M ASH F.C.
SINGRAULI 16.0 21.6 30.0 32.4
RAMAGUNDAM 10.0 21.4
6
32.0 36.54
NEYVELI 53.3 24.3 3.3 19.1
SURAT 24.0 32.5
2
19.0 24.46
IMPORTED 8.3 24.7 13.6 53.3
PROXIMATE
FUEL ANALYSIS
TYPICAL ULTIMATE ANALYSIS
Carbon 43.2%
Hydrogen 2.5
Sulphur 0.27
Nitrogen 0.8
Oxygen 7.23
Moisture 16.0
Ash 30.0
HEATING VALUE
Number of heat
units liberated
when an unit
mass of fuel is
burnt at constant
volume in oxygen
saturated with
water vapour, the
original and final
products being
kept at constant
temperature
HEATING VALUE
Sl.No ELEMENT HEAT
CONTENT
KJ/Kg
1) Carbon 33820
2) Hydrogen 1,44,000
3) Sulphur 9304
HEATING VALUE
HIGHER HEATING VALUE
= 33820C + 144000(H-O/8) + 9304S
kJ/Kg

LOWER HEATING VALUE
= HHV - 2442 (M+9H) kJ/Kg
STOCHIOMETRIC AIR
Air required to burn a fuel as per
the Stochiometric equations.
Oxygen required
= 8/3C + 8(H-O/8) + S
Stochiometric Air required
= 100/23 [8/3C + 8(H-O/8) + S]
Kg/Kg fuel
STOCHIOMETRIC AIR
Substance St.Reqt./gm Product gms/gms
O
2
Air CO
2
H
2
O N
2
CO
Carbon 2.67 11.49 3.67 8.82
Carbon 1.33 5.75 4.42 2.3
Hydrogen 8.0 34.48 9.0 26.48
Air Requirement Per One Million Kcal. Heat
Input
Coal 1360 Kg
Oil 1325 Kg
Gas 1300 Kg
AIR SUPPLIED IN ADDITION TO
STOCHIOMETRIC AIR FOR
COMPLETE COMBUSTION OF FUEL
OPTIMUM EXCESS AIR DEPENDS
ON
FUEL QUALITY
FIRING SYSTEM DESIGN
EXCESS AIR
EXCESS AIR
MORE THAN OPTIMUM
INCREASES W
D
AND
SO DRY GAS LOSS
LESS THAN OPTIMUM
INCREASES CARBON
LOSS
OPTIMUM EXCESS AIR
IS DETERMINED
THROUGH FIELD
TESTS
OPTIMUM EXCESS AIR
CAN BE MAINTAINED
THROUGH F.G.
ANALYSIS
PROCESS PRECEEDING COMBUSTION
LIQUID
First converted into gaseous state
Ready for combustion only when they have
been mixed with 0
2
carrier and heated to
ignition temperature.
EVAPORATION - SLOWEST LINK
Depends on volatility and molecular
composition of oil.
Different hydrocarbons vaporise at different
temperature.
Due to more rapid evaporation of lighter H
2

containing fractions molecules are
generally enriched with carbon leading to
soot formation.
TO AVOID SOOT
Droplets of atomised oil must be brought to
high temperature as quickly as possible so
that they can burn immediately.
PROCESS PRECEEDING COMBUSTION
LIQUID FUELS
TO ACCELERATE EVAPORATION
Needs burner which gives fine
atomisation and adequate enlargement
of surface area. of fuel (30 to 200
micron)
COMBUSTION EFFICIENCY IS GREATLY
INFLUENCED BY IGNITION AND
BURNER FLOW PATTERN.
COAL COMBUSTION
HETROGENEOUS SURFACE REACTION
DEVOLATALISATION
P.F. in flame jet is heated by convection as it
entrains and mixes with hot gases
Also heated by radiation.
On heating above 500
O
C coal starts to
decompose and evolves a mixture of
combustible and non-combustible gases.
Surface area dictates the rate of gasification.
At temp. above 900
O
C most of the volatiles are
evolved.

When given adequate air this volatile
matter mix into the jet and its
combution sustain the ignition of flame
The remaining char residue then burns
slowly in the flame and furnace.
COAL COMBUSTION
THERMAL DECOMPOSITION OF COAL
Coal particles are porous contrast to
homogeneous oil droplets which are subject to
surface tension.
Gasifying medium penetrate into pores and
react with the combustible substance
Internal pore walls are also included in the
reactive surface.
These pores widen on heating and as volatiles
leave, enlarge the cavities in the particles
Also explode under internal pressure and
disintegrate into several fragments.
COAL COMBUSTION
STEPS OCCURING
On introduction into furnace p.f. is
dried, devolatalised and ignited.
Volatile matter are momentarily trapped
inside.
Gases diffuse both away from coal
particle and into porous mass of coal.
COAL COMBUSTION
REQUIREMENTS
Flame temperature should be above
ignition temperature
To support combustion flame
temperature should not fall below the
limiting value
High temperature allow high burnout
rate of coal thereby avoid the need of
unduly large furnace
Upper limit on high temperature to
prevent volatalisation of ash

COAL COMBUSTION