Combustion and Fuels - Applied Thermodynamics
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Combustion and Fuels

Combustion and Fuels

This chapter covers the various types of fuels used in combustion processes, including solid, liquid, and gaseous fuels, along with their characteristics. It also explains the stoichiometry and analysis of combustion reactions, the application of the first law of thermodynamics in combustion, methods for calculating heat using enthalpy tables, and the determination of adiabatic flame temperature. Additionally, it discusses chemical equilibrium and the use of Gibbs free energy in analyzing equilibrium composition.

44 sections

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Sections

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  1. 1
    Introduction To Solid, Liquid And Gaseous Fuels

    This section introduces various types of fuels—solid, liquid, and...

  2. 1.1
    Solid Fuels: Coal, Lignite, Wood, Coke

    This section provides an overview of solid fuels, highlighting key types...

  3. 1.2
    Liquid Fuels: Petrol, Diesel, Kerosene, Fuel Oils

    This section explores the properties and characteristics of liquid fuels...

  4. 1.3
    Gaseous Fuels: Natural Gas, Lpg, Biogas, Producer Gas

    This section covers the various types of gaseous fuels, including natural...

  5. 1.4
    Fuel Characteristics

    This section discusses various characteristics of fuels, including calorific...

  6. 1.4.1
    Calorific Value (Higher And Lower Heating Value)

    This section explores the concepts of calorific value, including the...

  7. 1.4.2
    Moisture Content, Ash Content

    This section delves into the importance of moisture and ash content in...

  8. 1.4.3
    Volatility, Ignition Temperature

    This section discusses the important concepts of volatility and ignition...

  9. 2
    Stoichiometry Of Combustion

    This section covers the stoichiometric principles involved in the combustion...

  10. 2.1
    Combustion Reaction Of Hydrocarbon Fuel

    This section discusses the combustion reaction of hydrocarbon fuels,...

  11. 2.2
    Stoichiometric Air-Fuel Ratio (Afr)

    This section defines the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio (AFR) and discusses...

  12. 2.3

    This section discusses excess air in combustion processes, highlighting its...

  13. 2.4
    Equivalence Ratio (Φ)

    The equivalence ratio (ϕ) is a critical parameter in combustion analysis...

  14. 3
    Exhaust Gas Analysis

    Exhaust gas analysis is crucial for assessing combustion efficiency using...

  15. 3.1
    Measures Volume Fractions Of Co₂, O₂, Co In Flue Gases

    This section discusses the measurement of gas composition in flue gases,...

  16. 3.2
    Used To Determine Combustion Completeness And Excess Air Levels

    This section details exhaust gas analysis techniques and their role in...

  17. 4
    First Law Analysis Of Combustion Reactions

    This section evaluates the energy changes involved in combustion reactions...

  18. 4.1
    For Steady-Flow Combustion At Constant Pressure

    This section explores the principles of steady-flow combustion at constant...

  19. 4.2
    For Closed Systems

    This section covers the first law of thermodynamics as applied to...

  20. 4.3
    Internal Energy And Enthalpy Values

    This section discusses the concepts of internal energy, enthalpy, and their...

  21. 5
    Heat Calculations Using Enthalpy Tables

    This section discusses heat calculations based on enthalpy tables,...

  22. 5.1
    Standard Enthalpy Of Formation (Δhf0)

    The standard enthalpy of formation (ΔHf0) is the heat change when one mole...

  23. 5.2
    Heat Of Reaction

    This section discusses the heat calculations involved in chemical reactions,...

  24. 5.3
    Use Of Enthalpy Tables For

    This section discusses the application of enthalpy tables in calculating...

  25. 5.3.1
    Sensible Enthalpy At Temperatures Other Than Standard

    This section discusses the concept of sensible enthalpy and its significance...

  26. 5.3.2
    Accurate Energy Balance In Combustion Calculations

    This section focuses on how to perform accurate energy balance calculations...

  27. 6
    Adiabatic Flame Temperature

    The adiabatic flame temperature is the final temperature of combustion...

  28. 6.1
    Defined As The Final Temperature Of Products

    This section discusses the adiabatic flame temperature, which is the final...

  29. 6.2
  30. 6.2.1
    Initial Temperature

    This section discusses the importance of initial temperature in combustion...

  31. 6.2.2

    This section introduces the concept of pressure in relation to combustion...

  32. 6.2.3
    Air-Fuel Ratio

    The air-fuel ratio (AFR) is a critical parameter in combustion processes...

  33. 6.2.4
    Degree Of Dissociation

    The degree of dissociation refers to the extent to which reactants break...

  34. 7
    Chemical Equilibrium

    Chemical equilibrium occurs when the forward and reverse reactions in a...

  35. 7.1
    Real Combustion At High Temperatures

    This section discusses the behavior of real combustion processes at high...

  36. 7.2
    At Equilibrium, Gibbs Free Energy Is Minimized

    This section explains how Gibbs free energy is minimized at chemical...

  37. 8
    Equilibrium Composition Using Free Energy

    This section explores how the equilibrium composition of a chemical reaction...

  38. 8.1
    Gibbs Free Energy

    This section addresses the concept of Gibbs free energy and its role in...

  39. 8.2
    Equilibrium Constant

    The equilibrium constant is a measure of the ratio of product concentrations...

  40. 8.3
    Relation To Standard Free Energy Change

    This section covers the relationship between Gibbs free energy and standard...

  41. 8.4
    Equilibrium Compositions Found Using

    This section discusses how to determine equilibrium compositions in...

  42. 8.4.1
    Mass Balance

    Mass balance is a fundamental principle in combustion that involves...

  43. 8.4.2
    Kp Expressions

    This section discusses Kp expressions in combustion chemistry, focusing on...

  44. 8.4.3
    Iterative Solution For Mole Fractions

    This section emphasizes the importance of using an iterative approach for...

What we have learnt

  • Different types of fuels include solids like coal and liquids like petrol, each having specific characteristics such as calorific value and moisture content.
  • Understanding stoichiometry is essential in calculating the air-fuel ratio, excess air, and the equivalence ratio in combustion processes.
  • The analysis of exhaust gases helps determine combustion efficiency and completeness.

Key Concepts

-- Calorific Value
The amount of energy produced by burning a specific quantity of fuel, measured as Higher Heating Value or Lower Heating Value.
-- Stoichiometric AirFuel Ratio (AFR)
The ideal ratio of air to fuel that allows for complete combustion without excess air or fuel.
-- Gibbs Free Energy
A thermodynamic potential that measures the maximum reversible work obtainable from a system at constant temperature and pressure, relevant for equilibrium conditions.
-- Adiabatic Flame Temperature
The theoretical temperature of the products of combustion when no heat is lost to the surroundings, dependent on initial conditions and compositions.

Additional Learning Materials

Supplementary resources to enhance your learning experience.