AIN SHAMS UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
International Credit Hour Programs (ICHEP)
ENERGY AND RENEWABLE ENERGY PROGRAM (ERGY)

Fall 2019 Assignment - 5

MEP 363: Combustion and Furnaces
1/1

Introduction to Chemical Kinetics and Reaction Rate

(1) Indicate the main parameters influencing the volumetric reaction rate of a collision-controlled bi-
molecular reaction and show how this reaction varies with reactdness τ.

(2) Prove that for a simple-chemically reacting-system (SCRS), the fuel concentration mfuel, oxidant
concentration moxidant and temperature T vary linearly with reactdness τ. Sketch these linear
relations for lean, stoichiometric and rich mixtures

(3) Show that a bi-molecular reaction in a stoichiometric mixture of fixed pressure and enthalpy can
be expected to proceed at a rate given by:
3 𝐸𝐸
𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅 = 𝑅𝑅𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 = 𝑎𝑎 (𝑇𝑇 − 𝑏𝑏)2 𝑇𝑇 − 2 exp �− � � (𝑆𝑆. 𝐼𝐼. 𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈)
𝑅𝑅 𝑇𝑇
and derive expressions for the constants a and b.

(4) Show that the rate of the reaction, first increases and then decreases with increasing
temperature, derive an expression for the temperature at which the rate is maximum.

(5) A propane (C3H8) - air mixture of equivalence ratio of 1.2. The initial mixture temperature and
pressure are 500 K and 3 bar, respectively. The Activation Temperature (𝐸𝐸/𝑅𝑅�) = 18000 𝐾𝐾 and pre-
exponential factor k = 1.23 × 103. The specific heat under constant pressure is C = 1100 J/kg.K and
heating value of propane is H = 4 × 107 J/kg. Calculate the initial, maximum and final rate of
reaction.
𝐸𝐸
𝑅𝑅𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 = 𝑘𝑘 𝑝𝑝2 𝑚𝑚𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 𝑚𝑚𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑇𝑇 −1.5 exp �− � � (𝑆𝑆. 𝐼𝐼. 𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈)
𝑅𝑅 𝑇𝑇
(6) An overall reaction rate for methane CH4 – air mixture (stoichiometric) can be described by
follows:
𝐸𝐸
𝑅𝑅𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 = 𝑘𝑘 𝑝𝑝2 𝑚𝑚𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 𝑚𝑚𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑇𝑇 −1.5 exp �− � � (𝑆𝑆. 𝐼𝐼. 𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈)
𝑅𝑅 𝑇𝑇
The mass fractions of CH4 (mfuel) and oxidant (moxidant) vary linearly with reactdness τ
(T − To )
Reactdness τ =
(T1 − To )
where To = Initial Mixture Temperature = 298 [k]
T1 = Adiabatic Flame Temperature = 2228 [k] for CH4 – air mixture (stoichiometric)
If pre-exponential factor k = 1.23 × 103
And Activation Temperature (𝐸𝐸/𝑅𝑅�)= 16 839 [k]
a) If oxidation takes place at atmospheric pressure, plot relationship between reaction rate and
temperature.
b) Repeat results for (CH4 – pure oxygen) mixture (stoichiometric). Plot and comment. Take T1 =
Adiabatic Flame Temperature = 3030 k
c) Repeat results for different values of (𝐸𝐸/𝑅𝑅�)=15000, 20000 [k]. Plot and comment.
d) Repeat results for different values of pressures p = 5, 10 and 20 [bar] at constant
temperature T = 2000 k. Plot and comment.