Assignment 5

MCL 343

Problem 1: Consider a spherical reactor with radius 30 cm and thickness 1 cm filled with
propane-air mixture in stoichiometric ratio and initial temperature of 1400K. Assume the
sphere sits in a quiescent environment and recall that the Nu = 2.0 for such a situation. Take the
kinetics constants for propane combustion from Turns, Table 5.1 and assume homogeneous
conditions within the reactor.

a. Give two possible choices of material for the reactor wall, with justification, if ignition is
to be guaranteed. Use the graphical solution method taught in class.
b. Estimate the minimum value of the ignition delay time.

Problem 2: Consider ethane combustion with air in a well-stirred reactor, with Af = 4.24*108,
n=1.75, p = 1 atm, Ta = 15100K. Assume Cp to be equal and constant for all species at 2 KJ/Kg-K.
Using the approach as developed in class:

A. Plot reactor Temperature and fuel mass fraction vs normalized Mass flow rate,

(in kg/m3-s) until blowout as in Fig 6.7 in Turns. Assume T0=600K.

B. Produce a plot of T0 vs normalized mass flow rate at the blowout condition (in kg/m3-s),
similar to fig 6.8 in Turns. Take the range of T0 to be 450K–800K. You may use equation
8.1.94 (from uploaded chapter notes)

Problem 3: Compute the ignition delay time for the conditions given in Example 6.1 in Turns
and compare with the value observed in figure 6.4. Comment on possible reasons for the
difference.