Combustion

(ME 301A)

Jishnu Bhattacharya
2022
 Adiabatic Flame Temperature (AFT)
AFT important from metallurgical considerations −𝑄
C
CO2
298 K, 1 atm
𝑊=0 600 K, 1 atm
O2

𝑄𝑖𝑛 = −𝑄𝑜𝑢𝑡 = 𝑚(ℎ

ሶ 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡𝑠 − ℎ𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑠 )
𝑄𝑜𝑢𝑡
ℎ𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡𝑠 = ℎ𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑠 −
𝑚ሶ

ℎ𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡𝑠 highest when 𝑄𝑜𝑢𝑡 = 0 (adiabatic system)

Assuming the (generally) gaseous products to be ideal gases with ℎ = ℎ(𝑇)

𝑇𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡𝑠 highest when 𝑄𝑜𝑢𝑡 = 0 Adiabatic Flame Temperature (AFT)

Adiabatic Flame Temperature (AFT): max temperature the combustion

products will reach when the combustion process is adiabatic.
 Adiabatic Flame Temperature (AFT)

AFT

constant-pressure AFT constant-volume AFT 𝑝

For a steady-flow combustion process For a fixed mass of reactants undergoing

at constant pressure, e.g. gas-turbine combustion at constant volume, e.g., in
combustors, furnaces etc. an ideal IC engine Otto cycle 𝑣

Find AFT using Find AFT using

ℎ𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡𝑠 = ℎ𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑠 𝑢𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡𝑠 = 𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑠

෍ 𝑛𝑝 ℎത𝑓0 + ∆ℎത 𝑠 = ෍ 𝑛𝑟 ℎത𝑓0 + ∆ℎത 𝑠 ෍ 𝑛𝑝 ℎത𝑓0 + ∆ℎത 𝑠 − 𝑝𝑣ҧ − ෍ 𝑛𝑟 ℎത𝑓0 + ∆ℎത 𝑠 − 𝑝𝑣ҧ
𝑝 𝑟 𝑝 𝑟
𝑝 𝑟 𝑝 𝑟

𝑝𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑉 = fixed 𝑝𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙

𝑝𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑣ҧ = 𝑅𝑢 (𝑨𝑭𝑻) 𝑉 = fixed

𝑝𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑣ҧ = 𝑅𝑢 𝑇𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙
Adiabatic Flame Temperature (AFT)

Graphical representation

Constant pressure AFT Constant volume AFT

Adiabatic Flame Temperature (AFT)

AFT example
Adiabatic Flame Temperature (AFT)
Adiabatic Flame Temperature (AFT)

If product composition is known,

a) 𝑐𝑝ҧ = 𝑓 𝑇
𝑇𝑎𝑑
∆ℎത 𝑠 = න 𝑐𝑝ҧ 𝑑𝑇 = 𝑔(𝑇𝑎𝑑 )
298𝐾

b) 𝑐𝑝,𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒
ҧ

c) Trial and error

• Assume 𝑇𝑎𝑑

• ത 𝑎𝑑 ) for all species

Look up charts for ℎ(𝑇

• Check if 𝐻𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑠 = 𝐻𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡𝑠 is satisfied.

• If not, choose a different 𝑇𝑎𝑑 .

Adiabatic Flame Temperature (AFT)

Points to note

If equations for sensible enthalpy changes are not available, determination of AFT requires an
iterative process in general.

• Assume 𝑇𝑎𝑑
ത 𝑎𝑑 ) for all species
• Look up charts for ℎ(𝑇
• Check if 𝐻𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑠 = 𝐻𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡𝑠 is satisfied.

Maximum temperature attained in a combustion reaction is less than the AFT due to:
− Incomplete combustion
− Heat loss to the surroundings
− Dissociation of combustion products at high temperature

Maximum temperature attained can be adjusted by controlling the amount of excess air which
acts as a coolant.
Adiabatic Flame Temperature (AFT)

AFT depends on

− The state of the reactants

− Degree of completion of the reaction

− AFT depends on composition of the products (e.g. different 𝑐𝑝ҧ ),
1 “For a specified fuel
CO + O2  CO2
2 @specified state burned with
Reaction complete  only CO2 in product air @specified state,
Reaction incomplete  CO, O2 and CO2 in product AFT is max when complete
combustion occurs with Φ =
− Composition of products in turn depends on AFT (e.g. dissociation) 1.”
• So guess AFT  determine product composition  check AFT

− Amount of excess air

− System pressure – higher pressure tends to suppress dissociation
Adiabatic Flame Temperature (AFT)
Dependence of AFT on excess air (or 𝜱):
Composition  𝑄 released
𝑄 decreases, but 𝑐𝑝 of products decreases faster

Methane-air system: Φ~1.05

𝑇𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 = 600 K
~2350 K

~2200 K 𝑇𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 = 300 K

𝑇𝑎𝑑 (K)

≠ 600 − 300 K
Due to dissociation
Excess air Incomplete combustion
𝐴/𝐹 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑖𝑐
Φ= Φ = 1.0
(𝐴/𝐹) Lean Φ Rich