Combustion of Fuel in a Furnace

(Computations based on Wet Basis)

Given: Coal from California, Bituminous (on page Steam Power Plant by Gebhardt)

Fuel Number (Fuel Type)

Ultimate Analysis Excess Air
Ash S H C N O e = 10 %
1.00

Oxygen Theoretically Required

Computing for the oxygen required for each element
For Carbon
C + O2 → CO 2
12C + (16  2)O2 → (12 + 16  2)CO 2
1
12C + 32O2  → (44CO2 ) 1 
12  12 

C + 2.67 O2 → 3.67 CO 2

This means that per kg of coal needs 2.67 kg of O 2

For Hydrogen
H + O2 → H2 O

4H + O2 → 2H2 O

4  (1)H + (16  2)O2 → 2(2 + 16 )H2O

4H + 32O 2 → 36H2 O

1 1
 4H + 32O 2  → 36 H2O 
4
  4
H + 8O2 → 9H2 O
Therefore, per kg of coal needs 8 kg of O 2
For Sulfur
S + O 2 → SO 2

32S + 32 O 2 ¨ 32 S O 2

32S + (2x16)O2 → 32 + 2x16 SO2

 1   1 
 32S + 32O2  → 64SO2  
 32   32 
S + O 2 → 2SO 2

Per kg of coal required 1 kg of O2

 Elements N2 and Ash can be ignored because they are inert in combustion while O 2
decreases the oxygen required.
Tabulating the oxygen required for each element
Elements Percent Oxygen required per kg of element Total
C x 2.67 +
H x 8.00 +
S x 1.00 +
O2 -
2.4340

Weight of Air Theoretically Required

Air at sea level is principally composed of 23.2% Oxygen and 76.8% Nitrogen by
weight. Therefore to compute the weight of air theoretically required, divide the
weight of oxygen theoretically required by 0.232
2.4340 kg of oxygen theoretically required
kg coal
Wta =
0.232

Wta =
10.4914 kg of air theoretica lly required
kg coal

The amount of N2 in air required is Wta − W to by weight

Wnitrogen in ta = 10.4914 - 2.4340 to reheater

Wnitrogen in ta = 8.0574 kg nitrogen

kg coal

Weight of the Products of Combustion

Fuel Constituents + Oxygen

C + CO2
H + H2O
O2
N2 0
S + SO2
Nitrogen present in W ta and Coal N2
kg flue gas per kg coal
Ash Content
Total kgFlue Gas per kg coal
Volume of Flue Gas
From Avogadro’s Law which states that under same conditions of pressure
and temperature, 1 mol of any gas will occupy the same volume. At sea level (14.7 psia, 0 oC)
a mol of any gas will occupy 10.2 m 3.
 PV = nRT
Using ratio and proportion:
P2 V2 m R T
= 2 2 2
P1 V1 m1R1 T1

R kJ mol
R= R = 8.314 same for any gas
n kg K
Substituting to the equation and substituting the conditions
R
m2 T2 P2 = P1 = 101.3 kPa
P2 V2 n2
=
P1 V1
m1
R
T1 m1 = 1 kg n1 = 1 mol
n1

m2 V1 T2
V2 = V1 = 10.2 m3 T1 = 0 o C = 273 K
n2 T1
10.2m2 T2 equation 2-1
V2 =
273n 2

Wherein
T2 is the absolute temperature of flue gas from 3rd Checking, t gD
T2 = 441.07 + 273 = 714 K
Tabulation of Volume of Products
Molecular
Products Weight Calculation using 2-1 Volume
Weight
10.20 2.8600 714
CO2 2.8600 44 1.7342
273 44
10.20 0.4716 714.073
H2O 0.4716 18 0.6990
273 18
Total N2 including 10.20 8.0697 714.073
8.0697 28 7.6892
Nitrogen in the fuel 273 28
10.20 0.019 714.073
SO2 0.0190 64 0.0079
273 64
Total 10.13

Air Actually Required using Excess Air

raf = Wta(1+ e%) Assume e = 10 %

raf = 10.4914 1.10

raf = 11.5405 kgair
kgfuel
 Weight of the Products of Combustion
rgf = Wproduct of combustion + Wta(Excess Air)
rgf = 11.4914 + 10.4914 0.10
kgflue gas
rgf = 12.5405 kgfuel

Volume of the Products of Combustion

10.2mairTair mair = Wta (Excess Air)

Vair =
273nair = 10.4914 0.10
= 1.0491
Tair = 714 K
nair = 29

10.20 1.0491 714

Vair =
273 29
Vair = 0.9652 m3
kg coal

Vproducts of combustion = 10.1303 + 0.9652

Vproducts = 11.0955 m3
of combustion
kg coal

Solving for Gravimetric Analysis of the Product of Combustion

Products of Combustion kgproduct per kg coal %
CO2 2.8600 22.9361 %
%H2O 0.4716 3.7821 %
%SO2 0.0190 0.1524 %
%N2 8.0697 64.7158 %
%Excess Air 1.0491 8.4137 %
Total 12.4694 100.0000 %
To check, if Ash Content is added to the total Product of Combustion
WeightGravimetric Analysis + Ash Content = (rgf) Weightproduct of combustion

12.4694 + 0.0711 = 12.5405

12.5405 = 12.5405
 Molecular Weight of Product of Combustion

MW = %CO2 44 + %H2O 18 + %SO2 64 + %N2 28 + %Excess Air 29

MW = 0.2294 44 + 0.0378 18 + 0.0015 64 + 0.6472 28 + 0.0841 29
MW = 10.092 + 0.681 + 0.098 + 18.120 + 2.440
MW = 31.431 moles

Gas Constant of Product of Combustion

8.3140
Rg =
MW
8.3140
Rg =
31.4306
Rg = 0.2645 kJ/kg-OC

Solving for Density of Product of Combustion

Patm
ρg =
Rg TgD

101.325
ρg =
0.265 714.073
ρg = 0.5364 kg/m3
Heating Value of Fuel
Using Dulong's Formula
O2
HHV = 14600 C + 63000 H + 3450 S
8

HHV = 14600 + 63000 - + 3450

8
HHV = 11388.00 + 2712.94 + 32.78
HHV = 14133.71 BTU/lb
HHV = 32878.90 kJ/kg