Professional Documents
Culture Documents
V Fuel includes all combustible substances that can be obtained on a large scale, which
on buming produces energy. Fuel may be defined as any combustible substance which
contains carbon as a main constituent which on proper burning in air produces large amount
of heat which can be utilized for domestic and industrial purposes economically.
Classification:
Based on occurrence:
a) Natural or primary fuels - Natural gas, petroleum, wood, coal etc.
b) Artificial or secondary fuels - coke, charcoal, LPG, perol, diesel etc.
Dulong's formula
Solid Fucls
Coal
Coal is a highly
carbonaceous matter that has been formed as a result of alteration of
dead plants and aninmals under favourable conditions. It is chiefly
besides non combustible inorganic matter.
composed of C, H, N.O. S
Various types of coal have been recognized on the basis of rank or degree of alteration from
the parent material. They are
peat + lignite + bituminous coal anthracite coal
The transfomation into coal has taken millions of years and is
accomplished by bacteria, heat
and pressure. The transformation of wood to çoal is believed to be due to
bacterial oxidation
under anaerobic conditions resulting into degradation of organic matter.
The transformation results in
(i) Decrease in moisture content, volatile matter
(ii) Decrease in H, O, N, and S contents with a
(iii) Increase in hardness
corresponding rise in carbon content
(iv) Increase in calorific value
Analysis of coal
The analysis of coal is necessary to interpret the
results from the point of vievw of
classification, price fixation, and industrial utilization of coal. There are two types of
(i)Proximate analysis and (ii) Ultimate analysis analysis
Proximate analysis
It gives valuable information regarding the practical
utility of coal. The grading of
coal and industrial uses of coal depends on this analysis.
Significance: High volatile matter content coal burns with a long smoky flame and gives
relatively low calorific value, whereas coal with low volatile matter burns with an intense
short flanme. Thus larger combustion space is required for coal with high volatile matter
content. Hence volatile matter content influences the furnace design.
Determination of ash content: The residuai oal after the determination of volatile matter is
heated without lid in mufMe furne at700+50°C for half an hour. It is taken out cooled and
weighed. The residue is reported as ash.
Significance: Ash contains [ilica, alumina, iron oxide and small quantities of lime, magnesia
etc. Ash reduces the calorific value. Ashes also cause hindrance to the flow of air and heat
causing iregular buming of coal and reduce the temperature. It also form fused ash lumps
called clinkers. This can cause obstruction to the free flow of air. Presence of ash increases
the transporting, handling and storage costs also. Hence lower ash content, better the quality
of coal.
pure O,-+LE
anydrous CaCl,
Fumsce
Cu gauze Cu gauze KOH solution
anhydrous CaC1,
Fig. 2 Estimation of carbon and
Let the weight of coal= W gm hydrogen
4 Xax 100
% of hydrogen in coal =
36 x W
Dept. of Applied Science (Chemistry)
Page 5
formed ='b gm
bulb = amount of CO;
Increase in weight ofKOH
CO:
From the equation,
gnm of carbon.
44 gm ofcO; is produced by 12
v
12 xb gm of carbon el
bgm of C02 will be produced by
12 x b
Wgm of coal contains gm of carbon
44
12 xbx 100
%of carbon in coal= 44 x W
Signiicance: Calorific value is related to carbon content: Higher the %of carbon, greater is
the calorific value and better the quality of coal. Since hydrogen is mainly present in
combination with O as water, which is not desirable, it lowers the calorific value of the fuel.
So lower the %of hydrogen, better the quality of coal.
Determination of Sulphur
A known weight of coal is burñt completely in bomb
calorimeter in a current of
oxygen. During burning, sulphufPresent in coal is oxidized and converted to sulphates. The
acid extract is heated with BaClh solution to give a white
filtered, washed, dried and weighed. precipitate of BaSO4, which is
s’ SQ BaSO
Weight of coal W
gm
32 gm of sulphur gives 233.4 gm of BaSO4
Let the weight of BásO, formed be 'x' gm
233.4 gm of BaSO4 contains 32 gm of sulphur.
X gm BaSO, contains **
233.4 Bim of sulphur.
32 Xx X 100
% of sulphur in coal =
233.4 X W
Significance: Although contributes to the heating value of coal, but its combustion products
So, have corrosive cffects and also cause
atmospheric pollution. Presence of S in
Determination of Nitrogen
Nitrogen present in coal sample is determincd by Kicldahl's metlhod. In this method,
all the nitrogen present is converted to ammonium sulphate by mixing coal willh cOe.
sulphuric acid.
In this method, a known weight of powdered coal sample (0,5 g) is taken in
Kjchdahl's tlask. About 20 ml of conc. H;SO, is added topether with 10 gof K;SO, and 0.5 g
CuSO4. KSO raises the boiling point and ensures the complete reaction, whereas CuSO, act
as acatalyst. The lask is loosely covered by glass bulb and is heated in an inclined position.
Heating is continued until all the N is converted to (NH)2SO4. The solution is then
uanstered to another RB flask and 30 ml of 40% NaOH is added slowly from the sides. The
lask is conected to a condenser through a Kjcldahl's trap. The lower end of the condenser
dins in measured volume of excess of 0.1N HSO:. The RB lask is heated when the NaOH
reacts with (NH):SO, to produce NH, gas. This is absorbed ín excess of 0.1 N H2SO.
containing two drops of methyl red which gives pink colour to acid. Heating is continued
until ammonia is completely evolved and absorbed in HaSO. This stage is indicated by light
pink colour in the acid. The ammonia evolved reacts with excess acid. The unreacted acid is
detemined by titrating with 0.1 N NaOH. A blank titration is also carried out without the
sample.
Contents of
Condenser
Kjeldahl's fask
Kjeldahs ater digesuon
Flask
ANaOH
Known volume
ol suundad
Significance: Niluogen has no calorilie value and hence its presence in coal is undesirable.
Determination of ovygen
eofoxygen= 100 -9% (C + H+ S+Nt ash)
Ash content is determined by proximate analysis.
Significance: Oxvgen content decreases the calorific value of coal. High oxygen content
coals are characterized by high inherent moisture and lower the calorific value. An increase
in 1% oNvgen decreases the calorific value of coal by 1.7%. Lesser the oxygen better is coal.
Liquid fuels
Crude petroleum
Petroleunm or crude oil is the main source of liquid fuels. It is a dark coloured greenish
brown viscous liquid found deep within the earth's crust. As it is mined out, it is also called
mineral oil. There occurs invariably a gas in contact with petroleum deposits called natural
gas which consists mainly of lower alkanes.
Composition : Crude oil is complex mixture of alkane hydrocarbons containing up to 35
carbon atoms. It also contains varying amounts of aromatic hydrocarbons and cycloalkanes
(naphthenes). Besides this, it may also contain small quantities of oxygen, nitrogen and
sulphur compounds. Average composition is:
C= 80-87%, H=11- 15%, S=0.1-3.5%, O=0.1-0.9%, N=0.4-0.9%.
The actual composition varies with the place of origin.
Classification : Crude oil is classified as
i) Paraffin base oil: this consists mainly of saturated hydrocarbons from CHË to
C3sH2 and a little naphthenes and aromatic hydrocarbons. These oils on
distillation gives aresidue of solid paraffin wax.
ii) Asphaltic base oil: consists mainly of non paraffinic hydrocarbons such as
naphthenic and aromatic hydrocarbons. These oils on distillation leaves belhind
asphalt or bitumen.
ii) Mixed base oil: these are intermediate between the parafin and asphaltic base oils
and hence contains varying proportions of paraflinie, naphthenic and aromatic
hydrocarbons.
Mining of petroluem
Crude oil is found in the porous strata beneath the impervious rocks. I is oflen
associated with natural gas above the oil and brine underneath the oil. The natural gas exerts
pressure on the oil surlace and drives it out with great velocity through natural penings. In
Dept. of Applied Science (Chemistry) Page 8
the case of artificial mining, holes are drilled into the earth's crust and pipes are sunk up to
the oil bearing rocks. Oil usually rushes out of the surface by itself because of the hydrostatic
pressure of the natural gas. As the gas pressure subsides, it nmay be pumped out either by lift
pump or by air lill punp mechanically. Air lift pump consists of two coaxial pipes which are
sunk in the oil bed and compressed air is forced through the outer pipe, then oil comes out
through the inner pipe. The oil is convcyed to the refineries by asystem of pipelines.
Refining of erude oil
Crude oil consists nainly mixtures of alkanes having boiling range varying from 0 -
400°C. Cude oil is coming out from the well is in the form of a frothing mixture of solid,
liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons containing sand and water in suspension. In order to make it
etc. The
a marketable product, the oil is made free from impurities like water, dissolved salts
process by which pctroleum is made frce from impurities and separated into various
useful fractions having different boiling points and their further treatment to impart
refining
specific properties is called refining of crude oil. The different steps involved in
are:
De-emulsification : Removal of water
Removal of salts (desalting) : Removal of Salts like NaCl and MgCl2
Removal of Sulphur :
Fractional distillation :
The distillation is carried out in a tubular furnace with a tall steel fractionating column. The
crude oil is heated to about 400°C, whereby.al), thevolatile constituents except the residue
(coke) are evaporated. The hot( vapours are passed to the fractionating column and the
vapours rises up they become coo<er andgets condensed at different heights. The higher
boiling fractions condense at the botom and low boiling fractions move to the higher plates.
This process of condensation, and vapourisation takes place many times causing the
separation of fractions according to their boiling points and are collected at different heights.
Composition table
Boiling
Name of fraction Composition Uses
range
Knocking in engines
Knocking is deined as the sharp metallic noise produced in an internal combustion
engine and results in loss of energy. Knocking is also defined as a sharp metallic noise
paduced in an intemal combustion engine and results in a loss of energy.
In en l.C.Engine (spark ignition) a mixture of fuel and air is compressed and ignited by an
clectric spark and the essential chemical reaction is oxidation of hydrocarbon molecules.
After the initiation of the combustion reaction by the spark, the flame should spread rapidly
and smoothly through the gas mixture and the expanding gas drives the piston down the
cylinder. In some cases the rate of oxidation becomes so great so that the mixture gets ignited
spontaneously producing a sound called knocking. The rate of oxidation depends on the
number of carbon atoms in the molecule, on the structure of hydrocarbon and on the
temperature. The temperature in turn depends on the compression ratio i.e., the ratio of the
gaseous volume at the end of the suctionstroke to that at the end of the compression stroke.
Theoretically the power output and the eficiency should increase continuously with increase
in C.R. The compression ratio corre_ponding to the maximum output is called the Highest
Useful Compression Ratio. When the C.R is increascd beyond this value the fuel gets ignited
even before the regular spark. This pre ignition of the fuel ahead of the flame is called
Knocking.
The knocking tendency depends on the fuel constituents. The tendency to knock
decreases in the order:
Sraight chain hydrocarbons > branched chain hydrocarbons > olefins >
aromatics
cycloalkanes >
Octane number
It has been found that n- heptanes knocks
very badly and has poor resistance to
knocking and its antiknock value has arbitrarily been given zero. Iso octane (2, 2,4-
pentane) is a highly branched paraffi has very good trimethyl
number 100. Thus Octane number is defincd as the knocking resistance and has an octane
present in a mixture of iso octane and n- heptane which percentage by volume of iso octane
as the fuel under
has the same knocking tendency
consideration.
Example: Gasoline said to have an octane number 80,
when it matches its knocking
properties with the mixture of 80% is00ctane and 20% n-
heptane.
Dept. of Applied Science (Chemistry)
Page 10
Antiknocking agents
increased by adding small anmounts
The anti knock properties of gasoline are usually
specific gravity 1.62 and boiling
TELtetra ethyl lead). TEL is a colourless oily liquid withpoisonous. Peirol containing TEL is
has a sweet odour, but it is extremely
point 200°C. Ih
coloured.
combustion TEL retards the rapid combustion of petrol vapour in the cylinder
During plug, cylinder
of metallie lead deposits on the spark lead, chytlene
and deconposes to lead oxide. The cloud
to enpine life. To avoid the deposition of
walls, piston head which is harmful converted to lead
and ethylene dichloride are added. The lead oxide formed is
dibromide
will be removed along with exhaust gases into the atmosphere leading
halides which TEIL.
ollution, MTBE is used as a substituent for
Cetane number
should casily ignite as soon as it is injected into the cylinder
In dìesel engines, the fuel combustion of a fuel in a diesel engine is not
The
of a compression ignition engine. between the injection and start of ignition is called ignition
instantaneous and the interval
is saturated
delay.
diesel fuel is determined byv its cetane number. Cetane
The suitability of a cetane
thus has a short ignition delay. Hence given
hydrocarbon ignites very quickly and compared to any
2-methyl naphthalene has a very long ignition delay as
number l00, but
number =0.
diesel fuel. Hence given cetane cetane present in a
number is defined as the percentage by volume of
Cetane as the
2-methyl naphthalene which has the same ignition quality
mixture of cetane and
diesel fuel under test.
decrèases in the order
Ignition quality of hydrocarbons cycloalkanes > olefins > branched chain hydrocarbons
Straight chain hydrocarbons
aromatics compounds
number of the diesel fuel can be increased by the addition of certain
The cetane nitrate, ethyl
Theignition accelerators added are ethyl
called dopes or ignition accelerators. are added to diesel fuels, it will reduce
nitrate, acetone peroxide. When these
nitrite, iso amyl
reduce the flash point of the fuel. They are added
the delay period. Most ignition accelerators
in diesel fuels having low cetane number.
only in small amounts (2%). They are not effective
Comparison of octane number and cetane number
Cetane number
Octane number
Biodiesel
industrial development of most countries.
Diesel fuels play an important role in the the development of the society. The high
The intensiy of fuel consumption is proportional to by its
demand for diesel in the industrializeddevelop world and pollution problems causeda smaller
renewable encrgy sources with
widespread use makes it necessary to another renewable fucl is required and
envionmental impact. Therefore to replace diesel fuel,esters of higher fatty acids. Biodiesel is
ethyl
that could be biodiesel. Biodiesels are methyl or oils. The conversion of one ester to another is
prepared by the trans esterification of vegelablealcoholysis. This process is done by using
called transesterification. It is also called
methanol/ethanol in presence of Na.
P CNE ePwa n v
Dept. of