Material Balances with Reactions:

Combustion Reactions
Module 07

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Learning Outcomes
q Understand the concept of dry basis
q Calculate theoretical and excess air/oxygen
q Perform material balances on combustion reactions

2
Combustion Reactions
• Commonly employed for heat generation
• Reaction involving a fuel (gaseous, liquid, solid) and oxygen, usually
from air
• Depends on the amount of carbon and available hydrogen in the fuel
(Reaction with oxygen produces heat)
(1) C + O2 → CO2 + heat
(2) 2C + O2 → 2CO + heat
(3) 2H2 + O2 → 2H2O + heat
(4) CO + 1/2O2 → CO2 + heat

3
Combustion Reactions
• Theoretical air - amount required for complete combustion of C, H,
(and S)
• Excess air – in excess of that required for complete combustion
• Products of combustion
• CO2, CO, O2, N2, H2O
• Combustion, Flue or Stack gases (wet or dry basis)

n feed − nstoich
% excess = x100%
nstoich

nexcess air nexcessO2 (100 / 21)

% excess air = x100% = x100% = % excess O2
nrequired air nrequired O2 (100 / 21)

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Sample Problem 01
Pure carbon is burned with theoretical amount of air. Calculate the
composition of the combustion gases if:

a. The combustion is complete.

b. 95% of the carbon burns to CO2 and 5% burns to CO.

5
Sample Problem 01 (a)
• Draw the BFD of the process:
Air
21% O2
79% N2

C Combustion Gases
Combustion Chamber CO2
N2

• Chemical Reaction involved: 𝐶 + 𝑂! → 𝐶𝑂!

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Sample Problem 01 (a)
• Basis: 100 kmol C
• CO2 generated: Gen = Out
1 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐶𝑂!
100 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐶 = 100 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐶𝑂!
1 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐶
kmol %
• O2 required:
CO2 100 21
1 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑂!
100 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐶 = 100 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑂! N2 376 79
1 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐶 Total 476 100
• N2 out: In = Out
79 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑁!
100 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑂! = 376 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑁!
21 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑂!

7
Sample Problem 01 (b)
• Draw the BFD of the process:
Air
21% O2
79% N2

C
Combustion Chamber Combustion Gases
CO2
N2
CO
O2
• Chemical Reaction involved:
𝐶 + 𝑂! → 𝐶𝑂!
1
𝐶 + 𝑂! → 𝐶𝑂
2
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Sample Problem 01 (b)
• Basis: 100 kmol C
• CO2 generated: 0.95 (100) = 95 kmol CO2
• CO generated: 0.05 (100) = 5 kmol CO
• O2 required for CO2 production:
1 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑂!
95 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐶𝑂! = 95 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑂!
1 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐶𝑂!
kmol %
• O2 required for CO production:
1/2 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑂! CO2 95 19.85
5 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐶𝑂 = 2.5 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑂!
1 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐶𝑂
• Theoretical O2 CO 5 1.04
1 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑂!
100 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐶
1 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐶
= 100 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑂! (𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑡𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑏𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑡𝑜 𝐶𝑂2) O2 2.5 0.52
• O2 out: In = Out + Cons N2 376 78.58
100 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 = 𝑂𝑢𝑡 + 95 + 2.5 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙
Out = 2.5 kmol Total 478.5 100
• N2 out: In = Out
79 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑁!
100 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑂! = 376 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑁!
21 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑂!

9
Sample Problem 02
• 100 kg of charcoal per hour is burned with 30% excess air. The
charcoal consists of 95% carbon and 5% ash. Calculate the
composition of the flue gas if the combustion is complete.

10
Sample Problem 02
• Draw the BFD of the process:
Air
21% O2
79% N2

Combustion Chamber Flue Gases

100 kg/h Charcoal CO2
95% C N2
5% Ash O2

• Chemical Reaction involved: Ash

𝐶 + 𝑂! → 𝐶𝑂!

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Sample Problem 02
• Basis: 1 hour operation
• Charcoal: 95 kg C (7.92 kmol C), 5 kg ash
• CO2 generated: Gen = Out
1 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐶𝑂!
7.92 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐶 = 7.92 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐶𝑂!
1 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐶 kmol %
• O2 required: CO2 7.92 16.15
1 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑂!
7.92 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐶 = 7.92 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑂! N2 38.75 79
1 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐶
O2 2.38 4.85
• O2 fed: 1.3 (7.92) = 10.3 kmol O2
• O2 excess: 10.3– 7.92 = 2.38 kmol O2 Total 49.05 100
• N2 out: In = Out
79 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑁!
10.3 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑂! = 38.75 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑁!
21 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑂!

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Sample Problem 03
• A liquid fuel consists of 90% carbon and 10% hydrogen by mass. It
burns in a furnace using air 20% in excess of the theoretical amount
necessary for complete combustion. All of the carbon is burned to
CO2 and all the hydrogen to water. The air is substantially dry and
contains 21% O2 and 79% N2. What is the analysis of the combustion
gases on a dry basis?

13
Sample Problem 03
• Draw the BFD of the process:
Air
21% O2
79% N2

Combustion Chamber Flue Gases

Liquid fuel CO2
90% C N2
10% H O2
H 2O
• Chemical Reaction involved:
𝐶 + 𝑂! → 𝐶𝑂!
1
𝐻! + 𝑂! → 𝐻! 𝑂
2
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Sample Problem 03
• Basis: 100 kg fuel (90 kg or 7.5 kmol C, 10 kg or 10 kmol H)
• CO2 generated: Gen = Out
1 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐶𝑂!
7.5 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐶 = 7.5 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐶𝑂!
1 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐶
• H2O generated: Gen = Out
1 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐻! 𝑂 kmol %
10 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐻 = 5 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐻! 𝑂 CO2 7.5 13.72
2 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐻
• O2 required: 7.5 + 2.5 = 10 kmol N2 45.14 82.61
• O2 fed: 1.2 (10) = 12 kmol O2 O2 2 3.67
• O2 excess: 2 kmol Total 54.64 100
• N2 out: In = Out
79 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑁!
12 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑂! = 45.14 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑁!
21 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑂!

15
Sample Problem 04
• Ethane (C2H6) is burned completely with 30% excess air. Calculate the
composition of the combustion gases on a dry basis.

16
Sample Problem 04
• Draw the BFD of the process:
Air
21% O2
79% N2

Combustion Chamber Combustion Gases

C 2H 6 CO2
N2
O2
H 2O

• Chemical Reaction involved:

#
𝐶! 𝐻" + 𝑂! → 2𝐶𝑂! + 3𝐻! 𝑂
!

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Sample Problem 04
• Basis: 100 kmol C2H6
• CO2 generated: Gen = Out
2 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐶𝑂!
100 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐶! 𝐻" = 200 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐶𝑂!
1 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐶! 𝐻"
• O2 required: kmol %
7/2 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑂! CO2 200 9.92
100 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐶! 𝐻" = 350 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑂!
1 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐶! 𝐻" N2 1712 84.88
• O2 fed: 1.3 (350) = 455 kmol O2 O2 105 5.2
• O2 excess: 105 kmol Total 2017 100
• N2 out: In = Out
79 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑁!
455 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑂! = 1712 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑁!
21 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑂!

18
Sample Problem 05
• Burning a liquid fuel consisting only of carbon and hydrogen results in
a gas analyzing 11.72% CO2, 1.3% CO, 4.32% O2, and 82.66% N2. From
this data, calculate the analysis of the liquid fuel. Assume theoretical
amount of air is used.

19
Sample Problem 05
• Draw the BFD of the process:
Air
21% O2
79% N2

Combustion Gases
Fuel
11.72% CO2
C 1.3% CO
H
Combustion Chamber 82.66% N2
4.32% O2

20
Sample Problem 05
• Basis: 100 kmol dry combustion gases
kmol kmol O2 kmol C
CO2 11.72 11.72 11.72
CO 1.3 0.65 1.3
O2 4.32 4.32
N2 82.66
Total 100 16.69 13.02

• O2 supplied: 82.66 (21/79) = 21.97 kmol

• O2 in water formed: 21.97 – 16.69 = 5.28 kmol
• H in fuel:
1 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐻! 2 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐻
5.28 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑂! = 21.12 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐻
1 1 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐻!
2 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑂!

21
Sample Problem 05
• Fuel analysis
kmol kg %
C 13.02 156.24 88.09
H 21.12 21.12 11.91
Total 177.36 100

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Summary
• At the end of Modules 6-7 you should have learned:
üHow to write and balance chemical equations
üHow to define and determine excess and limiting reactants of a reaction
üHow to calculate fractional/percentage excess, conversion, yield, and
selectivity
üHow to perform material balances on industrial reactions
üHow to perform material balances on complete and incomplete combustion
reactions

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