Fuel Combustion

Internal Combustion Engines (ICE)
Training Course for

Engineers Grade 1& 2
Sunway Putra Hotel, KL

24 Sep – 27 Sep 2018
Course Instructor :
Suhaimi Hassan
Tan Pee Pheng
Learning! It Matters
The Combustion Process
Fuels and Combustion
What basic elements are needed for fire to occur?
THE FIRE TRIANGLE
OXYGEN HEAT
FIRE
combustion
FUEL
Undesirable emissions from ICE operation :
- Unburned hydrocarbons (HC),
- carbon monoxide (CO),
- nitrogen oxides (NOx),
- particulate matter (PM).
both for SI and CI engines
Theory of combustion
 Combustion is the rapid chemical combination of oxygen with fuel

that results in the release of heat.
 Perfect or Stoichiometric Combustion is obtained by mixing and

burning precisely the right amounts of fuel and oxygen so no
products are left.
 Complete combustion is obtained when all the hydrocarbons are

oxidized. The excess air takes no part in the process except to
absorb heat from the flame and discharge at the stack. If too
much oxygen is supplied the flame is cooler, short and clear.
 Incomplete Combustion results in an unburned fuel (CO, H,

unburned hydrocarbons and free carbons) blowing out the stack.
Stoichiometric air fuel ratio (AFR) is defined as an

amount of air and fuel to produce a chemically complete
combustion process.
For gasoline engines, the stoichiometric AFR is 14.7:1,

which means 14.7 parts of air to one part of fuel.
The stoichiometric AFR depends on fuel type, for alcohol

stoichiometric AFR is 6.4:1 and 14.5:1 for diesel.
Stoichiometric or theoretical combustion is the ideal

combustion process where fuel is burned completely.
A complete combustion is a process burning all the
carbon (C) to (CO2), all the hydrogen (H) to (H2O) and all
the sulphur (S) to (SO2).
With unburned components in the exhaust gas such as C,

H2, CO, the combustion process is uncompleted and not
stoichiometric .
Hydrocarbon
Hydrocarbon emissions result when fuel molecules in the engine

do not burn or burn only partially.
A number of exhaust hydrocarbons are also toxic, with the

potential to cause cancer.
NITROGEN OXIDES (NOx)
Under the high pressure and temperatureconditions in an

engine, nitrogen and oxygen atomsin the air react to form
various nitrogen oxides, collectively known as NOx.
They also contribute to the formation of acid

rain.
CARBON MONOXIDE
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a product of incomplete

combustion and occurs when carbon in the fuel is partially
oxidized rather than fully oxidized to carbon dioxide (CO).
Carbon monoxide reduces the flow of oxygen in the blood

stream and is particularly dangerous to persons with heart
 Too much combustion air results in energy wastage while too

little air results in fuel wastage as shown in the graph below
Flue Gas Analysis
 Flue gas analysis is used to determine the combustion

efficiency in a gas turbine. It is also required by
Jabatan Alam Sekitar to monitor NOx and SOx
discharge.
 An Orsat apparatus measures the CO2, O2 and CO in

the flue gas by taking one sample at a time.
 To measure oxygen, a zirconium oxide analyzer can be

used.
Fuels
The various types of fuels like solid, liquid and

gaseous fuels are available for firing in boilers,
furnaces and other combustion equipments.
The selection of right type of fuel depends on various

factors such as availability, storage, handling, pollution
and landed cost of fuel.
The Formation of Fuels
• Solar energy is converted to chemical energy
through photo-synthesis in plants
• Energy produced by burning wood or fossil
fuels
• Fossil fuels: coal, oil and natural gas
Learning! It Matters 18
Fuel Types
 There are 2 types of fuel used in a ICE
Liquid fuel
Gas fuel
 Example of Gas fuel - methane, propane, natural gas
 Examples of liquid fuel - diesel, petrol
Energy Content in the Fuel
The calorific value is the measurement of heat or

energy produced, and is measured either as gross
calorific value or net calorific value.
The difference being the latent heat of

condensation of the water vapour produced during
the combustion process.
Fuels should be compared based on the net

calorific value.
Learning! It Matters 21
Fuel oil
 Fuel oil is created from the residue produced from

crude after it has been distilled to produce lighter oils
like gasoline, paraffin, kerosene, diesel or fuel gas.
Pour Point
The temperature recorded which is 50 F higher than the
temperature where the oil appears to be solid. Low sulfur oil
usually have higher pour point.
If the oil temperature falls below the pour point, it cannot be
pumped and can clog strainers and fuel lines.
Flash Point and Fire Point

 Temperature at which fuel oil vaporizes enough to produce a
flash when a flame is brought near the surface of the oil.
 Test is done to identify the safety hazard of the oil. the higher
the flash point, the safer the oil to handle.
 Fire point is the temperature at which the vaporization rate can
sustain combustion
Sulfur Content
Sulfur in oil must be reduced because

Air pollution laws controls sulfur oxide emissions
because of health reasons
Sulfur oxides and moisture produced during
combustion can combine and form sulfuric acid
which causes corrosion.
Liquid Fuel Properties
 Specific gravity
The gravity of oil which is based on the scale developed
by the American Petroleum Institute.
The lower the Degree API, the higher the viscosity,
sulfur content and heating value.
 Viscosity
Oil viscosity is important to ensure efficient combustion.
The higher the viscosity, the more difficult is it for the oil
to flow.
Temperature can affect viscosity. As oil temperature
increases, the oil viscosity reduces and the oil flows
more easily.
Viscosity is the oil's resistance to flow or, an oil's speed

of flow as measured through a device known as a
viscometer.
The thinner (lower viscosity) the quicker of an oil will
flow and the thicker (higher viscosity), the slower it
will flow.
The word W on a viscosity rating it means that this oil
viscosity has been tested at a colder temperature and
numbers without the W are all tested at 212° F or
100° C
Gas Fuel
 Gas is a form of fuel that is easy to burn, with very little

excess air. Fuel gases are available in two different forms ;-
Natural gas – This is gas that has been produced

(naturally) underground. It is used in its natural state,
(except for removal of impurities), and contains a high
proportion of methane.
Liquefied petroleum gases (LPG) – These are gases are

produced from petroleum refining and are stored under
pressure in a liquid state until used. The most common
forms of LPG are propane and butane.
Gaseous fuels in common use are liquefied

petroleum gases (LPG), Natural gas, producer gas,
blast furnace gas, coke oven gas etc.
The calorific value of gaseous fuel is expressed in

Kilocalories per normal cubic meter (kCal/Nm3) i.e.
at normal temperature (20oC) and pressure (760
mm Hg)
Comparing Fuels
Fuel Oil Coal Natural

Gas
Carbon 84 41.11 74
Hydrogen 12 2.76 25
Sulphur 3 0.41 -
Oxygen 1 9.89 Trace
Nitrogen Trace 1.22 0.75
Ash Trace 38.63 -
Water Trace 5.98 -

Fuel Combustion

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Fuel Combustion

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Internal Combustion Engines (ICE)

Training Course for

Sunway Putra Hotel, KL

What basic elements are needed for fire to occur?

THE FIRE TRIANGLE

Undesirable emissions from ICE operation :

- Unburned hydrocarbons (HC),

- carbon monoxide (CO),

- nitrogen oxides (NOx),

- particulate matter (PM).

both for SI and CI engines

 Combustion is the rapid chemical combination of oxygen with fuel

 Perfect or Stoichiometric Combustion is obtained by mixing and

 Complete combustion is obtained when all the hydrocarbons are

 Incomplete Combustion results in an unburned fuel (CO, H,

Stoichiometric air fuel ratio (AFR) is defined as an

For gasoline engines, the stoichiometric AFR is 14.7:1,

The stoichiometric AFR depends on fuel type, for alcohol

Stoichiometric or theoretical combustion is the ideal

With unburned components in the exhaust gas such as C,

Hydrocarbon emissions result when fuel molecules in the engine

A number of exhaust hydrocarbons are also toxic, with the

NITROGEN OXIDES (NOx)

Under the high pressure and temperatureconditions in an

They also contribute to the formation of acid

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a product of incomplete

Carbon monoxide reduces the flow of oxygen in the blood

 Too much combustion air results in energy wastage while too

Flue Gas Analysis

 Flue gas analysis is used to determine the combustion

 An Orsat apparatus measures the CO2, O2 and CO in

 To measure oxygen, a zirconium oxide analyzer can be

The various types of fuels like solid, liquid and

The selection of right type of fuel depends on various

 There are 2 types of fuel used in a ICE

 Example of Gas fuel - methane, propane, natural gas

 Examples of liquid fuel - diesel, petrol

Energy Content in the Fuel

The calorific value is the measurement of heat or

The difference being the latent heat of

Fuels should be compared based on the net

 Fuel oil is created from the residue produced from

Flash Point and Fire Point

Sulfur in oil must be reduced because

Liquid Fuel Properties

Viscosity is the oil's resistance to flow or, an oil's speed

 Gas is a form of fuel that is easy to burn, with very little

Natural gas – This is gas that has been produced

Liquefied petroleum gases (LPG) – These are gases are

Gaseous fuels in common use are liquefied

The calorific value of gaseous fuel is expressed in

Fuel Oil Coal Natural

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