Estimation and Selection of Air for a Fuel

P M V Subbarao
Professor
Mechanical Engineering Department

A Criteria for Sizing of Furnace & Furnace

Accessories.
 Chemical Models for Real Fuels

Wood nC6 H10O5 

nC8 H10O5 
Peat

nC35 H16O4 
Lignite

Sub-bituminours nC49 H19O4 

Production of Useful Fuels from Crude
 Boiling range, and molecule size for typical refinery

• BOILING RANGE # CARBON ATOMS

• Refinery Gas <25 oC 3
• Gasoline 40-150 oC 4-10
• Naptha 150-200 oC 10-12
• Kerosene 200-300 oC 12-16
• Diesel Fuel 300-400 oC 16-25
• Residual Oil >400 oC >25
 Generation of Fuel Model
• Practical fuels are complex mixtures of compounds.
• Some useful for generation of heat & some are useless.
• Some are threat to environment.
• Proximate Analysis & Ultimate Analysis.
• Proximate analysis - to determine the moisture, ash, volatiles matter and
fixed carbon

National Capital Power Station Dadri

Equilibrated Basis
Sample MOIS. ASH V.M. FC UHV
(%) (%) (%) (%) K.CaI/Kg.

Wash Coal 7.1 33.7 25.0 34.2 3270

Raw Coal 6.4 35.2 25.8 32.6 3159

 Commercial Use of Proximate Analysis

The Energy content -- CFRI Formulae --

Low Moisture Coal(M < 2% ) -- CV (Kcal/kg) = 71.7 FC + 75.6 (VM-0.1 A) - 60 M
High Moisture Coal(M > 2%) -- CV(kcal.kg) = 85.6 {100 - (1.1A+M)} - 60 M

Where, M, A, FC and VM denote moister, ash , fixed carbon and Volatile mater (all in
percent), respectively.
 Ultimate Analysis
• Ultimate or elementary analysis - to determine the elemental
composition of the fuel
Ultimate Analysis: On Air Dried Basis
%
Gross Calorific Value 4370
Carbon Content 51.28
Hydrogen Content 3.18
Wash Coal
Oxygen Content 9.72
Nitrogen Content 0.45
Sulfur Content 0.30
Ash Content 35.07
Gross Calorific Value 4250
Carbon Content 51.00
Hydrogen Content 3.14
Raw Coal Oxygen Content 8.20
Nitrogen Content 0.35
Sulfur Content 0.35
Ash Content 36.96
Ultimate Analysis: On Air Dried Basis
Gross Calorific Value 3884
Carbon Content 42.6
Moisture Content 6.0
Hydrogen Content 3.3
Raw Coal
Oxygen Content 11.5
Nitrogen Content 0.7
Content 0.35
Ash Content 35.7
Fuel Model
Ash Model
 Fuel Model

• Ultimate Analysis of fuel: Gravimetric

• Percentage of carbon : x --- Number of moles, X = x/12
• Percentage of combustible hydrogen : y --- Number of atomic
moles, Y = y/1
• Percentage of combustible oxygen: k --- Number of atomic
moles, K = k/16
• Percentage of sulfur: z – Number of atomic moles, Z = z/32
• Equivalent chemical formula : CXHYSZOK
• Equivalent Molecular weight : 100 kgs.
 Ideal Combustion
• Ideal combustion
• CXHYSZOK + 4.673 (X+Y/4+Z-K/2) AIR → P CO2 +Q
H2O + R N2 + G SO2
• Ideal Air- Fuel Ratio:

 Y K
4.773  28.9   X   Z   1
 A  4 2  F 
    
 F stoi 100  A  stoi
Second law limit on possibility of extent of reaction

• Reactants Products
• At any time a reactor contains a combination of reactants
and products.
• A reaction is said to be complete when the entropy of an
adiabatic furnace reaches its maximum value.
• The value of maximum entropy will vary with the pressure
and temperature of the reaction.
• A reaction system and parameters of reaction should be
designed such the the maximum entropy is obtained when
the reaction is almost complete (>98%).
 Mathematical Model for Completion of Reaction

X R
i
i i   Y j Pj
j

Maximize :  X i s Ri   Y j s Pj
i j
For every fuel, a designer should know all possible reactants !!!
Some products will influence the efficiency of reaction.
Few other may not influence the efficiency of reaction but severely
affect the environment.
The optimal parameters for efficient reaction may not be optimal for
safe reaction !!
 Generalized Theory of Extent of Reaction Possible

P1,T1 P2,T2
Entropy of Universe

P3,T3

Extent of Reaction
 Model Testing for Determination of important species

Water Flow Rate

Air Flow Rate

Flue gas Analysis

Fuel Flow Rate

 Results of Model Testing.

• For a given fuel and required steam conditions.

• Optimum air flow rate.
• Optimum fuel flow rate.
• Optimum steam flow rate.
• Optimum combustion configuration!!!

Realization of MATtr Theory

• Mixing: Fuel preparation systems.
• Air: Draught systems.
• T : Preheating of fuel.
• t : Dimensions of combustion chamber.
 r: Turbulence generation systems.