Fuels and Combustion

The use of heat generated by a combustion reaction to produce steam, which drives turbines to produce electricity, may be the single most important commercial application of chemical 

The analysis of fuels and combustion reactions and reactors has always been an important activity for chemical engineers. In this section, we review the properties of the fuels most often used for power generation and outline techniques for energy balances on combustion reactors. 

Fuels burned in power-plant furnaces may be solids, liquids, or gases. Some of the more common fuels are  

Solid fuels Principally coal (a mixture of carbon, water, noncombustible ash, hydrocarbons, and sulfur), coke (primarily carbon—the solid residue left after coal or petroleum is heated, driving off volatile substances and decomposing hydrocarbons), and to a small extent wood and solid waste (garbage). 

Liquid fuels Principally hydrocarbons obtained by distilling crude oil (petroleum) also coal tars and shale oil. There is also a strong worldwide interest in the use of alcohols obtained by fermenting grains. 

Baukal, C.E. Schwartz, R.E. (2001) The John Zink Combustion Handbook. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL. Borman, G.L. Ragland, K.W. (1998) Combustion Engineering. McGraw-Hill, Boston. 

Chomiak, J. (1990) Combustion a Study in Theory, Fact, and Application. Abacus Press, New York. 

Collective (1932) Combustion a Reference Book on Theory and Practice. 3d ed. The American Gas Association (AGA), New York. 

(1995) Combustion fundamentals of fire. Academic Press, London, Toronto. 

Gardiner, W.C. (1984) Combustion Chemistry. Springer-Verlag, New York. 

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M. A. DeLuchi, E. D. Laison, and R. H. WiUiams, Hjdrogen andMethanol Production and Use in Fuel Cell andintemal Combustion Engine Vehicles—-A preliminary Assessment, Vol. 12, Solid Fuel Conversion for the Transportation Sector, ASME, Fuels and Combustion Technologies Division, New York, 1991, pp. 55-70. 

Control Systems. Control systems are used to regulate the addition of Hquid waste feed, auxiHary fuel, and combustion air flows to the incinerator furnace. In addition, scmbber operation is automated to help ensure meeting emission limits. Flows are measured using differential pressure... 

Fuel and Combustion Effects on Particulate Emissions," SP-502. Society of Automotive Engineers, Warrendale, PA, 1981. 

A fireball s radiation hazard can be assessed by two factors its diameter (either as a function of time or original amount of fuel) and combustion duration. Fireball models presented by Lihou and Maund (1982), Roberts (1982), and others start with a hypothetical, premixed sphere of fuel and air (in some cases, oxidant) at ambient temperature. Because the molar volume of any gas at standard conditions... 

Table 19.2 Properties of gaseous fuels and combustion products...

In these calculations, the fuel and combustion air were both at the standard temperature of 25°C. If the temperature of either had been below 25°C, then AllK would have acted to decrease the theoretical flame temperature. If either had been above 25°C, the effect would have been to increase the theoretical flame temperature. One energy conservation technique sometimes used in furnace design is to use waste heat to preheat the combustion air. This has the effect of increasing the theoretical flame temperature, and as will be seen later, increases the fuel efficiency. 

Atmospheres containing hydrogen, fuel and combustible process gases containing more than 30% hydrogen by volume, or gases or vapors of equivalent hazard such as butadiene, ethylene oxide, propylene oxide and acrolein. Group B ... 

J.E. Johnsson and P. Glarborg. Sulfur Chemistry in Combustion I - Sulfur in Fuels and Combustion Chemistry. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Amsterdam, 2000. 

Adequate planning is therefore necessary in storage arrangements to segregate oxidants from fuels and reducants, and fuels and combustible materials from compressed gases and water-reactive compounds. This will minimise the possibility of... 

Gas turbines have enjoyed a resurgence in popularity in recent years, mainly due to substantial improvements in efficiency [2,3]. Many implementations are possible for gas turbines, but in its basic configuration, atmospheric air is drawn into a rotary compressor (Figure 9.10). The compressed air enters the combustor, where it mixes with fuel and combustion takes place. The hot gases subsequently enter a turbine where mechanical work is extracted. The gases then exit at atmospheric pressure. 

Due to the different fate of lubricants during their use, e.g. contamination by fuel and combustion products of engine oils, the toxicity of used lubricants may be significantly different than that of fresh oils. Fluids which are considered environmentally friendly must not only be biodegradable, but also relatively nontoxic, in both their initial form and degradation products. Their effects on flora and fauna must be minimal. There are two common tests to evaluate toxicity the Microtox and the Rainbow Trout bioassay. Considerable environmental toxicity testing has been carried out on esters fluids. Esters cause minimal acute toxicity by ingestion and skin absorption. 

Longwell, J. P., "Synthetic Fuels and Combustion," Sixteenth International Symposium on Combustion, The Combustion Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, 1976 pp. 1-15. 

Perry s Chemical Engineer s Handbook provides a thorough discussion of fuels and combustion. ... 

Table VI. Impact of Fuel and Combustion Control Primary Prioritization on Achieving National Ambient Air Quality Standard in Eastern Problem AQCR s...

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