Combustion is a rapid chemical reaction between fuel and oxygen. When combustible elements
of fuel combine with O2, heat energy comes out. During combustion combustible elements like
Carbon, Sulfur, Hydrogen etc combine with oxygen and produce respective oxides. The source
of oxygen in fuel combustion is air. By volume there is 21% of Oxygen presents in air and by
weight it is 23.2%. Although there is 79% (by volume) nitrogen in air but it plays no role in
combustion.
Actually Nitrogen carries heat produced during combustion to steam boiler stack. As per
combustion theory the quantity of air required for combustion is that which provides sufficient
O2 to completely oxidize combustible elements of fuel. This quantity of air is normally known as
STOICHIOMETRIC AIR requirement.
This amount of air depends upon the nature of fuel. STOICHIOMETRIC AIR requirements for
different fuels are obtained by analysis of fuel and they are given in tabular form below,
By weight, the
Combustion of Sulfur
So, air required for 1 gm sulfur
Combustion of Hydrogen
Remember the unburnt gas loss is mainly the result of burning carbon to carbon monoxide
instead of carbon dioxide. It is seen that heat release in CO reaction is one third of that in CO2
reaction. So adequate supply of oxygen or excess air will quickly reduce this loss to zero.
A further loss of heat is that due to dry flue gas. It is often referred to as the stack loss. If more
excess air is admitted, this loss increases.