B51ER2 – Thermodynamics 2

Combustion Tutorial
1. Methane and air, entering at 25°C react in an adiabatic combustion chamber at 1
bar. Estimate the temperature of the products of combustion, neglecting
dissociation, if
a) the mixture is stoichiometric
b) the mixture has an equivalence ratio of 0.8.
c) the mixture has an equivalence ratio of 1.1.

Hint: For the rich case not all of the fuel is consumed, some of it is converted
to CO. What happens to the heat released per kmol of fuel burnt?

[2,327K, 2,016K, 2,226K]

2. Hydrogen and air enter an adiabatic combustion chamber at 25’C and leave at
2,127C. Estimate the air fuel air ratio if it is a lean mixture and if it is a rich
mixture. Note the answer is expressed as an equivalence ratio.
[0.917, 1.23]

3. The air and hydrogen of Q2 are preheated to 327oC before entry to the
combustion chamber and the air-fuel ratio is adjusted to maintain the temperature
at 2127’C. Calculate the new air-fuel ratio and the percentage fuel saving due to
preheating
[1:44.9, 16%]

4. A stoichiometric mixture of oxygen and CO reacts in a cooled combustion chamber and

the exhaust is an equilibrium mixture at 1 bar 2,500K. Estimate the composition of the
mixture. Include disassociation.
[𝑦𝐶𝑂2 = 0.82, 𝑦𝐶𝑂 = 0.12, 𝑦𝑂2 = 0.06]

5. lf the reactants in Q4 enter the combustion chamber at 25oC at a rate of 0.1 kg/s
estimate the rate of heat transfer from the combustion chamber.
[286 kW]

CHALLENGE QUESTION

6. A mixture of CO and air equivalence ratio 1.1 is compressed to a pressure of

8.28bar and a temperature of 282oC. The mixture is ignited and combustion
occurs adiabatically at constant volume. The maximum temperature attained is
2695oC. Show that the pressure attained is 38.88 bar and that the concentration of
CO2 in the product stream is 27.8% on a mole basis.

(Note. This is part of a more complex calculation - an energy balance would be

required to determine the maximum temperature)