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SECTION 3
COMBUSTION
Combustion Calculations Using the
Million BTU (1.055 MJ) Method 3.1
Savings Produced by Preheating
Combustion Air 3.4
Combustion of Coal Fuel in a
Furnace 3.5
Percent Excess Air While Burning
Coke 3.8
Combustion of Fuel Oil in a
Furnace 3.9
Calculation Procedure:
COMBUSTION
3.2
POWER GENERATION
575 (890.95)
650 (1007.2)
670 (1038.2)
720 (1115.6)
730 (1131.1)
745750 (1154.41162.1)
760 (1177.6)
780 (1208.6)
800 (1239.5)
To determine the energy input to the boiler, use the relation Qf (Qs) / Eh, where
energy input by the fuel, Btu / hr (W); Qs energy absorbed by the steam in the
boiler, Btu / Hr (W); Qs energy absorbed by the steam, Btu / hr (W); Eh efciency of the boiler on an HHV basis. Substituting for this boiler, Qf 100 /
0.83 120.48 million Btu / hr on an HHV basis (35.16 MW).
2. Estimate the quantity of dry air required by this boiler
The total air required Ta (Qf)(Fuel constant from list above). For natural gas,
Ta (120.48)(730) 87,950 lb / hr (39,929 kg / hr). With 15 percent excess air,
total air required (1.15)(87,950) 101,142.5 lb / hr (45,918.7 kg / hr).
3. Compute the quantity of wet air required
Air has some moisture because of its relative humidity. Estimate the amount of
moisture in dry air in M lb / lb (kg / kg) from, M 0.622 ( pw) / (14.7 pw), where
0.622 is the ratio of the molecular weights of water vapor and dry air; pw partial
pressure of water vapor in the air, psia (kPa) saturated vapor pressure (SVP)
relative humidity expressed as a decimal; 14.7 atmospheric pressure of air at sea
level (101.3 kPa). From the steam tables, at 80 F (26.7 C), SVP 0.5069 psia
(3.49 kPa). Substituting, M 0.622 (0.5069 0.65) / (14.7 [0.5069 0.65])
0.01425 lb of moisture / lb of dry air (0.01425 kg / kg).
The total ow rate of the wet air then 1.0142 (101,142.5) 102,578.7 lb / hr
(46,570.7 kg / hr). To convert to a volumetric-ow basis, recall that the density of
air at 80F (26.7C) and 14.7 psia (101.3 kPa) 39 / (480 80) 0.0722 lb / cu
ft (1.155 kg / cu m). In this relation, 39 a constant and the temperature of the air
is converted to degrees Rankine. Hence, the volumetric ow 102,578.7 / (60
min / hr)(0.0722) 23,679.3 actual cfm (670.1 cm m / min).
4. Estimate the rate of fuel ring and ue-gas produced
The rate of fuel ring Qf / HHV (120.48 106) / 23,000 5238 lb / hr (2378
kg / hr). Hence, the total ue gas produced 5238 102,578 107,816 lb / hr
(48,948 kg / hr).
If the temperature of the ue gas is 400F (204.4C) (a typical value for a naturalgas red boiler), then the density, as in Step 3 is: 39 / (400 460) 0.04535 lb /
cu ft (0.7256 kg / cu m). Hence, the volumetric ow (107,816) / (60 min / hr
0.04535) 39,623.7 actual cfm (1121.3 cu m / min).
Related Calculations. Detailed combustion calculations based on actual fuel
gas analysis can be performed to verify the constants given in the list above. For
example, let us say that the natural-gas analysis was: Methane 83.4 percent;
Ethane 15.8 percent; Nitrogen 0.8 percent by volume. First convert the analysis
to a percent weight basis:
COMBUSTION
3.3
COMBUSTION
Fuel
Percent volume
MW
Col. 2 Col. 3
Percent weight
Methane
Ethane
Nitrogen
83.4
15.8
0.8
16
30
28
1334.4
474
22.4
72.89
25.89
1.22
Note that the percent weight in the above list is calculated after obtaining the sum
under Column 2 Column 3. Thus, the percent methane (1334.4) / (1334.4
474 22.4) 72.89 percent.
From a standard reference, such as Ganapathy, Steam Plant Calculations Manual, Marcel Dekker, Inc., nd the combustion constants, K, for various fuels and
use them thus: For the air required for combustion, Ac (K for methane)(percent
by weight methane from above list) (K for ethane)(percent by weight ethane);
or Ac (17.265)(0.7289) (16.119)(0.2589) 16.76 lb / lb (16.76 kg / kg).
Next, compute the higher heating value of the fuel (HHV) using the air constants
from the same reference mentioned above. Or HHV (heat of combustion for
methane)(percent by weight methane) (heat of combustion of ethane)(percent by
weight ethane) (23,879)(0.7289) (22,320)(0.2589) 23,184 Btu / lb (54,018.7
kJ / kg). Then, the amount of fuel equivalent to 1,000,000 Btu (1,055,000 kJ)
(1,000,000) / 23,184 43.1 lb (19.56 kg), which requires, as computed above,
(43.1)(16.76) 722.3 lb dry air (327.9 kg), which agrees closely with the value
given in Step 1, above.
Similarly, if the fuel were 100 percent methane, using the steps given above,
and suitable constants from the same reference work, the air required for combustion is 17.265 lb / lb (7.838 kg / kg) of fuel. HHV 23,879 Btu / lb (55,638 kJ / kg).
Hence, the fuel in 1,000,000 Btu (1,055,000 kJ) (1,000,000) / (23,879) 41.88
lb (19.01 kg). Then, the dry air per million Btu (1.055 kg) red (17.265)
(41.88) 723 lb (328.3 kg).
Likewise, for propane, using the same procedure, 1 lb (0.454 kg) requires 15.703
lb (7.129 kg) air and 1 million Btu (1,055,000 kJ) has (1,000,000) / 21,661 46.17
lb (20.95 kg) fuel. Then, 1 million Btu (1,055,000 kJ) requires (15.703)(46.17)
725 lb (329.2 kg) air. This general approach can be used for various fuel oils and
solid fuelscoal, coke, etc.
Good estimates of excess air used in combustion processes may be obtained if
the oxygen and nitrogen in dry ue gases are measured. Knowledge of excess air
amounts helps in performing detailed combustion and boiler efciency calculations.
Percent excess air, EA 100(O2CO2) / [0.264 N2(O2CO / 2)], where O2
oxygen in the dry ue gas, percent volume; CO percent volume carbon monoxide; N2 percent volume nitrogen.
You can also estimate excess air from oxygen readings. Use the relation, EA
(constant from list below)((O2) / (21O2).
Constants for Excess Air Calculations
Fuel
Constant
Carbon
Hydrogen
Carbon monoxide
Sulfur
Methane
Oil
Coal
Blast furnace gas
Coke oven gas
100
80
121
100
90
94.5
97
223
89.3
COMBUSTION
3.4
POWER GENERATION
COMBUSTION
COMBUSTION
3.5
Calculation Procedure:
Note that of the total oxygen needed for combustion, 0.0505 lb (0.023 kg), is
furnished by the fuel itself and is assumed to reduce the total external oxygen
required by the amount of oxygen present in the fuel. The molecular-weight ratio
is obtained from the equation for the chemical reaction of the element with oxygen
in combustion. Thus, for carbon C O2 CO2, or 12 32 44, where 12 and
32 are the molecular weights of C and O2, respectively.
2. Compute the weight of air required for perfect combustion
Air at sea level is a mechanical mixture of various gases, principally 23.2 percent
oxygen and 76.8 percent nitrogen by weight. The nitrogen associated with the
2.5444 lb (1.154 kg) of oxygen required per pound (kilogram) of coal burned in
this furnace is the product of the ratio of the nitrogen and oxygen weights in the
air and 2.5444, or (2.5444)(0.768 / 0.232) 8.4228 lb (3.820 kg). Then the weight
of air required for perfect combustion of 1 lb (0.45 kg) of coal sum of nitrogen
and oxygen required 8.4228 2.5444 10.9672 lb (4.975 kg) of air per pound
(kilogram) of coal burned.
3. Compute the weight of the products of combustion
Find the products of combustion by addition:
COMBUSTION
3.6
POWER GENERATION
In this calculation, the temperature correction factor 2.15 absolute ue-gas temperature, R / absolute atmospheric temperature, R (600 460) / (32 460). The
total weight of N2 in the ue gas is the sum of the N2 in the combustion air and
the fuel, or 8.4228 0.0103 8.4331 lb (3.8252 kg). The value is used in computing the ue-gas volume.
5. Compute the CO2 content of the ue gas
The volume of CO2 in the products of combustion at 600F (316C) is 53.6 ft3
(1.158 m3), as computed in step 4; and the total volume of the combustion products
is 303.85 ft3 (8.604 m3). Therefore, the percent CO2 on a wet basis (i.e., including
the moisture in the combustion products) ft3 CO2 / total ft3 53.6 / 303.85
0.1764, or 17.64 percent.
The percent CO2 on a dry, or Orsat, basis is found in the same manner, except
that the weight of H2O in the products of combustion, 17.6 lb (7.83 kg) from step
4, is subtracted from the total gas weight. Or, percent CO2, dry, or Orsat basis
(53.6) / (303.85 17.6) 0.1872, or 18.72 percent.
COMBUSTION
COMBUSTION
3.7
COMBUSTION
3.8
POWER GENERATION
tomers more than $60-million annually by displacing about 14-million bbl (2.2
million cu m) of oil per year.
To reduce costs, the company built the rst coal-red collier, Fig. 1, in more
than 50 years in the United States, and assumed responsibility for coal transportation to its stations, cutting operating costs by more than $2-million per year. The
collier makes economic sense because the utility stations in the system are not
accessible by rail. This ship, the Energy Independence, has been an economic success for the utility. Measuring 665 ft (203 m) long by 95 ft (29 m) wide by 56 ft
(17 m) deep with a 34-ft (10-m) draft, the vessel discharges a typical 40,000-ton
load in 12 hours.
Data in these two paragraphs and Fig. 1 are from Power magazine.
Calculation Procedure:
1. Compute the amount of theoretical air required per lbm (kg) of coal
Theoretical air required per pound (kilogram) of coal, wta 11.5C 34.5[H2
O2 / 8)] 4.32S, where C, H2, O2, and S represent the percentages by weight,
expressed as decimal fractions, of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and sulfur, respec-
COMBUSTION
COMBUSTION
3.9
COMBUSTION
3.10
POWER GENERATION
COMBUSTION
COMBUSTION
3.11
The total weight of N2 in the ue gas is the sum of the N2 in the combustion air
and the fuel, or 10.4580 0.0022 10.4602 lb (4.707 kg).
5. Compute the CO2 content of the ue gas
CO2, wet basis, 55.0 / 387.82 0.142, or 14.2 percent. CO2, dry basis, 55.0 /
(387.2 43.5) 0.160, or 16.0 percent.
6. Compute the air required with stated excess ow
The pounds (kilograms) of air per pound (kilogram) of oil with 20 percent excess
air (1.20)(13.6176) 16.3411 lb (7.353 kg) of air per pound (kilogram) of oil
burned.
7. Compute the weight of the products of combustion
The weight of the products of combustion product weight for perfect combustion,
lb (percent excess air)(air for perfect combustion, lb) 14.6173
(0.20)(13.6176) 17.3408 lb (7.803 kilogram) of ue gas per pound (kilogram)
of oil burned with 20 percent excess air.
8. Compute the volume of the combustion products and the percent CO2
The volume of excess air in the products of combustion is found by converting
from the weight to the volumetric analysis and correcting for temperature as in step
4, using the air weight from step 2 for perfect combustion and the excess-air percentage, or (13.6176)(0.20)(359 / 28.95)(2.15) 72.7 ft3 (2.058 m3). Add this to the
volume of the products of combustion found in step 4, or 387.82 72.70 460.52
ft3 (13.037 m3).
By using the procedure in step 5, the percent CO2, wet basis 55.0 / 460.52
0.1192, or 11.92 percent. The percent CO2, dry basis 55.0 / (460.52 43.5)
0.1318, or 13.18 percent.
Related Calculations. Use the method given here when making combustion
calculations for any type of fuel oilparafn-base, asphalt-base, Bunker C, no. 2,
3, 4, or 5from any source, domestic or foreign, in any type of furnaceboiler,
heater, process, or waste-heat. When the air used for combustion contains moisture,
as is usually true, this moisture is added to the combustion-formed moisture appearing in the products of combustion. Thus, for 80F (26.7C) air of 60 percent
relative humidity, the moisture content is 0.013 lb / lb (0.006 kg / kg) of dry air. This
amount appears in the products of combustion for each pound (kilogram) of air
used and is a commonly assumed standard in combustion calculations.
COMBUSTION
3.12
POWER GENERATION
Calculation Procedure:
The sum of the weight percentages 1.03 86.25 7.18 5.54 100.00. This
sum checks the accuracy of the weight calculation, because the sum of the weights
of the component parts should equal 100 percent.
Next, nd the oxygen required for combustion. Since both the CO2 and N2 are
inert, they do not take part in the combustion; they pass through the furnace unchanged. Using the molecular weights of the remaining components in the gas and
the weight percentages, we have
In this calculation, the molecular-weight ratio is obtained from the equation for
the combustion chemical reaction, or CH4 2O2 CO2 2H2O, that is, 16
64 44 36, and C2H6 72O2 2CO2 3H2O, that is 30 112 88 54.
See Table 2 from these and other useful chemical reactions in combustion.
COMBUSTION
3.13
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COMBUSTION
3.14
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COMBUSTION
COMBUSTION
3.15
COMBUSTION
3.16
POWER GENERATION
In this calculation, the value of 379 is used in the molecular-weight ratio because
at 60F (15.6C) and 14.7 lb / in2 (abs) (101.3 kPa), the volume of 1 lb (0.45 kg)
of any gas 379 / gas molecular weight. The fuel gas used is initially at 60F
(15.6C) and 14.7 lb / in2 (abs) (101.3 kPa). The ratio 2.255 (650 460) / (32
460).
5. Compute the CO2 content of the ue gas
CO2, wet basis 2.265 / 23.88 0.947, or 9.47 percent. CO2 dry basis 2.265 /
(23.88 4.425) 0.1164, or 11.64 percent.
6. Compute the air required with the stated excess ow
With 20 percent excess air, (1.20)(16.132) 19.3584 lb of air per lb (8.71 kg / kg)
of natural gas, or 19.3584 / 22.1 0.875 lb of air per ft3 (13.9 kg / m3) of natural
gas. See step 4 for an explanation of the value 22.1.
7. Compute the weight of the products of combustion
Weight of the products of combustion product weight for perfect combustion, lb
(percent excess air) (air for perfect combustion, lb) 16.80 (0.20)(16.132)
20.03 lb (9.01 kg).
8. Compute the volume of the combustion products and the percent CO2
The volume of excess air in the products of combustion is found by converting
from the weight to the volumetric analysis and correcting for temperature as in step
4, using the air weight from step 2 for perfect combustion and the excess-air percentage, or (16.132 / 22.1)(0.20)(379 / 28.95)(2.255) 4.31 ft3 (0.122 m3). Add this
to the volume of the products of combustion found in step 4, or 23.88 4.31
28.19 ft3 (0.798 m3).
By the procedure in step 5, the percent CO2, wet basis 2.265 / 28.19 0.0804,
or 8.04 percent. The percent CO2, dry basis 2.265 / (28.19 4.425) 0.0953,
or 9.53 percent.
Related Calculations. Use the method given here when making combustion
calculations for any type of gas used as a fuelnatural gas, blast-furnace gas, cokeoven gas, producer gas, water gas, sewer gasfrom any source, domestic or foreign, in any type of furnaceboiler, heater, process, or waste-heat. When the air
used for combustion contains moisture, as is usually true, this moisture is added to
the combustion-formed moisture appearing in the products of combustion. Thus,
for 80F (26.7C) air of 60 percent relative humidity, the moisture content is 0.013
lb / lb (0.006 kg / kg) of dry air. This amount appears in the products of combustion
for each pound of air used and is a commonly assumed standard in combustion
calculations.
COMBUSTION
COMBUSTION
3.17
Calculation Procedure:
COMBUSTION
3.18
POWER GENERATION
In this calculation the temperature correction factor 2.15 (absolute ue-gas temperature, R) / (absolute atmospheric temperature, R) (600 460) / (32 460).
The total weight of N2 is the sum of the N2 in the combustion air and the fuel.
5. Compute the CO2 content of the ue gas
The CO2, wet basis 31.5 / 233.2 0.135, or 13.5 percent. The CO2, dry basis
31.5 / (233.2 28.6 35.9) 0.187, or 18.7 percent.
6. Compute the air required with the stated excess ow
With 20 percent excess air, (1.20)(6.527) 7.832 lb (3.524 kg) of air per lb (kg)
of wood burned.
7. Compute the weight of the products of combustion
The weight of the products of combustion product weight for perfect combustion,
lb (percent excess air)(air for perfect combustion, lb) 8.280 (0.20)(6.527)
9.585 lb (4.313 kg) of ue gas per lb (kg) of wood burned with 20 percent
excess air.
8. Compute the volume of the combustion products and the percent CO2
The volume of the excess air in the products of combustion is found by converting
from the weight to the volumetric analysis and correcting for temperature as in step
4, using the air weight from step 2 for perfect combustion and the excess-air percentage, or (6.527)(0.20)(359 / 28.95)(2.15) 34.8 ft3 (0.985 m3). Add this to the
volume of the products of combustion found in step 4, or 233.2 34.8 268.0
ft3 (7.587 m3).
By using the procedure in step 5, the percent CO2, wet basis 31.5 / 268
0.1174, or 11.74 percent. The percent CO2, dry basis 31.5 / (268 28.6
35.9 0.20 0.837) 0.155, or 15.5 percent. In the dry-basis calculation, the
factor (0.20)(0.837) is the outside moisture in the excess air.
Related Calculations. Use the method given here when making combustion
calculations for any type of wood or woodlike fuelspruce, cypress, maple, oak,
sawdust, wood shavings, tanbark, bagesse, peat, charcoal, redwood, hemlock, r,
ash, birch, cottonwood, elm, hickory, walnut, chopped trimmings, hogged fuel,
straw, corn, cottonseed hulls, city refusein any type of furnaceboiler, heating,
process, or waste-heat. Most of these fuels contain a small amount of ashusually
less than 1 percent. This was ignored in this calculation procedure because it does
not take part in the combustion.
COMBUSTION
COMBUSTION
3.19
COMBUSTION
3.20
POWER GENERATION
In this tabulation, the factors in column 3 are constants used for computing the
total moles of air required for complete combustion of each of the fuel elements
listed. These factors are given in the Babcock & Wilcox CompanySteam: Its
Generation and Use and similar treatises on fuels and their combustion. A tabulation of these factors is given in Table 3.
An alternative, and simpler, way of computing the moles of air required is to
convert the required O2 to the corresponding N2 and nd the sum of the O2 and
N2. Or, 376O2 N2; N2 O2 moles of air required. The factor 3.76 converts
the required O2 to the corresponding N2. These two relations were used to convert
the 0.158 mol of O2 in the above tabulation to moles of air.
Using the same relations and the moles of O2 required from step 2, we get
(3.76)(7.942) 29.861 mol of N2. Then 29.861 7.942 37.803 mol of air,
which agrees closely with the 37.823 mol computed in the tabulation. The difference of 0.02 mol is traceable to roundings.
COMBUSTION
COMBUSTION
3.21
In this calculation, the total moles of CO2 is obtained from step 2. The moles of
H2 in 100 lb (45 kg) of the fuel, 2.280, is assumed to form H2O. In addition, the
air from step 4, 47.24 mol, contains 0.013 lb of moisture per lb (0.006 kg / kg) of
air. This moisture is converted to moles by dividing the molecular weight of air,
28.95, by the molecular weight of water, 18, and multiplying the result by the
moisture content of the air, or (28.95 / 18)(0.013) 0.0209, say 0.021 mol of water
per mol of air. The product of this and the moles of air gives the total moles of
COMBUSTION
3.22
POWER GENERATION
moisture (water) in the combustion products per 100 lb (45 kg) of fuel red. To
this is added the moles of O2, 0.158, per 100 lb (45 kg) of fuel, because this oxygen
is assumed to unite with hydrogen in the air to form water. The nitrogen in the
products of combustion is that portion of the moles of air required, 47.24 mol from
step 4, times the proportion of N2 in the air, or 0.79. The excess O2 passes through
the furnace and adds to the combustion products and is computed as shown in the
tabulation. Subtracting the total moisture, 3430 mol, from the total (or wet) combustion products gives the moles of dry combustion products.
Related Calculations. Use this method for molal combustion calculations for
all types of fuelssolid, liquid, and gaseousburned in any type of
furnanceboiler, heater, process, or waste-heat. Select the correct factors from
Table 3.
1. Establish the chemical equation for complete combustion with 100 percent
air
With 100 percent air: C O2 3.78N2 CO2 3.78N2, where approximate
molecular weights are: for carbon, MC 12; oxygen, MO2 32; nitrogen, MN2
28; carbon dioxide, MCO2 44. See the Related Calculations of this procedure
for a general description of the 3.78 coefcient for N2.
2. Establish the chemical equation for complete combustion with 20 percent
excess air
With 20 percent excess air: C 1.2 O2 (1.2 3.78)N2 CO2 0.2 O2
(1.2 3.78)N2.
3. Compute the relative weights of the reactants and products of the combustion
process
Relative weight moles molecular weight. Coefcients of the chemical equation
in step 2 represent the number of moles of each component. Hence, for the reactants, the relative weights are: for C 1 MC 1 12 12; O2 1.2
MO2 1.2 32 38.4; N2 (1.2 3.78)MN2 (1.2 3.78 28) 127. For
the products, relative weights are: for CO2 1 MCO2 1 44 44; O2
0.2 MO2 0.2 32 6.4; N2 127, unchanged. It should be noted that the
total relative weight of the reactants equal that of the products at 177.4.
COMBUSTION
COMBUSTION
3.23
COMBUSTION