Turns CHAPTER 2 • Combustion and Thermochemistry

PROBLEMS
1 Determine the mass fraction of 0 2 and N2 in air, assuming the molar composition is
21 percent O 2 and 79 percent N 2 .

(Y O2 = 0.233, Y N2 =0.767)

2 A mixture is composed of the following number of moles of various species:

Species No. of moles
CO 0.095
CO2 6
H2O 7
N2 34
NO 0.005

A. Determine the mole fraction of nitric oxide (NO) in the mixture. Also,
express your result as mole percent, and as parts-per-million.
B. Determine the molecular weight of the mixture.
C. Determine the mass fraction of each constituent.

𝜒𝑁𝑂 = 1.06 ∙ 10−4 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙/𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑚𝑖𝑥 = 1.06 ∙ 10−4 % = 106 𝑝𝑝𝑚;

𝑀𝑊𝑚𝑖𝑥 = 28.6 𝑘𝑔/𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑚𝑖𝑥 ;
𝑌𝐶𝑂 = 0.002; 𝑌𝐶𝑂2 = 0.195; 𝑌𝐻2𝑂 = 0.094; 𝑌𝑁2 = 0.707; 𝑌𝑁𝑂 = 111 ∙ 10−6

3 Consider a gaseous mixture consisting of 5 kmol of H 2 and 3 kmol of 0 2 . Determine

the H2 and 0 2 mole fractions, the molecular weight of the mixture, and the H 2 and
0 2 mass fractions.
𝜒𝐻2 = 0.625; 𝜒O2 = 0.375; 𝑀𝑊𝑚𝑖𝑥 = 13.260 kg/kmol; 𝑌𝐻2 = 0.095; 𝑌𝑂2 = 0.905

4 Consider a binary mixture of oxygen and methane. The methane mole fraction is
0.2. The mixture is at 300 K and 100 kPa. Determine the methane mass fraction
in the mixture and the methane molar concentration in kmol of methane per
m3 of mixture.
𝑌𝐶𝐻4 = 0.111; [𝐶𝐻4] =8.018 kmol/m 3

2.5 Consider a mixture of N2 and Ar in which there are three times as many moles of
N2 as there are moles of Ar. Determine the mole fractions of N2 and Ar, the
molecular weight of the mixture, the mass fractions of N2 and Ar, and the
molar concentration of N2 in kmol/m 3 for a temperature of 500 K and a
pressure of 250 kPa.
( 𝜒𝑁2 = 0.75, 𝜒𝐴𝑟 = 0.25; 𝑀𝑊𝑚𝑖𝑥 = 30.998; 𝑌𝑁2 = 0.678; 𝑌𝐴𝑟 = 0.322;
[𝑁2 ] = 0.0451 kmol/𝑚3 )
2.6 Determine the absolute (standardized) enthalpy in kJ/kmol mix of a mixture of
CO 2 and O2 where χ𝐶𝑂 = 0.10 and χ𝑂2 = 0.90 at a temperature of 400 K.
(ℎ𝑚𝑖𝑥 = −36,226kJ/kmolmix )

2.7 Determine the molecular weight of a stoichiometric  = 1.0) methane—air

mixture.
(MWmix = 27.6 kg/kmol)

2.8 Determine the stoichiometric air—fuel ratio (mass) for propane (C 3 H 8 ).

( (𝑨/𝑭)𝒎𝒂𝒔𝒔 = 𝟏𝟓. 𝟔)
2.9 Propane (C 3 H 8 ) burns in a premixed flame at an air —fuel ratio (mass) of
18:1. Determine the equivalence ratio .

( =0.87 )
2.10 For an equivalence ratio of  = 0.6, determine the associated air—fuel ratios
(mass) for methane, propane, and decane (C 10 H22)
(methane(𝐶𝐻4): (𝑨/𝑭)𝒎𝒂𝒔𝒔 = 28.50kg air /kg fuel ; )
(propane(𝐶3𝐻8): (𝑨/𝑭)𝒎𝒂𝒔𝒔 = 25.94 kg air /kg fuel ; )
(decane(𝐶10𝐻22): (𝑨/𝑭)𝒎𝒂𝒔𝒔 = 24.93kg air /kg fuel ; )

2.11 In a propane-fueled truck, 3 percent (by volume) oxygen is measured in the

exhaust stream of the running engine. Assuming "complete" combustion with out
dissociation, determine the air—fuel ratio (mass) supplied to the engine.
( (𝑨/𝑭)𝒎𝒂𝒔𝒔 = 18.37kg air /kg fuel )

2.12 Assuming complete" combustion, write out a stoichiometric balance equa -

t i o n , l i ke Eq n . 2 .3 0, f o r 1 mo l of an arb i t rar y al co h o l (C x H y O z ) Det er mi n e
t h e number of moles of air required to burn 1 mol of fuel.

2.13 Using the results of problem 2.12, determine the stoichiometric air —fuel ratio
(mass) for methanol (CH 3 OH). Compare your result with the stoichiometric ratio
for methane (CH 4 ). What implications does this comparison have?
methanol(𝐶𝐻3 𝑂𝐻): (𝑨/𝑭)𝒎𝒂𝒔𝒔 = 6.4 kg air /kg fuel

2.14 Consider a stoichiometric mixture of isooctane and air. Calculate the enthalpy
of the mixture at the standard-state temperature (298.15 K) on a per-kmol-offuel
basis (kJ/kmol fuel), on a per-kmol-of-mixture basis (kJ/kmol mix ), and on a per-mass-
of-mixture basis (kJ/kg mix).
H = −224,109kJ/kmolfuel ; ℎ𝑚𝑖𝑥 = −2400 kJ/kmolmix ; ℎ𝑚𝑖𝑥 = −122.2 kJ/𝑘𝑔mix
2.15 Repeat problem 2.14 for a temperature of 500 K.
H = 178,646 kJ/kmolfuel ; ℎ𝑚𝑖𝑥 = 2953 kJ/kmolmix ; ℎ𝑚𝑖𝑥 = 97.59 kJ/𝑘𝑔mix

2.16 Repeat problem 2.15, but now let the equivalence ratio  = 0.7. How do these
results compare with those of problem 2.15?
H = 330,554kJ/kmolfuel ; ℎ𝑚𝑖𝑥 = 3844 kJ/kmolmix ; ℎ𝑚𝑖𝑥 = 128.8 kJ/𝑘𝑔mix

2.17 Consider a fuel which is an equimolar mixture of propane (C 3 H 8 ) and natural gas
(CH 4 ). Write out the complete stoichiometric combustion reaction for this fuel
burning with air and determine the stoichiometric fuel—air ratio on a molar basis.
Also, determine the molar air—fuel ratio for combustion at an equivalence ratio,
, of 0.8.
𝑁𝑎𝑖𝑟 𝑁𝑎𝑖𝑟
Φ = 1: = 16.67; Φ = 0.8: = 20.83
𝑁𝑓𝑢𝑒𝑙 𝑁𝑓𝑢𝑒𝑙
2.18 Determine the enthalpy of the products of "ideal" combustion, i.e., no disso -
ciation, resulting from the combustion of an isooctane —air mixture for an
equivalence ratio of 0.7. The products are at 1000 K and 1 atm. Express your
result using the following three bases: per kmol-of-fuel, per kg-of-fuel, and per kg-
of-mixture. Hint: You may find Eqns. 2.68 and 2.69 useful; however, you should
be able to derive these from atom-conservation considerations.
H = −3,260,558kJ/kmolfuel ; 𝐻 = −28,544 kJ/kg fuel ; ℎ𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑑 = −1270 kJ/𝑘𝑔prod

2.19 Butane (C 4 H 10 ) burns with air at an equivalence ratio of 0.75. Determine the number
of moles of air required per mole of fuel.
𝑁𝑎𝑖𝑟
= 41.25
𝑁𝑓𝑢𝑒𝑙
2.20 A glass melting furnace is burning ethene (C 2 H 4) in pure oxygen (not air). The
furnace operates at an equivalence ratio of 0.9 and consumes 30 kmol/h of ethene.

A. Determine the energy input rate based on the LHV of the fuel. Express
your result in both kW and Btu/hr.
B. D etermin e t he O 2 consu mp tion rate in kmol /h and kg/ s.

Ė = 11025 kW; 𝑁̇𝑂2 = 100 kmol/h; 𝑚̇𝑂2 = 0.889 kg/h

2.21 Methyl alcohol (CH 3 OH) burns with excess air at an air fuel ratio (mass) of 8.0.
—

Determine the equivalence ratio, , and the mole fraction of CO2, in the product
mixture assuming complete combustion, i.e., no dissociation.
Φ = 0.670; 𝜒𝐶𝑂2 = 0.0987

2.22 The lower heating value of vapor n-decane is 44,597 kJ/kg at T = 298 K. The
enthalpy of vaporization of n-decane is 276.8 kJ/kg of n-decane. The enthalpy of
vaporization of water at 298 K is 2442.2 kJ/kg of water .
72 CHAPTER 2 • Combustion and Thermochemistry

A. Determine the lower heating value of liquid n-decane. Use units of kJ/kg n-
decane to express your result.
B. Determine the higher heating value of vapor n -decane at 298 K.
( LHV(liq)=44,320 kJ/kg; HHV(vap)= 47,999 kJ/kg )

2.23 Determine the enthalpy of formation in kJ/kmol for methane, given the lower
heating value of 50,016 kJ/kg at 298 K.
0
(ℎ𝑓,298𝐾 ) = −76,984 kJ/kmol
𝐶𝐻4

2.24 Determine the absolute enthalpy of the mixture given in problem 2.2 for a
temperature of 1000 K. Express your result in kJ/kmol of mixture.
ℎ𝑚𝑖𝑥 = −62563 kJ/kmol

2.25 The lower heating value of methane is 50,016 kJ/kg . (of methane).
Considering a stoichiometric mixture , determine the heating value:
A. p e r ma s s o f m i x t u r e .
B . per mole of air—fuel mixture.
C . per Standard cubic meter of air—fuel mixture (𝑝 = 101.3 𝑘𝑃𝑎; 𝑇 =
298𝐾).
LHV[kJ/kg mix ] = 2760 kJ/kg mix ;
𝐿𝐻𝑉[kJ/kmolmix ] = 76274 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑚𝑖𝑥 ;
𝐿𝐻𝑉[kJ/Std-m3 ] = 3119 kJ/Std-m3

2.26 The higher heating value HHV for liquid octane (C8H18) at 298K is 47,893 kJ/kg and
the heat of vaporization is 363 kJ/kg. Determine the enthalpy of formation at
298 K for octane vapor.

2.27 Verify the information in Table 2.1 under the headings h R (kJ/kg of fuel),
h R (kJ/kg of mix), and (O/F)stoich, for the following:
A. CH 4 —air
B. H 2 - O 2
C. C(s)—air.
Note that any H 2 O in the product is assumed to be in the liquid state.
A: h R = -55503 kJ/kg fuel ; h R = -3063 kJ/kg mix ;
B: h R = -142928 kJ/kg fuel ; h R = -15880 kJ/kg mix ;
C: h R = -32796 kJ/kg fuel ; h R = -2636 kJ/kg mix

2.28 Generate the same information requested in problem 2.27 for a stoichiometric
mixture of C 3 H 8 (propane) and air.
 h R = -50349 kJ/kg fuel ; h R = -3039 kJ/kg mix ;

2.29 Consider a liquid fuel. Draw a sketch on h—T coordinates illustrating the
following quantities: hl(T); hv(T); heat of vaporization, hfg; heat of formation for
fuel vapor; enthalpy of formation for fuel liquid; lower heating value; higher
heating value.
2.30 Determine the adiabatic flame temperature for constant -pressure combustion
of a stoichiometric propane—air mixture assuming reactants at 298 K, no
dissociation of the products, and constant specific heats evaluated at 298 K.
T ad = 2879 K
2.31 Repeat problem 2.30, but using constant specific heats evaluated at 2000 K.
Compare your result with that of problem 2.30 and discuss.
T ad = 2222 K

2.32 Repeat problem 2.30, but now use property tables (Appendix A) to evaluate
the sensible enthalpies.
T ad = 2394 K

2.33* Once more, repeat problem 2.30, but eliminate the unrealistic assumptions, i.e.,
allow for dissociation of the products and variable speci fic heats. Use
HPFLAME, or other appropriate software. Compare and contrast the results of
problems 2.30-2.33. Explain why they differ and comment the mole fractions
of the product species.
T ad = 2266.8 K

2.34 Using the data in Appendix A, calculate the adiabatic flame temperature for a
boiler operating with the fuel blend and equivalence ratio given in problem
2.17. Assume complete combustion to CO 2 and H 2 O and neglect any
dissociation. Also, assume the heat capacity of the combustion products is
constant at 1200 K. The boiler operates at 1 atm, and both the air and fuel
enter at 298 K.
T ad = 2276 K

2.35 Repeat problem 2.30, but for constant-volume combustion. Also, determine
the final pressure.
T ad = 3843 K; p f = 13.4 atm

2.36* Use the condition given in problem 2.33, but calculate the constant-volume
adiabatic flame temperature using UVFLAME, or other appropriate software.
Also, determine the final pressure. Compare your results with those of problem
2.35 and discuss.
T ad = 2631.5 K; p f = 946.1kPa

2.37 Derive the equivalent system (fixed mass) form of the first law corresponding to
Eqn. 2.35, which is used to define the heat of reaction. Treat the system as
constant pressure with initial and final temperatures equal.