Fundamentals

of Boilers and
Combustion

Boiler Oldies

Basic Multi Drum Boiler

Marine Steam Boiler

Boiler Water & Steam

Circulation

Steam Boiler
VU-60

Flue Gas
Circulation

Fuel Properties
Elementary Composition (Ultimate Analysis): Its the
proportion in mass that the main components, as chemical
elements , are present in fuel (CHONSAW). Example of Typical
Composition of Sugar Cane Bagasse:
BAGASSE
BAGASSE
Ultimate Analysis (Dry Basis)

Ultimate Analysis (As Recieved)

C%

44.60

C%

22.30

H%

6.20

H%

3.10

O%

46.84

O%

23.42

N%

0.20

N%

0.10

S%

0.50

S%

0.25

Ash %

1.66

Ash %

0.83

SUM

100.00

Moisture (%)

50.00

SUM

100.00

Fuel Properties
Heating Value (Calorific Value): Its the quantity of heat that an
specific amount of fuel can release in a perfect combustion with
oxygen. Its classified as High Heating Value (HHV) or in Low
Heating Value (LHV) depending on the method of measurement of
the total content of the heat released. This measurement is done
in a calorimeter:

Fuel Properties
Higher Heating Value (HHV): Normally consider all the heat released
during the total combustion in oxygen of the fuel, up to the combustion
gases generated are cooled to the initial fuel & oxygen temperature,
including the condensation of the water vapor present in the products
of combustion (gases).
Lower Heating Value (LHV): The same as above but not including
the condensation of the water vapor present in the products of
combustion (gases).
Example of HHV & LHV for Fuel Oil (Low Moisture
Content Fuel):
HHV = 43120 kJ/kg
LHV = 41030 kJ/kg
Example of HHV & LHV for Bagasse (High Moisture
Content Fuel):
HHV = 9700 kJ/kg
LHV = 7500 kJ/kg

Elementary Composition Basis or Ultimate Analysis

Basis

As Received:
All the Elements are present in
the composition
(CHONSAW)
Dry Free: All the Elements are present in the composition except
Moisture (CHONSA).
Dry & Ash Free: All the Elements are present in the composition except
From Dry
Ash Free
to Dry Free :
Moisture
and&Ashes
(CHONS).

From Dry Free to As Received :

Typical Composition of Several Fuels

BAGASSE
Ultimate Analysis
C%
44.60
H%
6.20
O%
46.84
N%
0.20
S%
0.50
Ash %
1.66

PALM WASTE
Ultimate Analysis
C%

45.90

H%

5.80

O%

40.10

N%

1.20

S%

0.20

Cl%

0.40

Ash %

6.50

WOOD WASTE
Ultimate Analysis
C%
53.30
H%
5.50
O%
38.90
N%
0.23
S%
<0.05
Cl%
0.49
Ash %
2.00

Typical Composition of Several

Fuels

FUEL OIL
Ultimate Analysis
C%
84.00
H%
12.00
O%
1.00
N%
0.00
S%
3.00
Ash %
Trace

DIESEL
Ultimate Analysis
C%

83.80

H%

12.10

O%

0.00

N%

0.00

S%

3.50

Ash %

0.60

GASOLINE
Ultimate Analysis
C%
86.20
H%
12.80
O%
0.00
N%
0.00
S%
1.00
Ash %
0.00

Stoichiometric Air for Combustion

of
a
Fuel
For Carbon:

For Hydrogen:

Stoichiometric Air for Combustion of

a Fuel
For Sulphur:

For Nitrogen:

For Oxygen:

For Ash:

For Moisture:

Stoichiometric Air for Combustion of

a Fuel
Summing for Oxygen
Needs:

ecause the normal content of oxygen in dry air is of 23.2 %:

Due to that normal air is humid and not dry:

e to the fact that dry air density at 101325 Pa and 25 C is 1.184 kg/m 3:

Stoichiometric Air for Combustion of

a Fuel
Thus, the Theoretical Standard Air Flow needed for the
Combustion of a Solid or Liquid Fuel in Nm3/kg of Fuel
is::

t the normal quantity of Standard Air Flow that must be supplied is:

here is the Coefficient of Excess of Air, normally a number greater than

This quantity normally depends on the method of fuel
burning, the air distribution in the furnace and from
another factors that involves the fuel properties like
humidity (W), the temperature of the combustion air
supplied, etc.
Because the normal air is humid and not dry, to
include this moisture content on the above equation,
just add:

Products of Combustion from a Fuel

The theoretical carbon dioxide formed is::

he theoretical water vapor formed in the combustion of H2 is::

e quantity of water vapor in combustion gases from the moisture in Fue

quantity of water vapor in combustion gases from the moisture in Air i

Products of Combustion from a Fuel

The theoretical sulphur dioxide formed is::

he quantity of nitrogen in combustion gases from the Fuel is::

quantity of nitrogen in combustion gases from the Air supplied for comb

The quantity of oxygen due to the excess of air is::

Products of Combustion from a Fuel

Summing all the products of combustion formed::

he quantity of water vapor in combustion gases (flue gases):

The quantity of nitrogen in combustion gases (flue gases):

The quantity of oxygen in combustion gases is::

Products of Combustion from a Fuel

The quantity of triatomic elements in combustion gases

is:

The quantity of dry combustion gases (flue gases):

Fraction of Combustion Products (Dry

The quantity of CO and SO in dry combustion gases is:
Basis)
2

The quantity of O2 in dry combustion gases is:

Fraction of Combustion Products (Dry

Basis)
The quantity of N2 in dry combustion gases is:

Example I: Determine the quantity of normal air (d =32 grams of water vapor/ kg
of Dry Air) required for the combustion of Fuel Oil, and the total flue gas formed
for an air excess of 15%. What will be the expected mass composition of flue gas
in dry basis ?
Data Available:

Air Excess of 15% => =1.15

Humidity on Air = 0.032 kg Water/kg

of Dry Air
Fuel Composition

FUEL OIL
Ultimate Analysis
C%
84.00
H%
12.00
O%
1.00
N%
0.00
S%
3.00
Ash %
Trace

Solution:

AIR
Stoichiometric DryREQUIRED
Air

Stoichiometric Humid Air

Overall Humid Air

FLUE GAS or COMBUSTION

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