Combustion: Figure 1spreading of An Axis Symmetric Jet in The Surrounding

Combustion
The release of potential energy of fuel by combustion with air requires several stages, namely.
 Mixing of air and fuel

 Ignition of the mixture
 Chemical reaction
 Disposal of products of combustion from the reaction site so that fresh reactants are available.
Except mixing of air and fuel, all other stages are extremely fast such that it is said that if fuel and air
are mixed, fuel is burnt. Accordingly mixing is the slowest step in the process of combustion
This can be understood by considering that each mole of carbon theoretically requires 1 mole of
oxygen for complete combustion. But 1 mole of oxygen is obtained from 4.76 moles of air. That
means 3.76 moles of nitrogen are present with 1 mole of oxygen. Nitrogen is inert and does not take
part in combustion therefore mixing of air + fuel is important.
Burner
A burner is a mechanical device that.
 supplies required amount of fuel and air

 creates condition for rapid mixing of fuel and air
 produces a flame which transfers thermal energy to furnace and charge
Oil fired furnace with air mixing

In oil burners, oil is atomized into a fine spray by a spray nozzle and air is supplied for combustion in
the spray chamber. Alternatively oil may be atomized by high speed air to produce a fine dispersion
of droplets into air.
There are liquid fuel and gaseous fuel burners. In liquid fuel burner, oil is heated and atomized either
mechanically or by high speed gaseous jet. In mechanical methods oil is atomized by means of a
rotating disc or cup or by swirled as shown in the figure a and b
Figure 1Spreading of an axis‐symmetric jet in the surrounding

Mechanical atomization produces wider spray of oil and wide flame area with uniform droplet size.
In atomization, compressed air or steam is the atomizing fluid. Air atomization produces higher flame
temperature than steam atomization. Steam atomization is preferred for viscous oil. Some ways of air
atomization are shown in the figure 2
Figure 2Entrainment of the surrounding in the free jet.
Gas burners with air mixing

A gaseous fuel burner could either be of premixed type or diffusion type. In a pre‐mixed type
gas and air are mixed prior to passing through the nozzle. In diffusion type fuel and some amount of
air is mixed and the mixture is passed through the burner. Rest air for combustion is supplied in the
furnace chamber. Combustion of fuel is controlled by the rate of mixing of air and fuel. In these
burners small portion of air is mixed with fuel as primary air and the rest amount, known as secondary
air is supplied in the furnace.
Industrial burners for gaseous fuel are diffusive type.
Mixing of air and gaseous fuel

In diffusion burner air and gaseous fuel are supplied separately in the furnace. In modt
combustion systems mass of air is at least 8 to9 times than fuel. When air and fuel pass through the
burner, the momentum flux of air is several times greater than fuel. Some fraction of total air is mixed
with the fuel and this air is known as primary air. Rest amount of air, known as secondary air is
supplied in the furnace through appropriate locations. Mixing and combustion take place
simultaneously.
When a mixture of air and gaseous fuel passes through the burner, a free jet is produced downstream
the burner. If the air fuel mixture is discharged in the furnace then a confined jet is produced because
of the furnace walls. The difference between the free jet and confined jet is that in the former the
amount of surrounding is unlimited whereas in the later the amount is limited. Mixing of secondary
air in the jet is important for complete and efficient combustion. In the absence of mixing the chances
of formation can not be ruled out.
Characteristic features of jet

A jet is produced when a fluid is discharged through the nozzle. In the jet the velocity of the fluid is
accelerated. Free jet is produced when the fluid is discharged in the surrounding with no confinement.
A jet is said to be confined when the fluid is discharged in the container. The characteristic feature of
the jet (whether free of confined) is that it spreads due to the difference in the density of the jet and
the surrounding. A hot jet in the cold surrounding spreads faster than a cold jet in the same
surrounding. Spreading of the jet is due to entrainment of the surrounding. Due to entrainment of the
surrounding, the axial velocity of the jet decreases. For any downstream axial distance, the maximum
velocity is at the center and minimum at the periphery such that a parabolic profile is developed as
shown in the figure 3
Figure 3 Spreading of an axis‐symmetric jet in the surrounding

In addition, jet carries with it momentum flux. The momentum flux within the jet is
Mass of the air at the exit of the nozzle is constant. The entrainment of the surrounding in the jet
increases the mass of the jet but decreases the velocity of the jet. The cumulative effect is that
momentum flux within the jet remains constant. Entrainment of the surrounding and hence increase in
mass of jet depends on the difference in the momentum flux within the jet and that of surrounding
(note that as the jet is discharged into a still surrounding, the surrounding sets in motion). The
entrainment of the surrounding will continue as long as the difference in the momentum flux exists.
Behavior of free (unconfined) and confined jet

A free jet has no confinement and hence can spread till the difference between the momentum flux of
the jet and the surrounding becomes zero. Figure 4 shows the entrainment in the free jet
Figure 4Entrainment of the surrounding in the free jet.
In the figure
1. A free unconfined get spreads in the surrounding
2. Spreading of the get is due to entrainment of the surrounding
3. Entrainment of the surrounding is due to the difference in momentum flow rate within the jet and
that within the surrounding. Entrainment of surrounding continues till the difference becomes
zero.
4. Entrainment of surrounding depends on mass flow rate and jet velocity
In furnaces jet is confined by furnace walls. Due to confinement, mass of the surrounding is limited to
the amount equal to secondary air. The primary air mixes rapidly with the fuel at the nozzle but the
remaining air must be entrained and for this purpose excess momentum flux in the jet is required. If
the confined jet has momentum flux in excess of that required for the complete entrainment of the
secondary air, products of combustion will entrain and a circulatory jet is produced. Figure5 shows
recirculation of products of combustion in the jet
Figure 5Entrainment of products of combustion in the jet. At point secondary air is entrained.
Beyond point A the products of combustion entrain due to the excess momentum in the jet.
Role of primary air

Thus in the design of burner for gaseous fuel it is important to design the primary air depending on
the requirement. Since the amount of air is many times greater than the fuel, momentum flux within
the jet is controlled by the primary air. The primary air
 controls the fuel /air mixing rate

 Assists in stabilizing the jet and to control recirculation.
In designing a gaseous fuel burner total mass flow rat of air is subdivided into primary, secondary and
tertiary air. Whereas primary air is mixed with fuel, secondary and tertiary amounts of air are
introduced through the pots in the furnace.
Degree of recirculation
Recirculation sets in when the secondary air is mixed completely with the fuel. Degree of
recirculation indicates complete mixing of fuel with air.
In confined gets, absence of recirculation results in a tendency for the flame to expand until it
impinges into the furnace walls of load. Hot gases will be in direct contact with the refractory brick
which may result in failure. The recirculating gases provide a “cushion” of cooler inert flue gases
which prevents direct impingement of flame. A high momentum recirculartory jet will also produce a
stable flame which is comfortable.
Coal furnace with air mixture
In the coal furnace the coal that is mixed with limestone is continuously supplied from above while a
hot blast of hot air is introduced from the lower section of furnace through a series of pipes so that the
good mixture of air and falling coal takes place result in good combustion, blast furnace is a example
of coal furnaces
References:
O.P.Gupta: elements of fuels, furnaces and refractories
P.Mullinger and B. Jenkins: Industrial and Process furnaces

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Combustion

 Mixing of air and fuel

 supplies required amount of fuel and air

Oil fired furnace with air mixing

Figure 1Spreading of an axis‐symmetric jet in the surrounding

Figure 2Entrainment of the surrounding in the free jet.

Gas burners with air mixing

Industrial burners for gaseous fuel are diffusive type.

Mixing of air and gaseous fuel

Characteristic features of jet

Figure 3 Spreading of an axis‐symmetric jet in the surrounding

Behavior of free (unconfined) and confined jet

Figure 4Entrainment of the surrounding in the free jet.

Role of primary air

 controls the fuel /air mixing rate

P.Mullinger and B. Jenkins: Industrial and Process furnaces

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