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Sample calculations<br />

Flammability limits<br />

Sample calculation: Lower fl ammability limit<br />

We start with the stoichiometric reaction for methane. An<br />

unknown number of mols of oxygen gas are added to both<br />

sides. The energy released will be used to heat a number of<br />

extra products, compared with at the stoichiometric point.<br />

X is released and the proportion of methane in the mixture is<br />

calculated. The following reaction formula is used:<br />

XO2 + CH4 + 2O2 + (X + 2) × 79 N2 P CO2 + 2H2O + (X + 2) × 79 N2 + XO2 21 21<br />

Methane releases 800 KJ/mol and C p for the incoming products<br />

is taken from Table 4 on page 57.<br />

The equation DH c = S (C p × DT) is used, where DT is the<br />

difference between the adiabatic fl ame temperature and the<br />

initial temperature. The initial temperature is set to 300 K and<br />

the adiabatic fl ame temperature is assumed to be 1600 K.<br />

800000 = 54.3 + 2 × 41.2 + X × 34.9 + X × 79 32.7 + 2 × 79 ×32.7<br />

(1600–300) 21 21<br />

The equation gives X = 1.47 and using this, we can calculate the<br />

proportion of methane in the mixture, i.e. the number of mols<br />

CH 4 shared with the total number of mols of reactants.<br />

1 = 5.7% volume<br />

1.47 + 1 + 2 + (1.47 + 2) 79<br />

21<br />

According to the result of the equation, 5.7% of the reactants<br />

are methane. The lower fl ammability limit for methane is<br />

therefore 5.7%. This is converted to g/m 3 using the density for<br />

methane gas. The equation will then be:<br />

16/29 × 1.2 = 0.65 kg/m 3<br />

This will then give the mass as 0.65 × 0.05 u35 g/m 3 .<br />

178

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