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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