Fundamentals of Combustion Lecture Notes

Introduction

• Combustion Importance: Question on why combustion is important and its relevance today.
• Historical Context: Combustion is as old as human civilization.
• Encouraging Questions: Importance of asking questions to foster learning.

Historical Significance

• Civilizations: Mention of Roman, Indus Valley, Mesopotamian, Greek civilizations.
• Indian Civilization: Only surviving civilization with a continuous legacy.
• Discovery of Fire: Turning point for human civilization.
• Cultural Importance of Fire: Fire in rituals and its significance in life and death in Indian culture.

Combustion and Development

• Mastery over Fire: Led to advancements in science and technology.
• Modern Issues: Misuse leading to pollution and environmental degradation.
• Combustion's Role: Essential for heat, electrical power, and industrial processes.
• Pollution: Air, water, and soil pollution from combustion processes.

Modern Context

• Development Paradox: Developing countries face challenges due to stringent emission rules and dependence on modern technologies.
• Need for Combustion Study: Understanding combustion is crucial for developing better systems and adhering to global regulations.
• Scarcity and Efficiency: Importance of improving fuel efficiency and minimizing emissions.

Fundamentals of Combustion

• Definition: Combustion is a chemical reaction where fuel burns in the presence of an oxidizer, producing heat and light.
• Types of Reactions: Exothermic (releases heat) and Endothermic (absorbs heat).
• Complex Reactions: Combustion involves a complex sequence of chemical reactions.

Examples of Combustion

• Daily Life: Cooking food (LPG burner), candle flame, internal combustion engines.
• Industrial Applications: Diesel engines, petrol engines, gas turbine engines, rocket engines.
• Other Examples: Fireworks.

Essential Conditions for Combustion

• Combustion Triangle: Fuel, oxidizer, and ignition energy.
• Flammability Limit: Fuel-air ratio must be within a certain range.
• Ignition Energy: Minimum ignition energy required for combustion.
• Proportion and Mixing: Proper mixing of fuel and oxidizer.

Conclusion

• Combustion and Life: Analogies between combustion and life (body, mind, and spirit).
• Self-Sustaining Process: Combustion must be self-sustaining to continue.
• Future Discussions: More detailed discussion on flammability limits and ignition energy in future lectures.

End of Lecture