Print this page Fundamentals of Combustion for Environmental Applications - Part 1 of 2
Walter R. Niessen, P.E., B.C.E.E.
Course Outline
The course assumes a basic understanding of chemistry and mathematics and basic engineering analysis perspectives but, through text and examples guides the student to an understanding of the processes and interactions of burning systems. The course begins with units and fundamental relationships for mass and energy and then explores the special issues in waste characterization for combustion applications. We then move through mass and energy balances, and conclude with the basics of equilibrium and chemical kinetics.
The concluding Quiz includes thirty one (31) multiple-choice and true/false questions which must be successfully passed to be awarded the 5 PDH credit hours. Part 2 of the course carries the student further into flames and furnace design and behavior, fluid mechanics, refractories and other more applied issues in environmental combustor design and operation.
This course includes
a multiple choice quiz at the end,
Learning Objective
At the conclusion of this course, the student will:
- Learn the basic dimensional units applied in the analysis of combustion systems;
- Learn the fundamental relationships between mass, mols, energy forms and temperature;
- Learn the basics of equilibrium processes that impact on combustion;
- Apply equilibrium theory in the analysis of combustion systems;
- Learn the basics of combustion kinetics and mechanisms;
- Apply kinetic principles in the analysis of combustion systems;
- Apply combustion engineering analysis principles to waste, boilers, burners, and the like;
- Develop and use mass and energy balances to size units, fans, ducts, air pollution control systems, and prepare permit calculations etc.;
- Understand the different kinds of property analyses that are used to characterize fuels and wastes;
- Understand how fuel/waste characteristics affect important system behavior and operational parameters;
- Learn alternative approaches to estimate fuel/waste heat content; and
- Learn how to develop estimates of the enthalpy of gas mixtures.
Intended Audience
This course is intended for civil, environmental, mechanical and chemical engineers involved with or about to be involved with combustion, incineration and/or gasification systems; with particular applications to solid and hazardous wastes and biosolids applications.
Benefit to Attendees
The course gives practicing engineers, regulators, and permit specialists the basic tools to analyze combustion systems (e.g. burners, boilers, or incinerators) to: predict flame temperatures, flue gas volumes, air pollution emissions related to waste chemistry (e.g. SO2, HCl); for the design of combustors and associated fans, ducts, and air pollution control equipment; for the preparation of permit documents and air dispersion analysis input parameters and the like.
Course Introduction
Purification by fire is an ancient concept, its applications noted in the earliest chapters of recorded history. Modern application of high temperature processes to achieve this end reflect the increasing awareness by modern health and environmental professionals of the importance of effective biological sterilization of bacteria, viruses, prions and other pathological infectious agents; of the achievement of high levels of destruction of toxic, carcinogenic, teratogenic, and mutagenic organic matter that adversely impacts on the quality and duration of human and other animal and plant life; and of the substantial neutralization of the flame and explosion hazards associated with highly volatile combustible materials.
Often, engineers with little academic training in combustion and high temperature processes are thrust into assignments where this training gap becomes critical. This course and its companion Part 2 use basic engineering and scientific principles and tools to enable analysis of these technologies as part of design, systems analysis, permitting, and problem-solving.
Course Content
In this lesson, you are required to download and study the following course content in PDF format:
Fundamentals of Combustion for Environmental Applications - Part 1 of 2
Please click on
the above underlined hypertext to view, download or print the document for your
study. Because of the large file size, we recommend that you first save the
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As ...", and then open the file in Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you still experience
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Course Summary
The course assumes a basic understanding of chemistry and mathematics. It presumes basic engineering analysis perspectives but, through text and examples guides the student an understanding of the processes and interactions of burning systems. The course includes:
- The basics of units and fundamental relationships for mass and energy;
- The special issues in waste characterization for combustion applications;
- Mass and energy balances; and
- The basics of equilibrium and chemical kinetics.
Related Links
For additional technical information related to this subject, please visit the following websites:
American Society of Mechanical Engineers http://www.asme.com/
Air and Waste Management Association http://www.awma.com/
Combustion Engineering Association http://www.cea.com.uk/
Quiz
Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.
DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDH Center or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered architect and/or professional engineer/surveyor. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.
