Combustion science is the study of the reaction between heat and a fuel to produce heat, light, and other products. It is a subfield of chemical engineering and is closely related to thermodynamics, material science, and fluid mechanics.
The basic principles of combustion can be found in everyday activities such as the burning of a match or a campfire. The same principles can be applied to larger scale combustion in an industrial furnace or a boiler unit used to generate electricity. By understanding the basics of combustion, engineers are better able to design, operate, and control reactors of various types.
The purpose of combustion science is to study the physical and chemical processes involved in the combustion of fuels such as petroleum, natural gas, propane, and coal. Combustion of a fuel is a highly exothermic chemical reaction that produces heat. Understanding the reaction kinetics and the heat transfer processes are important for increasing the efficiency of industrial energy producing processes.
Combustion is governed by various partial differential equations. These equations describe the transport phenomena of momentum, heat, and reactants. By solving these equations, the rate of flame propagation, the temperature throughout the system, and the mass transfer of products and reactants can be determined. With these solutions, an engineer can better determine the best ways to design and optimize combustors.
In addition to the design of systems, economists and policy makers use combustion science to explore the environmental impact of combustion processes. The understanding of the release of pollutants and their potential effects on the environment is also in the domain of combustion science. The study of emissions and their impact is often done using advanced mathematical models that take into account the chemical reactions, heat transfer, dispersal, and other factors.
To gain a deeper understanding of combustion, engineers frequently employ a variety of sophisticated diagnostic tools, such as temperature and pressure probes, flame radiation sensors, optical emission spectrometers, and activated complex analysis. These data are then used to gain insights into the control and optimization of a combustor system.
Overall, combustion science is vital to creating better, more efficient and environmentally friendly combustors. With the help of advanced diagnostic instruments and mathematical models, engineers can design and optimize combustors that have the best possible performance at the minimum environmental cost. With a deeper understanding of combustion, the energy industry of the future will be able to meet the demands of our growing population in a responsible, sustainable, and cost-efficient manner.
