IChO 1988 · Theory problem 3

Combustion in a car engine and catalytic oxidation of CO

A typical family car has four cylinders with a total cylinder volume of 1600 cm³ and a fuel consumption of 7.0 l per 100 km when driving at a speed of 90 km/h. During one second each cylinder goes through 25 burn cycles and consumes 0.4 g of fuel. Assume that fuel consists of 2,2,4-trimethylpentane, \(\ce{C8H18}\). The compression ratio of the cylinder is 1:8.

3.1 Calculate the air intake of the engine (m³/s). The gasified fuel and air are introduced into the cylinder when its volume is largest until the pressure is 101.0 kPa. Temperature of both incoming air and fuel are 100 °C. Air contains 21.0 % (by volume) of \(\ce{O2}\) and 79.0 % of \(\ce{N2}\). It is assumed that 10.0 % of the carbon forms \(\ce{CO}\) upon combustion and that nitrogen remains inert.

3.2 The gasified fuel and the air are compressed until the volume in the cylinder is at its smallest and then ignited. Calculate the composition (% by volume) and the temperature of the exhaust gases immediately after the combustion (exhaust gases have not yet started to expand). The following data is given:

Compound \(\Delta H_f\) (kJ/mol) \(C_p\) (J/mol K)
\(\ce{O2(g)}\) 0.0 29.36
\(\ce{N2(g)}\) 0.0 29.13
\(\ce{CO(g)}\) −110.53 29.14
\(\ce{CO2(g)}\) −395.51 37.11
\(\ce{H2O(g)}\) −241.82 33.58
2,2,4-trimethylpentane −187.82

3.3 Calculate the final temperature of the leaving gases assuming that the piston has moved to expand the gases to the maximum volume of the cylinder and that the final gas pressure in the cylinder is 200 kPa.

3.4 To convert \(\ce{CO(g)}\) into \(\ce{CO2(g)}\) the exhaust gases are led through a bed of catalysts with the following work function:

\[ \frac{n(\ce{CO})}{n(\ce{CO2})} = \frac{1}{4}k \left[\frac{n(\ce{CO})}{n(\ce{CO2})}\right]_1 v e^{-T/T_0} \]

where \([n(\ce{CO})/n(\ce{CO2})]_1\) is the molar ratio before the catalyst, \(v\) is the flow rate in mol/s and \(T\) the temperature of the gases entering the catalyst (the same as the temperature of the leaving exhaust gases). \(T_0\) is a reference temperature (373 K) and \(k\) is equal to 3.141 s/mol. Calculate the composition (% by volume) of the exhaust gases leaving the catalyst.

Official English text of the problem.

Answers

  • 3.1: Air intake \(=\boxed{3.96\times10^{-2}\ \mathrm{m^3\,s^{-1}}}\), at 101.0 kPa and 100 °C.
  • 3.2: Composition is given below. The constant-pressure heat balance gives \(\boxed{T\approx2.06\times10^3\ \mathrm K}\), assuming a 373 K starting temperature and the enthalpy convention explained below.
  • 3.3: \(\boxed{T_{\mathrm{exit}}\approx709\ \mathrm K\approx436\,^\circ\mathrm C}\).
  • 3.4: Composition is given below; approximately \(82.6\%\) of the entering carbon monoxide is oxidized.

Both compositions include water vapour.

Gas: name, formula, and SMILES 3.2: After combustion, vol.% 3.4: After catalyst, vol.%
Nitrogen, \(\ce{N2}\), N#N 75.00 75.25
Oxygen, \(\ce{O2}\), O=O 7.43 7.11
Carbon monoxide, \(\ce{CO}\), [C-]#[O+] 0.83 0.14
Carbon dioxide, \(\ce{CO2}\), O=C=O 7.44 8.16
Water, \(\ce{H2O}\), O 9.31 9.34

Small deviations from 100% arise from rounding.

Solution

We treat the gases as ideal and use \[ R=8.314\ \mathrm{J\,mol^{-1}\,K^{-1}}, \qquad T_{\mathrm{in}}\approx373\ \mathrm K. \]

The fuel is 2,2,4-trimethylpentane (isooctane), CC(C)(C)CC(C)C, with molar mass \[ M(\ce{C8H18})\approx114.0\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}. \]

3.1 — Air intake

Interpreting 1600 cm³ as the sum of the maximum cylinder volumes, each cylinder has \[ V_{\max}=\frac{1600}{4}=400\ \mathrm{cm^3}. \]

The engine performs \(4(25)=100\) burn cycles per second. Thus the total volume of incoming fuel vapour plus air is \[ \dot V_{\mathrm{mix}} =100(400\times10^{-6}) =0.0400\ \mathrm{m^3\,s^{-1}}. \]

The corresponding molar flow is \[ \dot n_{\mathrm{mix}} =\frac{P\dot V_{\mathrm{mix}}}{RT_{\mathrm{in}}} =\frac{101000(0.0400)}{8.314(373)} =1.30275\ \mathrm{mol\,s^{-1}}. \]

The stated fuel consumption is 0.4 g per second per cylinder, so \[ \dot m_f=4(0.4)=1.6\ \mathrm{g\,s^{-1}}, \] \[ \dot n_f=\frac{1.6}{114.0} =0.0140351\ \mathrm{mol\,s^{-1}}. \]

Subtracting the fuel vapour gives \[ \dot n_{\mathrm{air}} =1.30275-0.0140351 =1.28872\ \mathrm{mol\,s^{-1}}. \]

Therefore, \[ \boxed{ \dot V_{\mathrm{air}} =\frac{\dot n_{\mathrm{air}}RT_{\mathrm{in}}}{P} =0.0395691 \approx3.96\times10^{-2}\ \mathrm{m^3\,s^{-1}} }. \]

3.2 — Combustion products and temperature

One mole of fuel contains eight moles of carbon atoms. Since \(10.0\%\) form carbon monoxide, the products contain \[ n(\ce{CO})=0.800\ \mathrm{mol}, \qquad n(\ce{CO2})=7.200\ \mathrm{mol} \] per mole of fuel. The eighteen hydrogen atoms give nine water molecules.

The oxygen requirement is consequently \[ \frac{0.8+2(7.2)+9}{2}=12.1 \] moles of oxygen per mole of fuel. The balanced reaction is \[ \boxed{\ce{10C8H18(g) + 121O2(g) -> 8CO(g) + 72CO2(g) + 90H2O(g)}}. \]

The incoming oxygen and nitrogen flows are \[ \dot n(\ce{O2})_{\mathrm{in}} =0.210(1.28872) =0.270631\ \mathrm{mol\,s^{-1}}, \] \[ \dot n(\ce{N2})_{\mathrm{in}} =0.790(1.28872) =1.01809\ \mathrm{mol\,s^{-1}}. \]

The combustion consumes \[ 12.1\dot n_f=0.169825\ \mathrm{mol\,s^{-1}} \] of oxygen, leaving an excess.

Product Molar-flow calculation Molar flow, \(\mathrm{mol\,s^{-1}}\)
\(\ce{CO2}\) \(7.2\dot n_f\) 0.101053
\(\ce{CO}\) \(0.8\dot n_f\) 0.0112281
\(\ce{H2O}\) \(9\dot n_f\) 0.126316
\(\ce{O2}\) \(0.210\dot n_{\mathrm{air}}-12.1\dot n_f\) 0.100806
\(\ce{N2}\) \(0.790\dot n_{\mathrm{air}}\) 1.01809
Total 1.35749

For ideal gases, volume fractions equal mole fractions: \[ \text{vol.\% of species }i =100\frac{\dot n_i}{1.35749}. \] This gives the composition in the Answers table.

For the temperature, we treat the combustion as taking place at constant pressure, as the given \(C_p\) data and reaction enthalpy imply, and use \(C_p\). We assume no heat loss and constant heat capacities. To obtain a numerical temperature, we additionally take 373 K as the precombustion temperature and treat the supplied reaction enthalpy as applicable at that reference temperature.

Using the tabulated formation enthalpies exactly as printed, the reaction enthalpy per mole of fuel is \[ \begin{aligned} \Delta_r H &=7.2(-395.51)+0.8(-110.53)+9(-241.82)-(-187.82)\\ &=-4924.656\ \mathrm{kJ\,mol^{-1}}. \end{aligned} \]

Thus the rate of heat release is \[ -\dot n_f\Delta_rH =(0.0140351)(4924.656) =69.118\ \mathrm{kJ\,s^{-1}}. \]

The heat-capacity flow of all products, including excess oxygen and inert nitrogen, is \[ \begin{aligned} \dot C_{p,\mathrm{products}} ={}&0.101053(37.11)+0.0112281(29.14)\\ &+0.126316(33.58)+0.100806(29.36)\\ &+1.01809(29.13)\\ ={}&40.9355\ \mathrm{J\,s^{-1}\,K^{-1}}. \end{aligned} \]

The enthalpy balance is \[ \dot C_{p,\mathrm{products}}(T_{\mathrm{comb}}-373) =-\dot n_f\Delta_rH. \]

Therefore, \[ \boxed{ T_{\mathrm{comb}} =373+\frac{69118}{40.9355} =2061.5\ \mathrm K \approx2.06\times10^3\ \mathrm K }. \]

This value assumes that the compressed mixture is at 373 K before ignition and neglects the temperature dependence of the reaction enthalpy; the problem does not specify these further.

3.3 — Temperature after expansion

There are 100 burn cycles per second across the engine, so the quantity of exhaust gas in one cylinder after one burn is \[ n_{\mathrm{cycle}} =\frac{1.35749}{100} =0.0135749\ \mathrm{mol}. \]

At the end of expansion, the cylinder volume is \(400\ \mathrm{cm^3}\) and its pressure is 200 kPa. Hence \[ \begin{aligned} T_{\mathrm{exit}} &=\frac{P_{\mathrm{exit}}V_{\max}}{n_{\mathrm{cycle}}R}\\ &=\frac{200000(400\times10^{-6})} {0.0135749(8.314)}\\ &=708.83\ \mathrm K. \end{aligned} \]

Thus \[ \boxed{T_{\mathrm{exit}}\approx709\ \mathrm K\approx436\,^\circ\mathrm C}. \]

The compression ratio gives \(V_{\min}=400/8=50\ \mathrm{cm^3}\), but this intermediate volume is unnecessary here: the specified final pressure, maximum volume, and amount of gas determine the final temperature directly.

3.4 — Composition after catalytic oxidation

The catalyst promotes \[ \boxed{\ce{2CO(g) + O2(g) -> 2CO2(g)}}. \]

Before the catalyst, \[ r_1=\frac{n(\ce{CO})}{n(\ce{CO2})} =\frac{0.8}{7.2} =\frac19. \]

The total incoming molar flow and temperature are \[ v=1.35749\ \mathrm{mol\,s^{-1}}, \qquad T=708.83\ \mathrm K. \]

The prescribed work function gives the outlet ratio \[ \begin{aligned} r_2 &=\frac14(3.141)\left(\frac19\right) (1.35749)e^{-708.83/373}\\ &=0.0177088. \end{aligned} \]

Let \(x\) be the molar flow of carbon monoxide oxidized, in \(\mathrm{mol\,s^{-1}}\). Then \[ \frac{0.0112281-x}{0.101053+x}=r_2, \] so \[ x =\frac{0.0112281-r_2(0.101053)}{1+r_2} =0.00927431\ \mathrm{mol\,s^{-1}}. \]

This corresponds to \[ \frac{x}{0.0112281}\times100=82.6\% \] conversion of carbon monoxide.

The oxygen consumption is \(x/2\). The outgoing flows are therefore:

Gas Outlet molar flow, \(\mathrm{mol\,s^{-1}}\)
\(\ce{CO}\) \(0.0112281-x=0.00195376\)
\(\ce{CO2}\) \(0.101053+x=0.110327\)
\(\ce{O2}\) \(0.100806-x/2=0.0961693\)
\(\ce{H2O}\) 0.126316
\(\ce{N2}\) 1.01809

Oxidation decreases the total gas amount, because three reactant molecules become two product molecules. Consequently, \[ \dot n_{\mathrm{out}} =1.35749-\frac{x}{2} =1.35285\ \mathrm{mol\,s^{-1}}. \]

Normalizing by this new total gives \[ \boxed{ \begin{aligned} \ce{N2}:&\ 75.25\%,& \ce{O2}:&\ 7.11\%,\\ \ce{CO2}:&\ 8.16\%,& \ce{CO}:&\ 0.14\%,\\ \ce{H2O}:&\ 9.34\%. \end{aligned} } \]

The solution was checked against the official solution.