IChO 1993 · Theory problem 3

Carbon monoxide from a methane burner

The interest of this problem lies in its relevance to the risk of poisoning by carbon monoxide owing to faulty or ill-adjusted heating systems. Cases of poisoning due to this cause are rather common. The student may be aware that the acceptable concentration of \(\ce{CO}\) in air is ≤ 5 ppm and the maximum tolerable level is 50 ppm.

The following reactions occur in methane burner:

Figure 1
Compound \(\ce{CH4}\) \(\ce{O2}\) \(\ce{CO2}\) \(\ce{CO}\) \(\ce{H2O}\)
\(\Delta H_f^0\) (\(\mathrm{kJ\,mol^{-1}}\)) −74.9 0 −393.5 −110.5 −241.8
\(S^0\) (\(\mathrm{J\,K^{-1}\,mol^{-1}}\)) 186.2 205.0 213.6 197.6 188.7

Questions:

3.1 Calculate the equilibrium constants for both reactions at \(T = 1500\ \mathrm{K}\) assuming that the values \(\Delta H^\circ\) and \(\Delta S^\circ\) are independent of the temperature.

3.2 Find the relationship between the mole numbers of oxygen and carbon monoxide at equilibrium (\(T = 1500\ \mathrm{K}\), \(p = 1\ \mathrm{atm}\)) when air is admitted into the burner in such amount that the mole ratio \(\ce{CH4}:\ce{O2}\) is \(1:2\).

Assume the following volume composition of air: 80 % \(\ce{N2}\) and 20 % \(\ce{O2}\).

Make the approximation that \(n(\ce{CH4}) \cong 0\) at equilibrium and justify it on the bases of the answers to the question 3.1.

3.3 Calculate the equilibrium mole fraction \(x\) of \(\ce{CO}\) in the conditions given in the question 3.2. Assume that the mole fraction of \(\ce{CO}\) is very small in comparison with that of \(\ce{CO2}\) and consequently, the total number of moles does not appreciably vary during the combustion. Justify this assumption.

3.4 Repeat the calculations of items 3.2 and 3.3 assuming that twice the amount of air (compared to the conditions in question 3.2) is admitted into the burner (4 mol \(\ce{O2}\) : 1 mol \(\ce{CH4}\)).

3.5 Calculate the concentrations of \(\ce{CO}\) (expressed as ppm by volume) in the fumes after condensation of water vapour under the conditions of question 3.2 and 3.4, assuming that the composition does not change appreciably during the cooling from 1500 K to room temperature and neglecting the contribution of water vapour to the composition of the gas phase.

Official English text of the problem.

Answers

  • 3.1: \(K_{\mathrm I}=4.62\times10^{27}\), \(K_{\mathrm{II}}=2.13\times10^{22}\) at \(1500\ \mathrm{K}\).
  • 3.2: \(\boxed{n(\ce{O2})=\tfrac12n(\ce{CO})}\), with residual methane negligible.
  • 3.3: \(\boxed{x(\ce{CO})\approx7.05\times10^{-5}}\), including water vapour.
  • 3.4: On a basis of \(1\ \mathrm{mol}\) methane supplied, \[ \boxed{n(\ce{O2})=2\ \mathrm{mol}+\tfrac12n(\ce{CO})}, \qquad \boxed{x(\ce{CO})\approx7.10\times10^{-7}}. \]
  • 3.5: After water condensation, approximately 86.2 ppm by volume for the conditions of 3.2 and 0.785 ppm by volume for those of 3.4.

Solution

The species involved are methane (\(\ce{CH4}\)), C; oxygen (\(\ce{O2}\)), O=O; carbon dioxide (\(\ce{CO2}\)), O=C=O; carbon monoxide (\(\ce{CO}\)), [C-]#[O+]; water (\(\ce{H2O}\)), O; and nitrogen (\(\ce{N2}\)), N#N. These SMILES specify connectivity; the oxygen SMILES does not specify its triplet electronic ground state.

Treat the gases as ideal. Use dimensionless activities \(a_i=p_i/p^\circ\), with \(p^\circ=1\ \mathrm{atm}\); therefore, at the specified total pressure, \(a_i=x_i\). Take \(R=8.314\ \mathrm{J\,mol^{-1}\,K^{-1}}\).

3.1 — Equilibrium constants

The balanced reactions are

\[ \ce{CH4(g) + 2 O2(g) -> CO2(g) + 2 H2O(g)} \qquad(\mathrm I) \]

and

\[ \ce{CH4(g) + 3/2 O2(g) -> CO(g) + 2 H2O(g)}. \qquad(\mathrm{II}) \]

Calculate reaction quantities by subtracting the reactant sums from the product sums:

\[ \begin{aligned} \Delta H^\circ_{\mathrm I} &=-393.5+2(-241.8)-(-74.9) =-802.2\ \mathrm{kJ\,mol^{-1}},\\ \Delta S^\circ_{\mathrm I} &=213.6+2(188.7)-186.2-2(205.0) =-5.2\ \mathrm{J\,K^{-1}\,mol^{-1}},\\[2mm] \Delta H^\circ_{\mathrm{II}} &=-110.5+2(-241.8)-(-74.9) =-519.2\ \mathrm{kJ\,mol^{-1}},\\ \Delta S^\circ_{\mathrm{II}} &=197.6+2(188.7)-186.2-\tfrac32(205.0) =81.3\ \mathrm{J\,K^{-1}\,mol^{-1}}. \end{aligned} \]

Using \(\Delta G^\circ=\Delta H^\circ-T\Delta S^\circ\) at \(1500\ \mathrm{K}\),

\[ \Delta G^\circ_{\mathrm I} =-802.2-1500(-0.0052) =-794.4\ \mathrm{kJ\,mol^{-1}}, \]

\[ \Delta G^\circ_{\mathrm{II}} =-519.2-1500(0.0813) =-641.15\ \mathrm{kJ\,mol^{-1}}. \]

Consequently,

\[ K_{\mathrm I} =\frac{a_{\ce{CO2}}a_{\ce{H2O}}^2} {a_{\ce{CH4}}a_{\ce{O2}}^2} =\exp\!\left(\frac{794400}{8.314(1500)}\right) =\boxed{4.62\times10^{27}}, \]

\[ K_{\mathrm{II}} =\frac{a_{\ce{CO}}a_{\ce{H2O}}^2} {a_{\ce{CH4}}a_{\ce{O2}}^{3/2}} =\exp\!\left(\frac{641150}{8.314(1500)}\right) =\boxed{2.13\times10^{22}}. \]

3.2 — Stoichiometric air: relationship between oxygen and carbon monoxide

Choose a basis of \(1\ \mathrm{mol}\) methane. The air supplies

\[ n_0(\ce{O2})=2\ \mathrm{mol}, \qquad n_0(\ce{N2})=2\left(\frac{80}{20}\right)=8\ \mathrm{mol}. \]

Both equilibrium constants are extremely large, favouring combustion products and supporting the approximation \(n(\ce{CH4})\approx0\). A quantitative consistency check follows in 3.3.

With methane neglected, carbon and hydrogen balances give

\[ n(\ce{CO2})+n(\ce{CO})=1\ \mathrm{mol}, \qquad n(\ce{H2O})=2\ \mathrm{mol}. \]

The oxygen-atom balance is

\[ 2n(\ce{O2})+2n(\ce{CO2})+n(\ce{CO})+n(\ce{H2O}) =4\ \mathrm{mol}. \]

Substitution yields

\[ \boxed{n(\ce{O2})=\frac12n(\ce{CO})}. \]

Thus, for every mole of carbon monoxide formed instead of carbon dioxide, half a mole of oxygen remains unconsumed. The total equilibrium amount is

\[ n_{\mathrm{tot}}=11\ \mathrm{mol}+\frac12n(\ce{CO}). \]

3.3 — Carbon monoxide mole fraction with stoichiometric air

Subtracting reaction I from reaction II gives

\[ \ce{CO2(g) <=> CO(g) + 1/2 O2(g)}. \]

Its equilibrium constant is

\[ K_{\mathrm d} =\frac{K_{\mathrm{II}}}{K_{\mathrm I}} =\frac{a_{\ce{CO}}a_{\ce{O2}}^{1/2}}{a_{\ce{CO2}}} =4.60435\times10^{-6}. \]

Let \(x=x(\ce{CO})\). From 3.2,

\[ x(\ce{O2})=\frac{x}{2}. \]

For a small carbon monoxide content,

\[ n_{\mathrm{tot}}\approx11\ \mathrm{mol}, \qquad x(\ce{CO2})\approx\frac1{11}. \]

Since the total pressure is \(1\ \mathrm{atm}\),

\[ K_{\mathrm d} =\frac{x\sqrt{x/2}}{1/11} =\frac{11}{\sqrt2}x^{3/2}. \]

Therefore,

\[ \boxed{ x=\left(\frac{\sqrt2\,K_{\mathrm d}}{11}\right)^{2/3} =7.05\times10^{-5} }. \]

The corresponding amount is

\[ n(\ce{CO})\approx11x\ \mathrm{mol} =7.755\times10^{-4}\ \mathrm{mol}. \]

The assumed smallness is confirmed by

\[ \frac{x(\ce{CO})}{x(\ce{CO2})} \approx11x=7.76\times10^{-4}, \]

so carbon monoxide is only about \(0.0776\%\) as abundant as carbon dioxide. Furthermore,

\[ \frac{n_{\mathrm{tot}}-11\ \mathrm{mol}}{11\ \mathrm{mol}} =\frac{n(\ce{CO})/2}{11\ \mathrm{mol}} \approx3.53\times10^{-5}, \]

a total-mole increase of only \(0.00353\%\).

Finally, reaction I gives the residual methane mole fraction:

\[ x(\ce{CH4}) =\frac{x(\ce{CO2})x(\ce{H2O})^2} {K_{\mathrm I}x(\ce{O2})^2} \approx \frac{(1/11)(2/11)^2} {(4.618\times10^{27})(3.525\times10^{-5})^2} \approx5.2\times10^{-22}. \]

Neglecting methane is therefore fully consistent.

3.4 — Twice the stoichiometric amount of air

For \(1\ \mathrm{mol}\) methane, the feed now contains \(4\ \mathrm{mol}\) oxygen and \(16\ \mathrm{mol}\) nitrogen.

The carbon and hydrogen balances remain unchanged. The oxygen-atom balance becomes

\[ 2n(\ce{O2})+2n(\ce{CO2})+n(\ce{CO})+n(\ce{H2O}) =8\ \mathrm{mol}, \]

giving

\[ \boxed{n(\ce{O2})=2\ \mathrm{mol}+\frac12n(\ce{CO})}. \]

The total amount is consequently

\[ n_{\mathrm{tot}}=21\ \mathrm{mol}+\frac12n(\ce{CO}) \approx21\ \mathrm{mol}. \]

Thus,

\[ x(\ce{CO2})\approx\frac1{21}, \qquad x(\ce{O2})\approx\frac2{21}. \]

Using the same dissociation equilibrium,

\[ K_{\mathrm d} =\frac{x\sqrt{2/21}}{1/21} =\sqrt{42}\,x, \]

so

\[ \boxed{ x(\ce{CO})=\frac{K_{\mathrm d}}{\sqrt{42}} =7.10\times10^{-7} }. \]

Hence,

\[ n(\ce{CO})\approx21x\ \mathrm{mol} =1.492\times10^{-5}\ \mathrm{mol}. \]

The approximations are even better here:

\[ \frac{x(\ce{CO})}{x(\ce{CO2})}\approx21x =1.49\times10^{-5}, \]

\[ \frac{n_{\mathrm{tot}}-21\ \mathrm{mol}}{21\ \mathrm{mol}} \approx3.55\times10^{-7}. \]

Reaction I also gives \(x(\ce{CH4})\approx1.0\times10^{-29}\), confirming negligible residual methane.

3.5 — Carbon monoxide concentration after condensation

Under the stated assumption, the amount of carbon monoxide remains unchanged during cooling. Condensation removes approximately \(2\ \mathrm{mol}\) water from each gas mixture.

For ideal gases, volume fraction equals mole fraction, so

\[ C_{\ce{CO}}(\mathrm{ppm\ by\ volume}) =10^6\frac{n(\ce{CO})}{n_{\mathrm{dry}}}. \]

Using the same small-carbon-monoxide approximations:

Conditions \(n(\ce{CO})\) \(n_{\mathrm{dry}}\) Dry carbon monoxide concentration
Stoichiometric air, 3.2 \(7.755\times10^{-4}\ \mathrm{mol}\) \(11-2=9\ \mathrm{mol}\) \(\boxed{86.2\ \mathrm{ppm}}\)
Twice the air, 3.4 \(1.492\times10^{-5}\ \mathrm{mol}\) \(21-2=19\ \mathrm{mol}\) \(\boxed{0.785\ \mathrm{ppm}}\)

The solution was checked against the official solution.