Project ForgeThermodynamics
First Law of Thermodynamics
GATE 2016
Hard
Propane (C3H8) is burned in an oxygen atmosphere with 10% deficit oxygen with respect to the stoichiometric requirement. Assuming no hydrocarbons in the products, the volume percentage of CO in the products is __________.
14.3 %(± 0.6 accepted)
Explanation
Stoichiometric: C3H8+5O2→3CO2+4H2O, needing 5 mol O2/mol fuel. With 10% deficient O2, supplied O2=4.5 mol. Let CO2=a, CO=b, with a+b=3 (carbon balance) and 2a+b+4=9 (oxygen balance from 4.5 mol O2 = 9 O atoms, with H2O fixed at 4 mol). Solving: a=2, b=1. Total products = CO2+CO+H2O = 2+1+4=7 mol, so CO% = 1/7 ≈ 14.3%.
Source: GATE ME 2016 Set-1 (2016)
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