Combustion systems use fuel and oxidizers to create energy through chemical reactions. Examples include boilers, fireplaces, and engines. Different combustion techniques and fuel types can be used.
Combustion systems are chemical reactions between a material that can be burned as a fuel and chemical compounds present in oxidizers, substances that transfer oxygen atoms. The main purpose of combustion is to create some kind of energy to produce the working definition of physical science. In essence, it is the production of a certain amount of energy transferred by the force of heat and fire. Common examples of combustion systems include boilers, fireplaces, ovens, gas burners and other heating systems.
Household appliances are one of the most common uses of combustion systems. In a boiler, an enclosed unit is filled with water or other type of fluid and heated to vaporize the fluid to provide heat for other devices. A fireplace, generally burning wood or gas, is placed within an architectural construct for the purpose of heating or cooking. Kilns, traditionally designed to make ceramics or metals, use a fuel source to heat the materials or the air itself. Similarly, gas burners use natural gas or propane mixed with air to generate a flame, which can be used to cook or burn substances.
There are several types of combustion techniques used in these systems, each requiring different levels of fuel and oxidizers. Complete combustion essentially burns the fuel, usually a hydrocarbon, and produces very little secondary material. Pyrolysis, or incomplete combustion, occurs when oxidizer is not readily available or limited, causing the combustion system to partially shut down. Low-temperature smoldering is called smoldering, like a burnt campfire. At the opposite end of the spectrum, rapid burn is a situation where heat and light are produced very rapidly, as is the case with thermobaric weapons, such as bunker-busters.
Two different types of fuels can be used in combustion systems: liquid or solid. In the case of liquids, combustion occurs during the gaseous phase. The liquid is heated into a gas, which ignites when mixed with oxidants. Solid fuels need three distinct phases to function successfully. The fuel must be preheated, followed by the production of gases which burn and finally the solid fuel turns into coal.
Perhaps the most common form of combustion systems is the engine. This is designed in two different formats: internal and external combustion engine. Internal combustion engines contain a chamber where fuel and oxidizer are mixed to produce energy. External combustion engines involve heating a fluid through a heat exchanger, producing usable work.
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