What is the equation for the combustion of fuel?

Answer 1

There is no definite equation as, for one thing, the specific equation depends on the fuel being burned. Below are three common, though somewhat idealized, variations.

For carbon (e.g. coal): C + O2 -----> CO2

For methane (e.g. natural gas): CH4 + 2O2 --> CO2 + 2H2O

For octane (a component of gasoline): 2C8H18 + 25O2 --> 16CO2 + 18H2O

In most real world cases, though these reactions will result in some amounts of Carbon monoxide (CO) as well as CO2 due to incomplete combustion.

Answer 2

You realize that Diesel fuel is not a single compound, but rather a mixture of hydrocarbons. The "average" is C12H23. Diesel goes from C10H20 to C15H28.

The chemical equation for the complete combustion of Diesel fuel would then be:

4C12H23 + 71O2 --> 48CO2 + 46H2O

Of course, in the real world we don't get the complete combustion of Diesel fuel, so that what comes out the exhaust is a widely varying mixture of substances from elemental carbon to potentially unburned fuel.

Answer 3

There is no "formula" for diesel fuel. It is made up of the bits and pieces from a refined petroleum process blended together to meet certain criteia (like cetane number). In general it is the petroleum fractions with boiling points between 200 °C (392 °F) and 350 °C (662 °F). The materials are largely parraffins and cycloparaffins and aromatics. The average molecule in a diesel fuel contains 10 to 15 carbon atoms.

Answer 4

Chemical equation, or what? The chemical equation will vary, depending on what exactly burns.

Answer 5

There is no single equation because there are many fuels.

Coal is mostly pure carbon, so: C + O2 --> CO2

but methane, natural gas, is CH4 so: CH4 + 2O2 --> CO2 + 2H2O