Calculations of the heat release rate by oxygen consumption for various applications

Heat release equations are developed in a general way and it is shown how they can be adapted to various applications such as: closed systems versus open systems; trapping carbon dioxide before it reaches the oxygen analyzer, measuring it, or assuming that it is equal to the reduction in oxygen concentration; ignoring carbon monoxide or measuring it; accounting for the density of the exhaust gases or assuming that it is the same as for air; using a high temperature oxygen cell which measures the oxygen concentration in the exhaust duct directly or a paramagnetic analyzer for which corrections must be made for water vapor trapping; taking into account or ignoring the ambient concentration of water vapor and carbon dioxide; and, improving the accuracy for open systems by monitoring the water vapor in the exhaust duct. The equations developed should be useful to anyone setting up a new system and will provide a means of calculating the errors which might be expected when simplified procedures are used.