Oxygen Requirement Calculator

Oxygen Requirement Calculator: Stoichiometric O2 Needed to Burn Fuel

Every fuel needs a specific mass of pure oxygen to burn completely, determined entirely by its elemental composition. This calculator applies the standard ultimate-analysis formula to compute the theoretical oxygen requirement per kilogram of fuel, the foundation for sizing oxy-fuel systems and cross-checking air supply calculations.

The Formula

O2 Required (kg/kg fuel) = 2.667 × C + 8 × H − O + S

where C, H, O, and S are the mass fractions of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and sulfur in the fuel.

Worked Example

A fuel is 75% carbon and 25% hydrogen by mass, with no oxygen or sulfur content.

O2 Required = 2.667(0.75) + 8(0.25) − 0 + 0 = 4.0 kg O2/kg fuel

How to Use This Calculator

  1. Enter the carbon mass fraction of the fuel (0-1).
  2. Enter the hydrogen mass fraction (0-1).
  3. Optionally enter the oxygen and sulfur mass fractions if present in the fuel.
  4. Click Calculate to get the stoichiometric oxygen requirement.

Related Calculations

Compare against the Stoichiometric Air Requirement Calculator, which converts this oxygen demand into an equivalent air requirement.