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Biofuels

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Recently, there has been increased interest in reformulated and alternative fuels to control emissions and provide energy independence. Biodiesels are an alternative energy source derived from the transesterification of vegetable oils, animal fats, or waste frying oils, e.g., Palm Methyl Ester (PME), Canola Methyl Ester (CME), Soy Methyl Ester (SME). Biodiesels can be produced domestically and are derived from renewable sources. In addition they are completely miscible with petroleum diesel allowing the blending of this two fuels in any proportion. These fuels also have properties similar to those of traditional diesel, so, they can be substituted for diesel fuel with little or no engine modification.

 

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Combustion Characteristics of Spray Flames of Biofuels and their blends with Jet A

Spray flames of biofuels, specifically canola methyl ester and soy methyl ester, and their blends with Jet A are studied in a furnace lined with refractory fire brick. The liquid fuel and air are injected into the furnace through a swirl atomizer. The global emissions, in-flame radial temperature profiles, in-flame radial concentration profiles, and the axial soot volume concentration profiles are measured. The results can be used to understand the characteristics of spray flames in gas turbines that experience re-radiative heat transfer from the combustion chamber walls.

By Victor Tran

 

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Porous Media Combustion of Biofuels and Petroleum Fuels

Combustion with porous media burners is a relatively new technique that has been developed mainly to reduce pollutant emissions levels and increase power output in applications such as household and air heating systems, and gas turbine combustion chambers. In this study, canola methyl ester (CME), soy methyl ester (SME), commercial Jet-A fuel and Jet-A/ethanol blends are tested in a porous media burner. The measured combustion characteristics include flame extinction limits, NO and CO emission indices, radiative fraction of heat release, and axial temperature.

By Chodchanok Attaphong

    

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Combustion Characteristics of Palm Methyl Ester/Diesel Blends in Spray Flames

A partial swirl, air blast atomizer is used to create sprays of diesel and PME blends that are burned at atmospheric pressure in a coflow of hot air. The droplet size and velocity distributions, soot volume fraction, in-flame temperature, global emissions and in-flame gas concentration profiles are measured at different equivalence ratios.          

By Michael Richichi

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Combustion characteristics of spray flames of biofuels and their blends in a refractory-lined furnace.

The goal of this study is to analyze the combustion characteristics of spray flames of canola methyl ester (CME) and soy methyl ester (SME) and their blends with diesel fuel in a re-radiative environment. The experiments are carried out in a furnace chamber that is lined with refractory brick.  Measurements of in-flame temperature, concentration, soot volume fraction, radiation and global emission are made to understand how spray flames behave within applications such as diesel engines and liquid-fired boilers.

By Cory Morton

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Flame extinction limits of diesel fuel and propane.

Flame extinction limits are a fundamental thermo-chemical property of a fuel.  In this study, the flame extinction limits of propane and diesel fuel are measured using a counter-flow burner configuration. The fuel/air mixture is injected from the bottom burner and air or air/additive mixture is injected from the top burner.  Once a flat flame is obtained, the flow rates in the top and bottom burners are increased to increase the stretch rate until the flame is extinguished.

By Mathew Smeltzer

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Comparison of the ignition of biofuels and petroleum fuels

The ignition characteristics of biofuels (canola and soy methyl ester) are compared with those of petroleum fuels (gasoline and Jet A). Vaporized fuel is mixed with hot air in a combustion chamber in which an electrically-heated nichrome wire is present. The current and voltage through the wire are varied until ignition of the fuel-air mixture occurs. The input electrical power and temperature in the chamber are compared for petroleum fuels and biofuels.

By Jonathan Oliver

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Combustion characteristics of laminar premixed flames of palm methyl ester and its blends with diesel

In this study, the combustion properties of pre-vaporized palm methyl ester/diesel blends are documented at different exit equivalence ratios. In order to understand the effects of fuel chemistry, a laminar flame configuration is used. The global emissions, flame radiation, in-flame temperature profiles and in-flame concentration profiles are measured and compared with those of a pure diesel flame at the same equivalence ratio.

By Diego Romero

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200 Felgar St., Engineering Laboratory E8 | Norman, OK, 73019 | Phone: (405) 325-7016

Updated 11/20/2012 by Michael Richichi and Arun Balakrishnan

Combustion and Flame Dynamics Laboratory, University of Oklahoma, 2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                       

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