Fuel Vol. 77, No. 11, pp. 1229-1235.

1998
0 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved
Printed in Great Britain
0016.2361/98 $19.00+0.00

PII: SOO16-2361(98)00017-9

ELSEVIER

Combustion characteristics of
lignite-water
slurries
Reha Yavuzac*, Sadriye KQ@kbayraka and Alan Williamsb
alstanbul Technical University, Chemical Engineering Department, 80626 Maslak-Istanbul,

Turkey

bLeeds University, Fuel and Energy Department, Leeds LS2 9JT, U.K.
(Received 21 February 1997; revised 12 January 1998)

Coal water slurries have been developed over the last 15 years as an alternative to fuel oil mainly in industry and
power station boilers. They are also a considerable potential for gasification applications, blast furnace injection
and fluidized bed combustors. Determination and improvement of combustion characteristics of coal-water
slurries are as important as the preparation of the suitable slurry. Suspended single droplet combustion technique
may be the best of the methods used in the investigation of combustion characteristics of liquid fuel droplets. The
main advantage of this technique is that, droplet lifetime history, ignition delay, flame structure, centre and surface
temperature of the droplet and burning rate can be investigated and a good comparative result for different fuels
under the same conditions can be obtained. Therefore, suspended single droplet combustion technique was used in
this study. The effect of droplet size, lignite fraction in the slurry and furnace temperature on slurry combustion
were studied systematically. 0 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved
(Keywords: combustion; lignite; water; slurry)

INTRODUCTION
Coal water slurries have been developed over the last 15
years as an alternative to fuel oil mainly in industry and
power station boilers. They are also a considerable potential
for gasification applications,
blast furnace injection and
fluidized bed combustors. The attraction of the coal water
slurry (CWS) is its complete independence of an oil supply.
There are two major reasons for investigating the suitability
of CWSs as a fuel. Firstly, the fuel can be stored without the
danger of a coal dust explosion and burned in a similar way
to heavy fuel oil in existing oil-fired equipments with a few
modifications,
and secondly CWSs can be transported in
pipelines,
leading to reduction
in transportation
costs
compared to the coal. There are also some disadvantages
to be overcome, such as increase of wear and blockage of
mechanical components, flame instability and changes in
heat transfer in the combustion chamber, and stability and
flow problems during storage and pumping.
In CWS technology, one important thing is to prepare a
suitable slurry, which means it has a high coal loading, a low
viscosity,
and a good stability against settling. Most
important, however, is to determine combustion characteristics of the prepared slurry and to improve it. In this
connection, various studies have already been published2-4.
In the investigation of the combustion behavior of CWSs, a
suspended single droplet technique has been widely used5.
The main advantage of this technique is that, droplet
lifetime history, ignition delay, flame structure, centre and
surface temperature of the droplet and burning rate can be
investigated and a good comparative result for different
fuels under the same conditions can be obtained. However,
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

there are a number of disadvantages which arise from using

this ex erimental technique and these are clearly explained
Y
in Ref. .
In most of the studies on the combustion of CWS, high
rank coals are used. There are only a few numbers of studies
on low-rank coal, such as lignite. For some countries, such
as Turkey, lignite is of great importance in their energy
sector.
The main objective of the present investigation
is to
determine combustion characteristics
of the slurries prepared using different Turkish lignites. To do so, suspended
single droplet combustion technique has been used. The
effect of droplet size, lignite fraction in the slurry and
furnace temperature on slurry combustion
were studied
systematically.
Various combustion stages including evaporation, ignition delay, flame lifetime, char and overall
combustion periods were related with the characteristics of
the slurry. The results were also compared with the
literature.

EXPERIMENTAL
Preparation

of lignite-water

slurries

Turkish lignite samples were used to prepare the slurries.

The proximate analysis and calorific values of them are
given in Table 1. The fuels used in this investigation were
prepared as follows: Each lignite sample was ground to
particle sizes less than -45 pm (325 mesh). The samples
were stored under nitrogen atmosphere prior to use. Slurry
was prepared by mixing the lignite with a given amount of
water ranging between 30-40% by weight, and containing
sodium dioctyl sulphosuccinate
as a detergent (1% of coal
weight). The composition of the LWSs are given in Table 2.

Fuel 1998 Volume

77 Number

11

1229

Combustion of lignite-water slurries: R. Yavuz et al.

Table 1

Proximate

analysis

and calorific

Sample
Tekirda&Karakaya

(TK)

values

of the lignite

samples

Moisture
(%)

Volatile matter
(%)

Fixed carbon
(%)

Ash
(%)

Gross calorific value

(MJ kg-)

15.12

34.42

39.32

11.14

20.08

Bolu-Merkesler

(BM)

11.58

41.26

36.65

10.51

24.20

Yozgat-Sorgun

(YS)

8.66

35.78

49.49

6.07

28.14

Bursa-Orhaneli

(BO)

30.38

34.50

31.19

3.93

18.93

Bolu-Mengen

(BMN)

7.67

48.93

37.24

6.16

26.74

Table 2

The composition

Sample

of the lignite-water

Lignite
(%)

Water
(%)

slurries
Moisture
(So)

Volatile matter

Fixed carbon

(%)

(%)

Ash
(%)

Density
(g cm- )

TKl

71.50

28.50

39.31

24.61

28.11

7.96

1.344

TK2

65.80

34.20

44.13

22.66

25.88

7.33

1.309

TK3

61.50

38.50

47.80

21.17

24.18

6.85

1.290

BMl

71.60

28.40

36.69

29.54

26.24

7.53

1.305

BM2

67.90

32.10

39.96

28.02

24.89

7.14

1.284

BM3

61.50

38.50

45.62

25.37

22.54

6.47

1.237

YSl

69.80

30.20

36.24

24.97

34.54

4.24

1.231

YS2

66.50

33.50

39.26

23.79

32.91

4.04

1.219

YS3

61.50

38.50

43.83

22.00

30.43

3.73

1.200

Combustion of suspended single droplets

Suspended single droplet experiments were performed to
obtain the combustion
characteristics
of the slurries
prepared at different furnace temperatures. Before use, the
lignite-water
slurry (LWS) had been thoroughly stirred to
maintain its uniformity. The droplets were mounted to a
microthermocouple
at room temperature using a glass rod
and their initial sizes were measured by a microscope.
Typically, a single droplet of slurry fuel was suspended
from a 100 pm diameter Ft-W13%
Rh thermocouple
junction and burned in air at 1 bar pressure in a furnace.
The center temperature of the droplets were measured
continuously
and recorded by a microprocessor
data
handling system. The experimental
setup has been well
described in details elsewhere6.
Due to the effects of gravity, thermocouple and droplet
surface tension, the droplet shape is not spherical but
ellipsoidal. Therefore, the following equation given by
Kobayasi7 gives the equivalent diameter (6> of a sphere of
the same volume that was used in the calculation of the
droplet diameters
d = (dl.d;)3
where dl is the length of
the supporting fiber, and
perpendicular to the fiber
the droplets tested are in
RESULTS

(1)
the major axis being coaxial with
d2 is the length of the minor axis
axis. The equivalent diameters of
the range of 900-1800 pm.

AND DISCUSSION

Figure I shows a typical temperature-time

graphic for the
combustion of a LWS droplet. Combustion history of the
droplet exhibits various stages: an evaporation period, an
ignition delay period, ti, a visible envelope flame period, tf,
and finally a char combustion period, t,.
During the overall combustion process disintegration or
disruption of either the droplet or the char into two or more
portions was not observed. At the end of the combustion, a

1230

Fuel 1998 Volume

77 Number

11

l4-7.

10

20

30

40

50

60

I
70

Time [s]

Figure 1 Temperature-time behavior of a lignite-water

droplet (d, = 1.49 mm; Tf = 1113 K)

slurry

small amount of ash remained at the tip of the thermocouple,

which did not contain any carbon as controlled by elemental
analysis. This means that there was a complete combustion.
The overall combustion time of the LWS droplet was found
to be high compared with the literature data for the slurries
prepared by using high-rank coals. In the case of combustion of CWSs containing
the high swelling coals, the
droplets always showed pre-ignition
swelling and then
popped out to form a large agglomerate of irregular shape5.
This leads to produce very porous residue with high total
surface area for oxidation. Finally, the char from highly
swelling coal bums rapidly and this effects the overall
combustion time of the droplet leading to a short char
combustion stage. Lignite is a non-swelling coal and it bums
unviolently.
The char from lignite has a denser, more
compact structure. Char combustion
stage of the LWS
droplet will be longer than that of the CWS droplet

Combustion of lignite-water slurries: R. Yavuz et al.

containing the high swelling coal. This is thought to be the
reason why the overall combustion time of LWS droplet
was found too high compared with the literature results. If
lignite is going to be used in the preparation of slurry, some
measures need to be taken to overcome the drawback of the
combustion of LWS droplet mentioned above.
For a LWS droplet of 1.15 mm diameter, the following
results were obtained.
Effect of droplet size on the combustion characteristics
This relationship is shown in Figure 2 for the evaporation, ignition delay, flame lifetime, char combustion and
overall combustion times of LWS droplets. As can be seen,
there is a linear, increasing relationship between the
combustion stages and diameters of the LWS droplets.
This relationship is valid for all the furnace temperatures
studied.
Effect of water content on the evaporation time
Figure 3 shows that there is a linear, increasing relationship between the evaporation time and the total water
content of the LWS droplet. The slope of the line decreases
as the furnace temperature increases. The evaporation rate
of the water increases with an increase in the furnace
temperature.

61

I
45

I
40

35

30

I
50

Total water content (%I

Figure 4 Reduction in the evaporation time of a LWS droplet,
depending on the total water content of the slurry, when the furnace
temperature increased from 1073 K to 1113 K

*jtlat
36

40

44

48

Total water content [%]

25

1.0

0.8

1.2

20
i

1.4

Figure 5 Relationship between the total water content and the

ignition delay time of a LWS droplet at two different furnace
temperatures. d, = 1.15 mm. 0: at the furnace temperature of
: at the furnace temperature of 1113 K
1073 K ??

Equivalent diameter [mm]

Figure 2 Effect of droplet size on the combustion
LWS droplet

31

I
36

I
40

I
44

stages of a

BMN
Calculated
I
48

Total water content [%I

Figure 3 Relationship between the total water content and the
evaporation time of a LWS droplet at two different furnace
temperatures. d, = 1.15 mm. 0: at the furnace temperature of
1073 K ??
: at the furnace temperature of 1113 K

The evaporation time as a function of the total water

content is presented in Figure 4 when the furnace
temperature increased from 1073 K to 1113 K. For the
total water contents of 35% and 45%, it was observed that
there is a 7% and 11% reduction in the evaporation time
depending on the increase of the furnace temperature from
1073 K to 1113 K, respectively. According to Figure 4, for
the total water content of -16%, there will be no great
difference in the evaporation time as the furnace temperature increases; i.e., if the total content of the sample is lower
than 16%, increasing the furnace temperature from 1073 K
to 1113 K may not affect the evaporation time. Such an
effect would not be seen in the case of CWS because 25%
water is added, at least, in the preparation of the slurry.
Effect of water content on the ignition delay time
It is seen in Figure 5 that there is a linear, increasing
relationship between the total water content and the ignition
delay time of the LWS droplet. The slope of the line
decreases as the furnace temperature rises. Increasing the
furnace temperature from 1073 K to 1113 K, ll-14.6%
reductions in the ignition delay times were observed for
35% and 47% total water contents, respectively (Figure 6J.
As the water content rises, the percent reduction in the
ignition delay time increases depending on the furnace

Fuel 1998 Volume

77 Number 11

1231

Combustion of lignite-water slurries: R. Yavuz et al.

16 -

8
30

14 -

I
35

I
40

I
45

I
50

12
15

Figure 6 Reduction in the ignition delay time of a LWS droplet,

depending on the total water content of the slurry, when the furnace
temperature increased from 1073 K to 1113 K

TK
YS
BM

61
20

I
24

I
28

Calculated

I
32

I
36

Volatile matter content [%]

Figure 7 Relationship between the volatile matter content and

the ignition delay time of a LWS droplet at two different furnace
temperatures. d, = 1.15 mm. 0: at the furnace temperature of
: at the furnace temperature of 1113 K
1073 K ??

temperature. A 38.7% increase in the ignition delay time

was observed at the furnace temperature of 1073 K when the
total water content was increased from 35% to 47%. The
increase was 33% at 1113 K.
Total water content mentioned here is the sum of the
moisture content of the coal and water added in the
preparation of the slurry. As far as high rank coals are
considered, their moisture contents are in general less than
that of low rank coals. For a CWS prepared by high and low
rank coal in a given concentration, total water content of the
slurry prepared by a high rank coal will be smaller
compared to a low rank coal water slurry. Therefore, it
can be said that the ignition delay time of a high rank coal
water slurry will be less than that of a low rank coal water
slurry provided that the concentration of the slurry is the
same.
Effect of volatile matter content on the ignition delay time
Figure 7 shows that there is a linear, reciprocal relation-

ship between the ignition delay time and the volatile matter
content of the LWS droplet. The greater the increase in the
volatile matter content of the slurry the lower the ignition
delay time of the droplet. Thus, using lignites of higher
volatile matter content in the preparation of the slurry can be

1232

Fuel 1998 Volume

77 Number

I
25

I
30

I
35

1
40

Volatile matter content [%]

Total water content [%I

0
0
0

I
20

11

Figure 8 Reduction in the ignition delay time of a LWS droplet,

depending on the volatile matter content of the slurry, when the
furnace temperature increased from 1073 K to 1113 K

recommended as a way of reducing the ignition delay time

of the droplet, which is one of the main drawback of these
fuels during combustion.
Ignition delay time decreases with the increase of the
furnace temperature, depending on the volatile matter
content of the droplet. As can be seen from Figure 8,
increasing the furnace temperature from 1073 K to 1113 K
resulted in 13.8% and 12.4% reduction in the ignition delay
times for the slurries containing 20% and 35% volatile
matter, respectively. A 27.3% reduction in the ignition delay
time was observed at a furnace temperature of 1073 K when
the volatile matter content was increased from 25% to 35%.
The reduction was 26.1% at 1113 K.
As far as reductions in the ignition delay times with the
furnace temperatures, depending on the total water and
volatile matter contents of the fuel, are considered, the effect
of volatile matter content was not observed to be as
significant as the effect of water content. This may due to
the rate of release of water content of fuel depends on the
furnace temperature more than that of the volatile matter
content of fuel. Since the total water content is sum of the
moisture content of the coal and water added in the
preparation of the slurry and, it affects the ignition delay
time adversely, in the studies performed to find a suitable
coal in the preparation of slurry, the inherent moisture
content of the coal must be considered as an important
parameter as the other characteristics of the coal, such as
volatile matter content, calorific vaIue, etc.
Effect offurnece

temperature on the flame lifetime

The change of duration of visible flame lifetime with the

furnace temperature is shown in Figure 9. This relationship
can be formulated as follows:
taame= a + be, + ce2

(2)

where a, b, and c are the experimental coefficients depending on the nature of the lignite sample, tame is the visible
flame lifetime and tf is the furnace temperature. a, b, and c
values are given in Table 3.
Comparing Tekirdag-Karakaya
(TK) and Bolu-MerkeSler
(BM) lignite samples in the visible flame lifetime, it can be
clearly seen that TKs flame lifetime is shorter. Visible
flame lifetime is directly related to the concentration of the
volatile matters in the surrounding gas layer. The difference
in the flame lifetimes between these two lignite samples

Combustion of lignite-water slurries: R. Yavuz et al.

arises from their volatile matter contents. The higher the

volatile matter content of the fuel, the longer the flame
lifetime of the droplet. As far as the flame stability, which is
one of the main subject trying to be achieved in CWS
technology, is considered, using coal of higher volatile
matter content may solve the problem of the flame
instability which is found in the combustion of CWS in
practical systems. This is encouraging for the usage of
lignite in the preparation of CWS, which has a high volatile
matter content compared to bituminous or sub-bituminous
coals.
Relationship between the jixed carbon content and char
combustion time
The relationship between the fixed carbon content and the
char combustion time of a LWS droplet is shown in
Figure 10. This relationship can be formulated as follows:
tchar=~+yFC-Z

(3)

where x, y, and z are the experimental coefficients depending on the furnace temperature and the size of droplet, tchwis
2.5 r

2.0 T
.g

1.5 -

E
._
E
2
LL

1.0 -

0.5 -

01

1000

1040

1080

1120

1160

1200

Furnace

Figure 9 The change

furnace temperature

temperature

of the visible

[K]

flame lifetime

with the

50
r

the char combustion time and FC is the fixed carbon content

of the LWS droplet. x, y, and z values at two different
furnace temperatures are given in Table 4.
As can be seen from Figure 10, there is an exponential,
increasing relationship between the char combustion time
and the fixed carbon content of the fuel up to -28% fixed
carbon content. Above this value, the effect of the fixed
carbon content on the char combustion time become less
dominant showing a linear, increasing relationship.
When the effect of the furnace temperature on the
relationship between the fixed carbon content and the char
combustion time of a LWS droplet was examined, it was
observed that increasing the furnace temperature from
1073 K to 1113 K resulted in reduction percentages in the
char combustion times of 17.1% and 6.4% for the fixed
carbon contents of 20% and 30%, respectively. This shows
that the effect of increase in the furnace temperature on the
char combustion time of a LWS droplet of lower fixed
carbon content is more than that of the droplet of higher
fixed carbon content.
Relationship between the overall combustion time andfied
carbon content

As far as all combustion stages of the overall combustion

time of a LWS droplet are considered, the char combustion
stage takes -75% of the overall combustion time. As shown
above, the char combustion time is strongly related to the
fixed carbon content of a LWS droplet. Therefore, all
observed results for the char combustion time will also be
the same tendency for the overall combustion time. The
relationship between the overall combustion time and the
fixed carbon content is represented in Figure Il. The overall
combustion time seems to be an exponentially increasing
with the increase in the fixed carbon content up to -27%.
Above this value, the effect become less dominant. Thus,
one can guess the overall combustion time of a LWS
droplet, depending on droplet size and furnace temperature,
by looking at its fixed carbon content.
Reduction percentages in the overall combustion time of
a LWS droplet when the furnace temperature increased from
1073 K to 1113 K are linearly decreasing with increase in
the fixed carbon content of the fuel, see Figure 12.
Burning rate coe#icients

v;/

TK

YS

BM

BMN
BO
Calculated

*
16

20

24

28

32

36

Fixed carbon

content

[%]

Figure 10 Relationship between the fixed carbon content and the

char combustion time of a LWS droplet. Cl: at the furnace
temperature of 1073 K ??
: at the furnace temperature of 1113K
Table 3
Sample

Gas-phase burning rate coefficient, Kb, overall burning

rate coefficient, K,, and apparent burning rate coefficient
based on the mass decrement, K,, values have been used
with some success in practical combustion models. The
calculation of K, and K, however is considered to be more
useful. Calculations of Kb and K, values are based on the d2law. Since the d2-law cannot be applied to the overall
combustion of LWS under these experimental conditions,
K, is not calculated here. K, is calculated by means of the
following equation:
a.(d: -d;).pl.10-2$VM+Rc)

K,=

(g cm

6.t,.n.d;S

-2s-1

>

(4)

Constants of eqn (2)

a

Temperature
(K)

range

Coefficient of
determination r*

TK

-3950.99

4024.13

- 1024.33

1013-1133

0.9604

BM

-1072.17

1073.54

-268.14

1033-1183

0.9216

Fuel 1998 Volume

77 Number

11

1233

Combustion of lignite-water

Table 4

slurries: R. Yavuz et al.

Constants of eqn (3)

X

Coefficient of
determination rz

1073

48.65

678780

3.40

0.9936

1113

64.29

1.50

0.9990

Temperature
(K)

4041.10

60 r

20 -

p-;.*---
..*-
?

,..
.i

15 -

0
0
0
a
*

TK
YS
BM
BMN
BO
Calculated

10 I
16

i
,/:

..

,.f.

v------o

-..m.-+--+
-..D-..o.-

._..__._.._..a

?-
?

20

24

28

32

36

1000

,.
.i

+*

.I..
10 -

/_..---- .m / /

1050

1100

1150

BMl
TKl
TK3
BM3
ys3

1200

1250

Fixed carbon content [%]

Furnace

Figure 11

Relationship between the fixed carbon content and the

overall combustion time of a LWS droplet. 0: at the furnace
temperature of 1073 K ??
: at the furnace temperature of 1113 K

temperature

[K]

Figure 13 Relation between the furnace temperature

apparent burning rate coefficient, K,, of the LWSs

and the

20

ON..
3
15
E
Y
,M

-_A ._.._0..
Q.-.._
..\

0
G
k!

20

24

28

32

36

Fixed carbon content [%]

10

5
36

-+-

TK

-Ct-

BM

.A_..
..\_
_..
_A.
.\
..\
Q,..
k.
I.
..,
A.,
k.,
k.
X0

40
Total water content

44

I..
0

48

[%]

Figure 12

Reduction in the overall time of a LWS droplet,

depending on the fixed carbon content of the slurry, when the
furnace temperature increased from 1073 K to 1113 K

Figure 14 The effect of the total water content of the LWSs on

the apparent burning rate coefficient at the furnace temperature of
1073 K

where VM is the volatile matter (%), Rc is the mass of the

residual carbon (%), pr is the density of fuel, da is the
diameter of the thermocouple bead and t, is the overall
combustion time5.
Figure 13 shows the relation between the apparent
burning rate coefficient, K,, and the furnace temperature for
LWSs prepared by different lignite samples and, slurries
containing different water content. The higher the increase
in the furnace temperature the higher the apparent burning
rate coefficients of the LWSs. As the water content of the
slurry is increased, K, is considerably decreased depending
on the nature of the lignite samples. Figure 14 represents the
effect of the total moisture content of the LWSs on the
apparent burning rate coefficient at the furnace temperature
of 1073 K. As can be seen, decreasing the total water
content of the slurry increases the apparent burning rate
coefficient implying to a good burnout. The apparent
burning rate coefficient of fuel oil is in the order of

55.10P4 g cm- s-l at the furnace temperature of 1073 KS.

Comparing this result with that of LWSs, it can be easily
seen that the burning rate coefficient of the fuel oil is quite
high. If we consider the LWS as an alternative to the fuel oil,
the apparent burning rate coefficient of the LWS must be
increased as close as that of the fuel oil. Using high volatile
matter containing lignite in the preparation of the slurry will
increase the apparent burning rate coefficient, but this will
not be enough alone. Some other measures need to be taken
for further improvement, such as burning the slurry with a
small amount of gas assist, addition of other conventional
fuel, alcohols etc., to the slurry and so on.
A gas-phase burning rate coefficient, Kb, as a single
number conveniently
reflects in its magnitude the rate of
combustion or vaporization
of a single droplet. The Kt,
values are calculated by many researchers simply as a way
of reflecting the time taken for the droplet to burn. Figure 15
shows the dependent of gas-phase burning rate coefficients

1234

Fuel 1998 Volume

77 Number

11

Combustion

T;:
N

SC

TK3
BMl

... . .. . BM2

BM3

-I-

slurries: R. Yavuz et al.

The gas-phase burning rate coefficients of LWSs were

found to be quite high compared to that of fuel oil which is
in the order of 0.5 mm2 s-l. Therefore, the gas-phase
burning rate coefficient of LWS should be increased as
mush as possible. This can be achieved by several methods
which are: increasing the volatile matter content of the
slurry, burning the slurry with a small amount of gas assist,
preheating of the slurry to the water evaporation temperature, etc.

TKl
...O_.. TK2

-17+-

of lignite-water

CONCLUSIONS

01
1000

1040

1080

1120

1160

1200

Furnace temperature [K]

Dependence of the gas-phase burning rate coefficient
of LWS droplets on the furnace temperature

Figure 15

-+
--[I

I
22

I
24

Volatile

I
26

matter content

TK
BM

28

30

The main conclusions

observed in this study can be
summarized as follows:
Neither disintegration nor disruption of the droplet into
two or more portions was observed during the overall
combustion process of lignite-water
slurries.
It was clearly shown that as the ignition delay time of the
droplet was decreased by an increase in the volatile matter
content of the slurry. As far as this conclusion is considered,
it is possible to say using lignites of higher volatile matter
content in the preparation of the slurry will be a way of
reducing the ignition delay time of the droplet.
It was observed that the flame lifetime of the droplet is
extended by an increase in the volatile matter content of the
fuel. This is encouraging for the usage of lignite in the
preparation of coal-water slurries.
Results showed that decreasing the total water content of
the slurry increases the apparent burning rate coefficient
implying to a good burnout for a given furnace temperature.
It was also observed that the gas-phase burning rate
coefficient of the slurry prepared by lignite sample of
lower volatile matter content is higher than that of the lignite
sample of higher volatile matter content.

[%]

Relation between the gas-phase burning rate coefficient of LWS droplets and the volatile matter content of the slurry

Figure 16

of the slurries with different concentrations prepared by two

different lignite samples on the furnace temperature. An
increase in the furnace temperature decreases the gas-phase
burning rate coefficient of the slurry implying to a longer
flame lifetime. At furnace temperatures over 1150 K, the
dependent of Kb on temperature seems to become less
sensitive. Figure 16 represents the relation between the Kb
values of the slurries prepared by two different lignite
samples and the volatile matter content of the slurries at the
furnace temperature of 1073 K. For a given lignite sample,
increasing water addition from 28.5% to 38.5% by weight
has not changed the gas-phase burning rate coefficient
considerably.
The gas-phase
burning
rate coefficient
depends strongly on the nature of the lignite sample used
in the preparation of the slurry. It was observed that the gasphase burning rate coefficient of the slurry prepared by
lignite sample of lower volatile matter content is higher than
that of the lignite sample of higher volatile matter content.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We wish to thank British Council and The Scientific and
Technical Research Council of Turkey for their financial
support on this work (RY).

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Fuel 1998 Volume

77 Number

11

1235