Experimental study on the combustion properties

of emulsified heavy-oil
Chong Wang1,2, Hua Wang1, Jianhang Hu1 , Daofei Zhu1, Zhenkun Xiong2, Hongquan Hua2,Bo Li1
1
Engineering Research Center of Metallurgical Energy Conservation and Emission Reduction Ministry of Education
Kunming University of Science and Technology Kunming, China
2
CHALCO Yunnan Copper CO., LTD, BRANCH Kunming, China
qyyt-wch@163.com ; wanghuaheat@hotmail.com

Abstract—The combustion properties of emulsified
heavy-oil has been investigated in self-designed combustion
equipment, and oil-saving ratio and combustion product
composition for emulsified heavy-oil were calculated. The
results showed that oil-saving ratio first increased and then
decreased with increasing percentage of water added, and
the highest oil-saving ratio was 11.60%. The content of NOx
decreased with increasing percentage of water added; the
content of NOx increased with increasing air excess
coefficient. For the same air excess coefficient, the content
of SO2 decreased with increasing percentage of water added,
it can be attributed to diluting effect of water in flue gas;
for the same percentage of water added, the content of SO2
increased with increasing air excess coefficient, this was
because formation mechanism and characteristics of SO2
and NOx were different.
Keywords—emulsified heavy-oil; combustion properties;
oil-saving ratio; combustion product composition
presented that, due to the different initial conditions of
the spray, provided complementary information. O.B.
Rene et al [3]. studied an experimental study of the effect
of water content on combustion of heavy fuel oil/water
emulsion droplets. M. seggiani studied on the
combustion of heavy-oil fly-ashes [4], in their work, the
reactivity in air of three heavy-oil fly-ashes was
investigated by using two different methods: thermal
analysis and a laboratory entrained-flow furnace. The
combustion tests were carried out in a temperature range
of 700900 °C. Behaviour of a heavy fuel oil droplet on
a hot surface has been investigated by S. Anupras and K.
Regina [5]. The burnout of a droplet of a heavy fuel oil
has been measured on a hot surface whose temperature
varies in the interval from 400 °C to 700 °C; times of
evaporation of volatile compounds and burnout of the
resulting carbon residue were measured; changes of the
form of the carbon residue depending on the surface
temperature were recorded [6].

. INTRODUCTION The aim of the present work was to investigate the

Environmental concerns along with the limited
world oil resources have caused a decrease of the oil
consumption on a percentage basis. This decrease is
particularly significant in some industrial sectors, such as
power generation. However, in other sectors, such as
transports, liquid fuels are by far the dominant energy
source. It has been demonstrated that the use of oil-water
emulsions produces some significant effects in the saving
energy of combustion of liquid fuels, especially the
reduction of particulate emissions [1].
A few studies on heavy fuel oil combustion have
been published in the literature. For example, The
combustion of heavy oil and its emulsions with water
was investigated in experiments on a semi-industrial
scale by Javier M. Ballester et al [2]. Two comparisons
between heavy oil and oil-water emulsion flames were
combustion properties of emulsified heavy-oil included
oil-saving ratio and combustion product composition.
The effects of percentage of water added, emulsified oil
temperature and air excess coefficient on the combustion
properties of emulsified heavy-oil were examined.
. EXPERIMENTAL
A. Experimental materials
180  heavy-oil was produced by Lanzhou
petrochemical company, which was used in the work.
The physical properties and chemical composition of
heavy oil are shown in Table  and Table . The
emulsifier contained 60 mass% Span-80, 30 mass%
Span-20, 7 mass% oleic acid, 3 mass% triethanolamine.
The chemical composition of emulsifier is shown in
Table .

TABLE. PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF HEAVY OIL

Properties Heat value/KJ/Kg Density/kg/m3 Surface tension/N/m

Value 41822.33 989.5 0.0293

____________________________________
978-1-4799-3336-5/13/$31.00 © 2013 IEEE


 TABLE. THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF HEAVY OIL

Composition C H N S O moisture content

Content/% 86.86 10.16 1.04 0.78 0.56 0.60

TABLE THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF EMULSIFIER

Composition Span-80 Span-20 Oleic acid Triethanolamine

Content/% 60 30 7 3

1.oil return pipe; 2.agitator; 3.thermometer; 4.heater; 5.oil valve ; 6.oil pump; 7.secondary heater ; 8.thermometer; 9.filter
10.oil pump; 11.tubing ; 12.pressure gauge ; 13.flowmeter ;14.burner; 15.combustion furnace

Figure1. The schematic diagram of heavy-oil combustion equipment

B. Experimental equipments can reflect the combustion effect of emulsified heavy-oil.

The self-designed combustion equipment of
emulsified heavy-oil is shown in Figure1. The
combustion product composition was measured by
Agilent 7890A gas chromatography and Kane KM9106
flue gas analyzer.
C. Experimental method
The combustion experiment of emulsified heavy-oil
was carried out by self-designed combustion equipment
of emulsified heavy-oil. According to a certain
proportion, heavy-oil, water and emulsifier were mixed
in oil tank, and emulsified using electric agitator. After
the emulsification processe was completed, emulsified
heavy-oil was heated to the set temperature. Emulsified
heavy-oil was transported to burner by oil pump, and
which atomized emulsified heavy-oil. Emulsified
heavy-oil was jeted into the furnace, combustion
experiment was carried out. After the stable combustion
of emulsified heavy-oil were obtained, flue gas was
collected from flue. Flue gas was measured by gas
chromatography and flue gas analyzer, and oil-saving
ratio and combustion product composition for emulsified
heavy-oil were calculated.
. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
A. The calculation of oil-saving ratio
Heat loss of unemulsified and emulsified heavy-oil
were differentso oil-saving ratio was proposed, which
The calculation of oil-saving ratio were considered from
heat loss of chemical incomplete combustion, physical
heat taken away through air and water evaporation and
heating et al. When heavy-oil and water were emulsified,
water evaporation need absorb heat, which must be
considered. The air excess coefficient of the combustion
for emulsified heavy-oil was smaller than that of
heavy-oil, so physical heat taken away through air must
be considered [7]. The calculation equation of oil-saving
ratio was expressed by the following equation.
Q1 + Q2 − Q3 − Q4
λ= × 100% 1
Q
Where Q is lower heating value of emulsified
heavy-oil, Q1 is heat loss of chemical incomplete
combustion of heavy-oil, Q2 is physical heat taken away
through air, Q3 is heat loss of chemical incomplete
combustion of emulsified heavy-oil, Q4 is heat loss of
water evaporation and heating.
B. The analysis of oil-saving ratio
Bases on the datum and scene experience, the air
excess coefficient of the combustion for heavy-oil was
1.2. So the air excess coefficient of the combustion for
emulsified heavy-oil was 1.1, it can satisfy air quantity of
the combustion for heavy-oil. Figure 2. shows effects of
percentage of water added and emulsified oil temperature
on oil-saving ratio, percentage of water added was varied
in the range of 5% to 25% and emulsified oil temperature


was varied in the range of 60 °C to 80 °C, it can be
attributed that the lower temperature was not favourable
for the combustion and the higher temperature was not
favourable for experimental operation. The oil-saving
ratio first increased and then decreased with increasing
percentage of water added [8]. When percentage of water
added was 25%, oil-saving ratio was low; when
percentage of water added was 15%, oil-saving ratio was
high, the highest was 11.60% at 80 °C. The oil-saving
ratio increased rapidly with increasing emulsified oil
temperature, but oil-saving ratio had little change at the
high temperatures.
13
60
changing trend. Effects of the percentage of water added
on the content of NOx were obvious below 20%. The
combustion of emulsified heavy-oil can improve the
process of combustion and accelerate speed of
combustion, then realize low oxygen combustion, inhibit
oxidation of nitrogen and reduce the content of NOx in
flue gas. But the percentage of water added exceeded the
certain value, water added inhibited speed of combustion,
which was not suitable to decrease the content of NOx,
and only realized diluting effect [9-10]. The calorific
value of emulsified heavy-oil decreased with increasing
percentage of water added, then unstable combustion
was carried out.

12 65
Effects of the air excess coefficient on the content of
70
NOx are showed in Figure 4. For the same percentage of
11 75

80
water added, the content of NOx increased with
Oil-saving rate

10
increasing air excess coefficient. For the different
9
percentages of water added, the content of NOx had the
8 same changing trend. When air excess coefficient was
7 large, effects of the percentages of water added on the
6
content of NOx were obvious. Factual air quantity
increased with increasing air excess coefficient in the
5
5 10 15 20 25 combustion process. Enough oxygen can promote the
Percentage of water added formation of NOx, and increase the content of NOx in
flue gas [11]. But the air excess coefficient should not be
Figure 2. Effects of percentage of water added and emulsified oil
too low, and it must select a suitable range, so the range
temperature on oil-saving ratio.
of 1.1 to 1.2 was determined.
C. The analysis of combustion product composition 130

The characteristics of heavy-oil include complex 120

5%
10%
composition, large viscosity, incomplete combustion and 110
15%
20%
environmental pollution is caused by flue gas from 25%
NOxcontent/ppm

100
heavy-oil. The elements of nitrogen and sulphur in
heavy-oil formed nitrogen and sulphur oxides during 90

combustion process, which polluted the air. 80

Environmental pollution can be decreased using the 70

combustion of emulsified heavy-oil. So the analysis of
60
combustion product composition on the study for the
combustion properties of emulsified heavy-oil is very 50
1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5
necessary. Air excess coefficient

130 Figure 4. Effects of the air excess coefficient on the content of NO x

1.1
120
1.2 210
1.3 1.1
110 200
1.4 1.2
1.5 1.3
NOx content/ppm

100 190
1.4
180 1.5
SO2content/ppm

90

170
80
160
70
150
60
140

50 130
5 10 15 20 25
Percentage of water added/% 120
5 10 15 20 25
Percentage of water added/%
Figure 3. Effects of the percentage of water added on the content
of NO x Figure 5. Effects of the percentage of water added on the content
of SO2
Effects of the percentage of water added on the
content of NOx are showed in Figure 3. For the same air Effects of the percentage of water added on the
excess coefficient, the content of NOx decreased with content of SO2 are showed in Figure 5. For the same air
increasing percentage of water added. For the different excess coefficient, the content of SO2 decreased with
air excess coefficients, the content of NOx had the same increasing percentage of water added, it can be attributed


to diluting effect of water in flue gas, but which was not
significantly decreased. The almost same content of SO2
was obtained at 20% and 25% for the percentage of
water added. For the different air excess coefficients, the
formation law of SO2 was basically same.
Effects of the excess air coefficient on the content of
SO2 are showed in Figure 6. For the same percentage of
water added, the content of SO2 increased with
increasing air excess coefficient, this was because
formation mechanism and characteristics of SO2 and
NOx were different. For the different percentages of
water added, the content of SO2 had the same changing
trend. For S component in emulsified heavy-oil, it can
farthest oxidize at the minimum excess air coefficient
and form SO2 [12-13]. The content of SO2 in flue gas
decreased with increasing air quantity, it can be
attributed to diluting effect of SO2 in flue gas.
210
200
190
180
SO2content/ppm
170
160
150
140
130
120
1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4
Air excess coefficient
Figure 6. Effects of the excess air coefficient on the content of SO2
. CONCLUSIONS
The combustion properties of emulsified heavy-oil
included oil-saving ratio and combustion product
composition have been investigated. The effects of
percentage of water added, emulsified oil temperature
and air excess coefficient on the combustion properties
of emulsified heavy-oil were carried out. Flue gas was
measured by gas chromatography and flue gas analyzer,
and oil-saving ratio and combustion product composition
for emulsified heavy-oil were calculated. The the air
excess coefficient of the combustion for emulsified
heavy-oil was 1.1, and the oil-saving ratio first increased
and then decreased with increasing percentage of water
added, the highest oil-saving ratio was 11.60% at 80 °C.
For the same air excess coefficient, the content of NOx
decreased with increasing percentage of water added; for
the different air excess coefficients, the content of NOx
had the same changing trend. For the same percentage of
water added, the content of NOx increased with
increasing air excess coefficient; for the different
percentages of water added, the content of NOx had the
same changing trend. For the same air excess coefficient,
the content of SO2 decreased with increasing percentage
of water added, it can be attributed to diluting effect of
water in flue gas; for the same percentage of water added,
the content of SO2 increased with increasing air excess
coefficient, this was because formation mechanism and
characteristics of SO2 and NOx were different.
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