skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Fundamental combustion studies of emulsified fuels. Annual progress report, October 1, 1979-September 30, 1980

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6947271· OSTI ID:6947271

A research program in the Fuels Research Laboratory at Princeton University has provided fundamental information on the combustion properties of emulsions and multi-component fuel mixtures. Particular attention has been given to understanding the phenomenon of micro-explosions and disruptive combustion. Earlier work which investigated the behavior of n-paraffin and water emulsions, binary mixtures of n-paraffins, and solutions of alcohol with n-paraffins has been completed and is now published in the open literature. This work has been extended during the current contract period to the study of the droplet combustion of a No. 2 fuel oil. Both emulsions with water and solutions of alcohols were investigated and very useful data were generated with regard to the optimization of the disruption phenomenon in terms of additive content. In addition, some preliminary work has been done with micro-emulsions. This indicated the importance of further work to elucidate the role of surfactant loading. Theoretical work on the growth of gaseous bubbles in fuel droplets has helped to define some of the controlling parameters in the disruption phenomenon. Finally the design of a new free droplet apparatus has been completed and a novel optical diagnostic technique for droplet sizing is near completion. This program has generated information which is of general interest in the field of droplet combustion and represents a considerable advance in our understanding of fuel related combustion phenomena.

Research Organization:
Princeton Univ., NJ (USA). Dept. of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AS02-78ER10113
OSTI ID:
6947271
Report Number(s):
DOE/ER/10113-8
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English