Internal Phase Size Effects on Combustion of Emulsions

Abstract

Abslract –The combustion of isolated, free and suspended droplets of a residual oil-water emulsion nas been studied. A constant water content of 5 percent by volume was used but the size distribution of the internal water-phase particles was varied. It was found that the intensity of the disruptive phenomenon was sensitive to the size of the water particles in the emulsion. Emulsified oil droplets with a mean water particle diameter of 2. 1 microns exhibited weak disruptive activity which had no effect on the size of the coke particles subsequently formed. However, when the mean water particle size was increased to 4.5 microns, disruption of the droplet was intense and the very small coke particles formed from the fragments of the shattered droplet quickly burned out. The results indicate that attention should be given to the emulsion structure in evaluating the effectiveness of oil-water emulsions in reducing coke particulates in boilers.