Effect of Polymeric Additives on Ignition, Combustion and Flame Characteristics and Soot Deposits of Crude Oil Droplets

ABSTRACT

Many oil fires have resulted from the crude oil train derailments in recent years. Given the importance of crude oil shipping by rail to the energy security of the US, it is important to consider various methods that will decrease the likelihood of crude oil catching fire in case of a crude oil derailment. Present study examines the effect of polybutadiene polymer on the combustion properties and soot deposits of Bakken crude. Treating crude oil as multicomponent liquid fuels and polybutadiene as an additive, droplet combustion experiments were conducted with sub-millimeter sized spherical droplets suspended on very fine support fibers. Polybutadiene polymer additive of two different chain lengths has been investigated. Results show that both polymer chain length and origin of crude oil have a significant effect on various combustion properties like combustion rate, ignition delay, and total combustion time. Polymeric additives also change the soot deposit structure and particle size compared to the base fuel. Present research is envisioned to aid in understanding combustion behavior of crude oil as isolated droplets, as well as to generate interest in investigating more polymeric additives for liquid fuels.

KEYWORDS:

• Bakken crude
• crude oil
• polymer combustion
• droplet combustion
• burning rate
• ignition delay

Acknowledgments

This research is funded, in part, by the Mid-America Transportation Center via a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s University Transportation Centers Program, and this support is gratefully acknowledged. The USDOT UTC grant number for MATC is: 69A3551747107. The authors would also like to acknowledge use of the University of Iowa Central Microscopy Research Facility, a core resource supported by the Vice President for Research & Economic Development, the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, and the Carver College of Medicine. We would especially like to thank Dr Jianqiang Shao for his help and patience. We would also like to thank Prof. Lynn M. Teesch and Mr. Vic R. Parcell for their help and support with the GC-MS data. The contents reflect the views of the authors, who are responsible for the facts and the accuracy of the information presented herein and are not necessarily representative of the sponsoring agencies, corporations or persons.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

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Funding

This research is funded, in part, by the Mid-America Transportation Center via a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s University Transportation Centers Program, and this support is gratefully acknowledged. The USDOT UTC grant number for MATC is: [69A3551747107].