Experiments and model on viscosity characteristic of emulsion of heavy fuel oil and water for fluidity improvement

The background of this study is to develop a method to improve the fluidity of high viscosity oil left in sunken ships. We focused on emulsification to control the rheological properties of the oil. As a first step towards the goal, experiments and modeling were conducted to understand the viscosity properties of oil-water emulsions. In the experiments, oil-water emulsions were prepared using several surfactants to measure viscosity properties. The results showed a continuous change in viscosity with increasing water content as well as a discontinuous change in viscosity due to phase inversion that occurs at a certain water content. In the theoretical modelling, a new layer-stacking model was developed and applied to the experimental results. This model, though extremely simplifying the structure of the emulsion, was found to be able to well explain the continuous and discontinuous viscosity characteristics of the emulsion.

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Water Fraction Measurement in Marine Fuel Emulsions

Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Part M Journal of Engineering for the Maritime Environment ◽

10.1243/147509005x10549 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 219 (3) ◽

pp. 149-160

Author(s):

G H Smith ◽

E H Owens ◽

I Reading

Keyword(s):

Water Content ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Fuel Oil ◽

Heavy Fuel Oil ◽

Marine Fuel ◽

Water Emulsion ◽

Water Fraction ◽

Accuracy Requirement ◽

Oil Water ◽

Reduce Emissions

The proposal, from the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), to limit further the emissions from marine diesel engines came into effect in May 2005. This has considerable consequence for the management and operation of ship diesel plant. One method that has been shown to limit the emissions of NOx is the addition of quantities of water as an emulsion into the heavy fuel oil (HFO) before it is injected into the burners. This reduces the peak combustion temperature, improves atomization of the diesel fuel, and can reduce emissions by as much as 30 per cent. A key component for an efficient and cost-effective system is a method to monitor the water content to an accuracy sufficient to allow the mix to be adjusted to meet the needs of the varying engine loads. This paper briefly presents the environmental, legislative, and technical background. The principle aim is, however, to describe the experimental work examining the application of an in-line optical sensor. Laboratory tests on HFO, having a room temperature viscosity of 180 cSt, were undertaken at two nominal temperatures, 80 and 130°. These tests provide empirical evidence that an in-line optical monitor could determine water fraction within the emulsion to the accuracy requirement (better than 3 per cent) and over the operational water content range (15-33 per cent water to oil). A hypothesis is presented to explain the changes in the optical scattering characteristics of the oil/water emulsion with water content. Additional results are presented that demonstrate the use of two commercial viscometers to quantify the oil/water fraction. It was concluded that the measurement of emulsion viscosity can be related to water fraction but that the current instruments do not have the required resolution and have serious limitations due to their temperature sensitivity. A key requirement for further work is that the scattering properties of the emulsion be investigated in greater detail. In particular a test must be undertaken at temperatures in the region of 170°. Also, the instrument must be developed to cope with the wide variety of diesel fuels that a ship may take on at bunkering facilities around the world.

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An experimental study of the effect of water content on combustion of heavy fuel oil/water emulsion droplets

Combustion and Flame ◽

10.1016/s0010-2180(01)00295-4 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 126 (4) ◽

pp. 1845-1855 ◽

Cited By ~ 30

Author(s):

Rene Ocampo-Barrera ◽

Rafael Villasenor ◽

Antonio Diego-Marin

Keyword(s):

Experimental Study ◽

Water Content ◽

Fuel Oil ◽

Heavy Fuel Oil ◽

Water Emulsion ◽

Effect Of Water ◽

Emulsion Droplets ◽

Oil Water

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Cenosphere formation of heavy fuel oil/water emulsion combustion in a swirling flame

Fuel Processing Technology ◽

10.1016/j.fuproc.2021.106800 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 216 ◽

pp. 106800

Author(s):

Xinyan Pei ◽

Paolo Guida ◽

K.M. AlAhmadi ◽

Ibrahim A. Al Ghamdi ◽

Saumitra Saxena ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fuel Oil ◽

Heavy Fuel Oil ◽

Water Emulsion ◽

Swirling Flame ◽

Oil Water

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Modeling High-Viscosity Oil/Water Flows in Horizontal and Vertical Pipes

10.2118/135099-ms ◽

2010 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Hong-quan Zhang ◽

Duc Huu Vuong ◽

Cem Sarica

Keyword(s):

High Viscosity ◽

Water Flows ◽

Oil Water ◽

High Viscosity Oil

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Water/Heavy Fuel Oil Emulsion Production, Characterization and Combustion

International Journal of Renewable Energy Development ◽

10.14710/ijred.2021.34873 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 597-605

Author(s):

Moalla Alaa ◽

Soulayman Soulayman ◽

Taan Abdelkarim ◽

Zgheib Walid

Keyword(s):

Water Content ◽

Calorific Value ◽

Fuel Oil ◽

Saving Rate ◽

Heavy Fuel Oil ◽

Oil Emulsion ◽

Direct Measurements ◽

Heat Value ◽

In Fire ◽

Water Contents

In order to produce a water/heavy fuel oil emulsion (W/HFO) with different water contents to cover the daily needs of a fire tube boiler or a water tube boiler, a special homogenizer is designed, constructed and tested. The produced emulsion is characterized and compared with the pure HFO properties. It is found experimentally in fire tube boiler that, the use of W/HFO emulsion with 8% of water content (W0.08/HFO0.92) instead of HFO leads to a saving rate of 13.56% in HFO. For explaining the obtained energy saving the term “equivalent heat value (EHV) of the W/HFO emulsions”, defined as the ratio of the W/HFO emulsion net calorific value to the HFO content in the emulsion, is used. Based on direct measurements, provided in this work, it was found that the equivalent heat value (EHV) increases with the water content in the water/heavy fuel oil (W/HFO). It reaches 1.06 times of HFO net calorific value at water content of 22.24%. The obtained, in the present work, experimental results demonstrate the dependence of the emulsion EHV on its water content. These results are in agreement with the results of other authors. Therefore, the contribution of water droplets in the emulsion combustion is verified. It is found experimentally that, the emitted CO, SO2 and H2S gases from the fire tube boiler chimney decreases by 5.66%. 3.99% and 48.77% respectively in the case of (W0.08/HFO0.92) emulsion use instead of HFO.

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A facile and mild strategy to fabricate an underwater superoleophobic and underoil superhydrophobic mesh with outstanding anti-viscous oil-fouling properties for switchable high viscosity oil/water separation

Green Chemistry ◽

10.1039/c9gc02129a ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 21 (18) ◽

pp. 5080-5089 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Jin Zhang ◽

Lu Zhang ◽

Jianguo Zhao ◽

Wenshan Qu ◽

Zhenxing Wang

Keyword(s):

High Viscosity ◽

Water Separation ◽

Viscous Oil ◽

Oil Water Separation ◽

Oil Water ◽

High Viscosity Oil ◽

Oil Fouling

Underwater superoleophobic and underoil superhydrophobic mesh has been prepared for switchable high viscosity oil/water separation.

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Key Parameters Affecting the Dispersion of Viscous Oil

International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings ◽

10.7901/2169-3358-2001-1-479 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 2001 (1) ◽

pp. 479-483 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Gerard P. Canevari ◽

Peter Calcavecchio ◽

K. W. Becker ◽

R. R. Lessard ◽

Robert J. Fiocco

Keyword(s):

Environmental Protection Agency ◽

Nickel Content ◽

Chemical Properties ◽

High Viscosity ◽

Extensive Study ◽

Fuel Oil ◽

Oil Viscosity ◽

Heavy Fuel Oil ◽

Low Viscosity ◽

Viscous Oil

ABSTRACT Oil viscosity has been perceived as a major factor affecting the dispersibility of oil. Very high viscosity oils—20,000 centistokes (cs) or more—can readily be observed as resisting the breakup of the oil into dispersed droplets. However, there are instances where a relatively viscous oil will disperse much more readily than another oil of similar viscosity. An extensive study has been conducted at ExxonMobil Research facilities in New Jersey to define the molecular makeup of 14 viscous heavy fuel oil products and determine the property of the viscous oils, besides viscosity, that influences dispersibility. Dispersibility was measured by a standard laboratory dispersant test using a COREXIT dispersant selected from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Contingency Plan (NCP) Product Schedule. Initially, IATROSCAN (TLC) and gas chromatography data failed to show any correlation between chemical properties, such as sulfur, aromatics, paraffins, resins, vanadium, nickel content, etc., and dispersibility. However, the analysis did identify a statistically significant relationship between a parameter based on normal paraffin content and dispersibility, which helps explain anomalies such as low viscosity oils that do not disperse. These results are expected to aid in guiding oil spill response for viscous oils.

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