Experimental aspects of partially premixed pulsating combustion

The pulsating combustion process has won interest in current research due to indications that its application in energy generation can offer several advantages, such as: fuel economy, reduced pollutants formation, increased rate of convective heat transfer and reduced investment, when compared with conventional techniques. An experimental study has been conducted with the objective of investigating the effects of combustion driven acoustic oscillations in the emission rates of combustion gases, especially carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides. The experiments were conducted in a water-jacketed 1-m long by 25-cm internal diameter stainless steel vertical tube. The combustor operated with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in both oscillatory and non oscillatory conditions, under the same input conditions. Part of the reactant mixture was excited acoustically, before the burner exit, by a speaker positioned strategically. The burner was aligned with the chamber longitudinal axis and positioned at its bottom. The experiments were conducted for 0.16 g/s of LPG burning in stoichiometric equivalence ratio. The main conclusions were: a) the pulsating combustion process produces more uniform fuel/air profile than the non pulsating process, b) close to stoichiometric equivalence ratio the pulsating combustion process generates higher rates of NO x; c) the frequency has a strong influence in NO x emission, but the pressure amplitude has a weak influence; d) the presence of the acoustic field may change drastically the combustion gas emissions in diffusion flames, but in pre-mixed flames the influence is not as strong.

Experimental measurements of the NOx and CO concentrations operating in oscillatory and non-oscillatory burning conditions

The effects of combustion driven acoustic oscillations in carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides emission rates of a combustor operated with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) were investigated. Because the fuel does not contain nitrogen, tests were also conducted with ammonia injected in the fuel, in order to study the formation of fuel NOx. The main conclusions were: (a) the pulsating combustion process is more efficient than the non-pulsating one and (b) the pulsating combustion process generates higher rates of NOx, with and without ammonia injection, as shown by CO and NO concentrations as function of the O-2 concentration. An increase in the LPG flow rate, keeping constant the air to fuel ratio, increased the acoustic pressure amplitude and the frequency of oscillation. The injection of ammonia had no influence on either pressure amplitude or frequency. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gas concentration and temperature excited Delft turbulent jet in acoustically flames

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

NOx and CO emissions and soot presence in partially premixed acoustically excited flames

The pulsating combustion process has attracted interest in current research because its application in energy generation can offer several advantages, such as fuel economy, reduced pollutants formation, increased rate of convective heat transfer and reduced investment, when compared with other new techniques of combustion. An experimental study has been conducted with the objective of investigating the effects of combustion driven acoustic oscillations in the emission rates of combustion gases, especially carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides, and soot presence in partial premixed flames in confined partially premixed liquefied petroleum gas flames. The results basically showed that a more uniform fuel/air mixture due to the presence of an acoustic field increases the NOx emissions in operations close to stoichiometric equivalence ratios and the frequency is the most important parameter. Carbon monoxide and soot reduced significantly.

COMBUSTION and PYROLYSIS of A SLUDGE FROM WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT

The possibility of thermal treatment plants of municipal wastewater is an alternative solution for the final disposition of the sludge produced on small cities as Barueri, a small town of São Paulo State, Brazil. Combustion and pyrolysis of that municipal waste, occurring respectively in air and nitrogen, have been studied by thermogravimetry (TG) and differential thermal analysis (DTA). The main steps of each case were analyzed and Kissinger plots were used to estimate respective activation energies. DTG peaks are more indicated to represent the condition of maximum reaction rates than DTA peaks.

Pyrolysis and combustion of pulp mill lime sludge

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Structural and electrochemical properties of LiCoO2 prepared by combustion synthesis

LiCoO2 powders were prepared by combustion synthesis, using metallic nitrates as the oxidant and metal sources and urea as fuel. A small amount of the LiCoO2 phase was obtained directly from the combustion reaction, however, a heat treatment was necessary for the phase crystallization. The heat treatment was performed at the temperature range from 400 up to 700 degreesC for 12 h. The powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and specific surface area values were obtained by BET isotherms. Composite electrodes were prepared using a mixture of LiCoO2, carbon black and poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) in the 85:10:5% w/w ratio. The electrochemical behavior of these composites was evaluated in ethylene carbonate/dimethylcarbonate solution, using lithium perchlorate as supporting electrolyte. Cyclic voltammograms showed one reversible redox process at 4.0/3.85 V and one irreversible redox process at 3.3 V for the LiCoO2 obtained after a post-heat treatment at 400 and 500 degreesC.Raman spectroscopy showed the possible presence of LiCoO2 with cubic structure for the material obtained at 400 and 500 degreesC. This result is in agreement with X-ray data with structural refinement for the LiCoO2 powders obtained at different temperatures using the Rietveld method. Data from this method showed the coexistence of cubic LiCoO2 (spinel) and rhombohedral (layered) structures when LiCoO2 was obtained at lower temperatures (400 and 500 degreesC). The single rhombohedral structure for LiCoO2 was obtained after post-heat treatment at 600 degreesC. The maximum energy capacity in the first discharge was 136 mA g(-1) for the composite electrode based on LiCoO2 obtained after heat treatment at 700 degreesC. (C) 2002 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

Thermoeconomic analysis applied in cold water production system using biogas combustion

In this paper is proposed the use of biogas generated in the Wastewater Treatment Plant of a Dairy industry. The objective is to apply a thermoeconomic analysis to the supplementary cold water production of an absorption refrigeration system (NH3 + H2O) by the burning of such gas. The exergoeconomic analysis is carried out to allow a comparison between an absorption refrigeration system and of an equivalent compression refrigeration system that uses NH3 as work fluid. The proposed exergoeconomic model uses functional diagrams and allows one to obtain the exergetic incremental functions for each component individually and for the system as a whole. The model minimizes the exergetic manufacturing cost (EMC) which represents the cost of supplementary cold water production at 1degreesC (exergetic base) needed for this dairy's cold storage. As a conclusion, the absorption refrigeration system is better than compression refrigeration system, when the biogas cost is not considered. 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ecological impacts from syngas burning in internal combustion engine: Technical and economic aspects

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Determination of ecological efficiency in internal combustion engines: The use of biodiesel

This paper evaluates and quantifies the environmental impact from the use of some renewable fuels and fossils fuels in internal combustion engines. The following fuels are evaluated: gasoline blended with anhydrous ethyl alcohol (anhydrous ethanol), conventional diesel fuel, biodiesel in pure form and blended with diesel fuel, and natural gas. For the case of biodiesel, its complete life cycle and the closed carbon cycle (photosynthesis) were considered. The ecological efficiency concept depends on the environmental impact caused by CO(2), SO(2), NO(x) and particulate material (PM) emissions. The exhaust gases from internal combustion engines, in the case of the gasoline (blended with alcohol), biodiesel and biodiesel blended with conventional diesel, are the less polluting; on the other hand, the most polluting are those related to conventional diesel. They can cause serious problems to the environment because of their dangerous components for the human, animal and vegetable life. The resultant pollution of each one of the mentioned fuels are analyzed, considering separately CO(2), SO(2), NO(x) and particulate material (PM) emissions. As conclusion, it is possible to calculate an environmental factor that represents, qualitatively and quantitative, the emissions in internal combustion engines that are mostly used in urban transport. Biodiesel in pure form (B100) and blended with conventional diesel as fuel for engines pollute less than conventional diesel fuel. The ecological efficiency for pure biodiesel (B100) is 86.75%: for biodiesel blended with conventional diesel fuel (B20, 20% biodiesel and 80% diesel), it is 78.79%. Finally, the ecological efficiency for conventional diesel, when used in engines, is 77.34%; for gasoline, it is 82.52%, and for natural gas, it is 91.95%. All these figures considered a thermal efficiency of 30% for the internal combustion engine. Crown Copyright (C) 2008 Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fatigue Strength of X45CrSi93 stainless steel applied as internal combustion engine valves

Stainless steels are used to intake and exhaust valves production applied as internal combustion engines. In general valves are requested to support cyclic stresses applied due to opening and closing processes during the operation. The objective of this research is to study the influence on the axial fatigue strength of the resulting microstructure after heat treatment at the martensitic X45CrSi93 steel, combined with different surface treatments as hard chrome-plating, nitride and grinding. It was verified a significant increase on the fatigue strength of the martensitic steel after nitriding, compared with results from the chrome-plating specimens. A slight increase in the tensile strength was also noticed on nitrided parts as a consequence of a resistance increase due to nitrogen and carbon solid solution. (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and peer-review under responsibility of ICM11

X-ray diffraction and mossbauer spectra of nickel ferrite prepared by combustion reaction

Nickel ferrite powders with a nominal NiFe2O4 composition were synthesized by combustion reaction using urea as fuel. The powder was obtained using a vitreous silica basin heated directly on a hot plate at 480 degrees C until self-ignition occurred. After combustion, the powder was calcined at 700 degrees C for 2 h. The formation of the spinel phase and the distribution of cations in the tetrahedral and octahedral sites of the crystal structure were investigated by the Rietveld method, using synchrotron X-ray diffraction data and Mossbauer spectroscopy. The material presented a crystallite size of 120 nm and magnetic properties. The resulting stoichiometry after the Rietveld refinement was (Fe-0.989(2) Ni-0.011(2)) [Fe-1.012(2) Ni-0.989(2)] O-4.

Structure of nanoporous zirconia-based powders synthesized by different gel-combustion routes

Zirconia-based ceramics that retain their metastable tetragonal phase at room temperature are widely studied due to their excellent mechanical and electrical properties. When these materials are prepared from precursor nanopowders with high specific surface areas, this phase is retained in dense ceramic bodies. In this work, we present a morphological study of nanocrystalline ZrO2-2.8 mol% Y2O3 powders synthesized by the gel-combustion method, using different organic fuels - alanine, glycine, lysine and citric acid - and calcined at temperatures ranging from 873 to 1173 K. The nanopore structures were investigated by small-angle X-ray scattering. The experimental results indicate that nanopores in samples prepared with alanine, glycine and lysine have an essentially single-mode volume distribution for calcination temperatures up to 1073 K, while those calcined at 1173 K exhibit a more complex and wider volume distribution. The volume-weighted average of the nanopore radii monotonically increases with increasing calcination temperature. The samples prepared with citric acid exhibit a size distribution much wider than the others. The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller technique was used to determine specific surface area and X-ray diffraction, environmental scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were also employed for a complete characterization of the samples.

Investigation of food grain drying with pulsating air flows

In this article we investigate experimentally the potential of using pulsating flows for drying of food grains. A Rijke type oscillator with an electrical heater was used to dry batches of soybean grains. Drying temperatures were 60 degreesC. We observed a decrease on the drying time for pulsating flows when compared with the conventional non-pulsating regime. This decrease depended on sample initial moisture content and weight, and on final sample moisture content. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. Ltd.

Characterisation of sugar cane combustion particles in the Araraquara region, Southeast Brazil

Biomass burning is an important primary and secondary source of aerosol particles. The presence of carbonaceous particles in the respirable size range makes the study of this fraction important in view of possible health and climatic effects. The annual burning of sugar cane plantations causes emission of huge amounts of pyrogenic particles. Aerosol samples were collected in Araraquara city, São Paulo state, Brazil, during the harvest season for fine and coarse particles and bulk; they were analysed by electron-probe microanalysis, including facilities for low-Z element determination (low-Z EPMA) and by energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF), in order to investigate the elemental composition of individual particles and bulk samples, respectively. Numerical analysis of the EPMA results by hierarchical clustering shows high contributions of carbonaceous particles that can be distinguished mainly in two different types: biogenic and carbon-rich. Additionally, two significant contributions of aluminosilicate particles were identified: as rather pure aluminosilicates or mixed with carbonaceous species. The EDXRF results are compatible with those of aerosol particles in Amazon, which is nowadays one of the main sources of biogenic particles in the world.