Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Nanofuel Droplet Evaporation Processes

  • Review Article
  • Published:
Journal of the Indian Institute of Science Aims and scope

Abstract

The concern about the level of toxic emissions from the use of fossil fuels in internal combustion engines is widely held. Several alternatives have been suggested to mitigate this concern including the use of biofuels in the engines, hybrid internal combustion–electric power systems and electric propulsion systems. In the last decade there has been progress with adding nano-sized particle additives to hydrocarbon fuels with the aim of improving the thermo-physical properties. The nano-sized metallic particles increase the surface-to-volume ratio of the resultant nanofuel suspensions. Reductions in the emissions levels from the combustion of these nanofuels have been reported; these improvements derive from the reductions in ignition delay, and therefore, higher burning rates arising from increases in the evaporation rates of the fuel droplets. Thus, droplet evaporation mechanisms influence the ignition time of the droplets, and consequently the ignition delay time. Optimizing these parameters can help to reduce the emissions from the internal combustion engines. The study presented here examines the up-to-date results of work carried out by various researchers on the droplet evaporation mechanisms of nanofuel droplets. The predominant processes presented as being responsible for the enhancement of the droplet evaporation rate are that the nanoparticle additives increase the droplet fuel temperature by radiative absorption, and that at high temperature values the agglomerates of the nanoparticles heat up residuals of the liquid fuel causing fuel droplet disruptions and micro-explosions. The various parameters that affect these and other nanofuel droplet evaporation mechanisms are presented. A case is made for further studies in this area.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Figure 1:

(Adopted from [25]).

Figure 2:

Reprinted from Gan et al.10, with permission from Elsevier.

Figure 3:

Reprinted from Javed et al.16, with permission from Elsevier.

Figure 4:

Reprinted from Javed et al.16, with permission from Elsevier.

Figure 5:

Reprinted from Gan et al.10, with permission from Elsevier.

Figure 6:

Reprinted from Gan et al.10, with permission from Elsevier.

Figure 7:

Reprinted from Gan et al.11, with permission from Elsevier.

Figure 8:

Reprinted from Javed et al.18, with permission from Elsevier.

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

Al:

Aluminum

Al2O3 :

Aluminum oxide

B :

Transfer number

CNP:

Carbon nanoparticles

D, d :

Droplet diameter, m

D 0, d 0 :

Initial droplet diameter, m

D 1 :

Droplet diameter at the end of the heat-up phase, m

ICE:

Internal combustion engine

K :

Thermal conductivity, J/m s k

L :

Latent heat of fuel vaporization, J/kg

MWCNT:

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes

NP:

Nanoparticle

P :

Ambient pressure, kPa

PLR:

Particle loading rate, wt%

T :

Temperature, K

t :

Time, s

wt%:

Percentage by weight

c p :

Specific heat at constant pressure, J/kg K

∆t hu :

Duration of the droplet evaporation heat-up period, s

∆t st :

Duration of the droplet evaporation steady-state period, s

µ :

Dynamic viscosity, kg/m s

λ :

Evaporation constant, m2/s

λ hu :

Evaporation constant, m2/s

λ st :

Evaporation constant, m2/s

ρ :

Density, kg/m3

st:

Droplet evaporation steady-state period

hu:

Droplet evaporation heat-up period

0:

Initial value

s:

Value at the fuel droplet surface

∞:

Ambient value

References

  1. Allen C, Lee T (2009) Energetic-nanoparticle enhanced combustion of liquid fuels in a rapid compression machine. In: 47th AIAA aerospace sciences meeting including the new horizons forum and aerospace exposition, p 227

  2. Asibor J, Pandey K, Basu S, Emekwuru N (2018) Characterization of the spray cone angles of fuels with nanoparticle additives. In: ICLASS-2018, proceedings of the 14th triennial international conference on liquid atomization and spray systems

  3. Basu S, Miglani A (2016) Combustion and heat transfer characteristics of nanofluid fuel droplets: a short review. Int J Heat Mass Transf 96:482–503

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Bazyn T, Krier H, Glumac N (2006) Shock tube measurements of combustion of nano-aluminum. In: 44th AIAA aerospace sciences meeting and exhibit, p 1157

  5. Chen RH, Phuoc TX, Martello D (2010) Effects of nanoparticles on nanofluid droplet evaporation. Int J Heat Mass Transf 53(19–20):3677–3682

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Chen RH, Phuoc TX, Martello D (2011) Surface tension of evaporating nanofluid droplets. Int J Heat Mass Transf 54(11–12):2459–2466

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. DeLuca LT, Galfetti L, Severini F (2005) Combustion of composite solid propellants with nanosized aluminium. Combust Explos Shock Waves 41(6):680–692

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Faeth GM (1979) Current status of droplet and liquid combustion. In: Chigier NA (ed) Energy and combustion science. Pergamon, Oxford, pp 149–182

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  9. Galfetti L, DeLuca LT, Severini F, Colombo G, Meda L, Marra G (2007) Pre and post-burning analysis of nano-aluminized solid rocket propellants. Aerosp Sci Technol 11(1):26–32

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Gan Y, Qiao L (2011) Evaporation characteristics of fuel droplets with the addition of nanoparticles under natural and forced convections. Int J Heat Mass Transf 54(23–24):4913–4922

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Gan Y, Qiao L (2012) Radiation-enhanced evaporation of ethanol fuel containing suspended metal nanoparticles. Int J Heat Mass Transf 55(21–22):5777–5782

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Gan Y, Qiao L (2012) Optical properties and radiation-enhanced evaporation of nanofluid fuels containing carbon-based nanostructures. Energy Fuels 26(7):4224–4230

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Gerken WJ, Thomas AV, Koratkar N, Oehlschlaeger MA (2014) Nanofluid pendant droplet evaporation: experiments and modeling. Int J Heat Mass Transf 74:263–268

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Godsave GAE (1953) Studies of the combustion of drops in a fuel spray—the burning of single drops of fuel. In: Symposium (international) on combustion, Elsevier, vol 4, no 1, pp 818–830

  15. Ivanov GV, Tepper F (1997) In: 4th International symposium on special topics in chemical propulsion, Begell House, New York, p 636

  16. Javed I, Baek SW, Waheed K, Ali G, Cho SO (2013) Evaporation characteristics of kerosene droplets with dilute concentrations of ligand-protected aluminum nanoparticles at elevated temperatures. Combust Flame 160(12):2955–2963

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Javed I, Baek SW, Waheed K (2013) Evaporation characteristics of heptane droplets with the addition of aluminum nanoparticles at elevated temperatures. Combust Flame 160(1):170–183

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Javed I, Baek SW, Waheed K (2014) Effects of dense concentrations of aluminum nanoparticles on the evaporation behavior of kerosene droplet at elevated temperatures: the phenomenon of microexplosion. Exp Therm Fluid Sci 56:33–44

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Johnson C, Parr T, Hanson-Parr D, Hollins R, Fallis S, Higa K (2000) Combustion and oxidation of metal nanoparticles and composite particles. In: Proceedings of the 37th JANNAF combustion subcommittee meetings

  20. Kannaiyan K, Sadr R (2017) The effects of alumina nanoparticles as fuel additives on the spray characteristics of gas-to-liquid jet fuels. Exp Therm Fluid Sci 87:93–103

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Karmakar S, Som SK, Rao DCK (2018) Combustion of multi-component fuel droplets. Droplets and sprays. Springer, Singapore, pp 77–114

    Google Scholar 

  22. Khond VW, Kriplani VM (2016) Effect of nanofluid additives on performances and emissions of emulsified diesel and biodiesel fueled stationary CI engine: a comprehensive review. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 59:1338–1348

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Kuo KK, Luca LT (2002) Combustion of energetic materials. Begell House Publisher, Danbury

    Google Scholar 

  24. Kuo KK, Risha GA, Evans BJ, Boyer E (2003) Potential usage of energetic nano-sized powders for combustion and rocket propulsion. In: MRS proceedings, vol 800. Cambridge University Press, p AA1.1

  25. Lefebvre AH, McDonell VG (2017) Atomization and sprays. CRC Press, Boca Raton

    Book  Google Scholar 

  26. Mench MM, Kuo KK, Yeh CL, Lu YC (1998) Comparison of thermal behavior of regular and ultra-fine aluminum powders (Alex) made from plasma explosion process. Combust Sci Technol 135(1–6):269–292

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Miglani A, Basu S (2015) Effect of particle concentration on shape deformation and secondary atomization characteristics of a burning nanotitania dispersion droplet. J Heat Transfer 137(10):102001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Pantoya ML, Granier JJ (2005) Combustion behavior of highly energetic thermites: nano versus micron composites. Propellants Explos Pyrotech Int J Deal Sci Technol Asp Energ Mater 30(1):53–62

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Pathak B, Basu S (2016) Phenomenology of break-up modes in contact free externally heated nanoparticle laden fuel droplets. Phys Fluids 28(12):123302

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Pivkina A, Ulyanova P, Frolov Y, Zavyalov S, Schoonman J (2004) Nanomaterials for heterogeneous combustion. Propellants Explos Pyrotech Int J Deal Sci Technol Asp Energ Mater 29(1):39–48

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Rai A, Park K, Zhou L, Zachariah MR (2006) Understanding the mechanism of aluminium nanoparticle oxidation. Combust Theor Model 10(5):843–859

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Reid DL, Russo AE, Carro RV, Stephens MA, LePage AR, Spalding TC, Petersen EL, Seal S (2007) Nanoscale additives tailor energetic materials. Nano Lett 7(7):2157–2161

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Risha GA, Boyer E, Evans B, Kuo KK, Malek R (2003) Characterization of nano-sized particles for propulsion applications. In: MRS proceedings, vol 800. Cambridge University Press, p AA6.6

  34. Rozenband VI, Vaganova NI (1992) A strength model of heterogeneous ignition of metal particles. Combust Explos Shock Waves 28(1):1–7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Saxena V, Kumar N, Saxena VK (2017) A comprehensive review on combustion and stability aspects of metal nanoparticles and its additive effect on diesel and biodiesel fuelled CI engine. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 70:563–588

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Sazhin SS (2017) Modelling of fuel droplet heating and evaporation: recent results and unsolved problems. Fuel 196:69–101

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Sazhin SS, Rybdylova O, Pannala AS, Somavarapu S, Zaripov SK (2018) A new model for a drying droplet. Int J Heat Mass Transf 122:451–458

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Shaafi T, Sairam K, Gopinath A, Kumaresan G, Velraj R (2015) Effect of dispersion of various nanoadditives on the performance and emission characteristics of a CI engine fuelled with diesel, biodiesel and blends—a review. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 49:563–573

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Shin YJ, Shen YH (2007) Preparation of coal slurry with organic solvents. Chemosphere 68(2):389–393

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Tanvir S, Qiao L (2012) Surface tension of nanofluid-type fuels containing suspended nanomaterials. Nanoscale Res Lett 7(1):226

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Tanvir S, Qiao L (2016) Droplet burning rate enhancement of ethanol with the addition of graphite nanoparticles: influence of radiation absorption. Combust Flame 166:34–44

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Tanvir S, Biswas S, Qiao L (2017) Evaporation characteristics of ethanol droplets containing graphite nanoparticles under infrared radiation. Int J Heat Mass Transf 114:541–549

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Tyagi H, Phelan PE, Prasher R, Peck R, Lee T, Pacheco JR, Arentzen P (2008) Increased hot-plate ignition probability for nanoparticle-laden diesel fuel. Nano Lett 8(5):1410–1416

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Yoon J, Baek SW (2015) Droplet evaporation behavior of kerosene/nano‐aluminum fuels at high pressure environment. Int J Mater Mech Eng (IJMME) 4:44–49

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the University Grant Commission—UK India Education and Research Initiative CHAPNA project: UGC-UKIERI 2016-17-050.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Automotive Engineering, Coventry University, Coventry, UK

    Nwabueze G. Emekwuru

Authors
  1. Nwabueze G. Emekwuru
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nwabueze G. Emekwuru.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Emekwuru, N.G. Nanofuel Droplet Evaporation Processes. J Indian Inst Sci 99, 43–58 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41745-018-0092-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41745-018-0092-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation