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Pool Fire Burning Characteristics of Biodiesel

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Abstract

The characteristics of pool fire burning of methyl esters/biodiesels of palm, soybean, coconut and their blends with diesel were compared against baseline diesel. Pool fires were established and investigated using four different crucible sizes, ranging between 40 mm and 70 mm in diameter to obtain the mass burning rate, flame height and emissions of NO, CO, and SO2 under diffusional flame mode at unconfined atmospheric conditions. The mass burning rate increased with increasing crucible size for all tested fuels, with biodiesel showing higher mass burning rates when compared with diesel. Modified empirical correlations for estimating fuel mass burning rate and flame height showed good agreement with experimental data. Emission-wise, biodiesels generally exhibited higher specific NO emission level than baseline diesel. Blending biodiesel with diesel resulted in an increase of NO level. CO emissions showed a reverse trend, where diesel showed higher emission values than all biodiesels. Burning of neat palm and coconut biodiesels showed non-existent SO2 emission. The experiment showed that the oxygen content in biodiesel assists in pool fire combustion, as evident by the higher mass burning rate as compared to diesel. Soybean biodiesel with higher density exhibited higher mass burning rate as compared to palm and coconut biodiesels. Biodiesel with high level of unsaturation produced lower NO but higher CO emissions.

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Acknowledgements

Financial support from the Ministry of Education, Malaysia for M.C. Chiong, the Academy Sciences Malaysia and Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology for C.T. Chong under the Newton Advanced Fellowship (NA160115) are gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. China-UK Low Carbon College, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Lingang, 201306, Shanghai, China

    Cheng Tung Chong

  2. School of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Skudai, Johor, Malaysia

    Meng-Choung Chiong & William Woei Fong Chong

  3. Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton Malaysia (UoSM), 79200, Iskandar Puteri, Johor, Malaysia

    Zhe Yong Teyo & Jo-Han Ng

  4. Energy Technology Research Group, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton, Hampshire, SO17 1BJ, UK

    Jo-Han Ng

  5. School of Engineering, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, 47500, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia

    Manh-Vu Tran

  6. Eastern Corridor Renewable Energy Group, Environmental Technology Programme, School of Ocean Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia

    Su Shiung Lam

  7. College of Physical Sciences and Engineering, Cardiff University, Wales, UK

    Agustin Valera-Medina

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  1. Cheng Tung Chong
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  2. Meng-Choung Chiong
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  3. Zhe Yong Teyo
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  5. William Woei Fong Chong
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Correspondence to Meng-Choung Chiong.

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Chong, C.T., Chiong, MC., Teyo, Z.Y. et al. Pool Fire Burning Characteristics of Biodiesel. Fire Technol 56, 1703–1724 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10694-020-00949-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10694-020-00949-3

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