Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02540071 2006-03-23
WO 2005/035696 PCT/KR2003/002105
EMULSION FUEL AND METHOD OF PREPARING THE SAME
10
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an emulsion fuel prepared by adding water
to common heavy oil such as bunker fuel oil C and petroleum. More
particularly, the
present invention relates to an emulsion fuel a's an alternative energy fuel
by
emulsifying common heavy oil with a catalyst after adding water to the heavy
oil.
Background of the Invention
There are a lot of efforts and developments in the world to lessen an amount
of sulfur in a fuel and to convert a solid fuel to a liquid or gaseous fuel in
view of
saving energy and preventing air-pollution. Specially, the air-pollution
caused by a
petroleum fuel is very serious due to its harmful influence on an ecosystem.
Although there are invisible trade barriers with WTO (World Trade
Organization),
DECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) and GR (Green
Round) founded or contracted, the developments for suitable alternative fuels
are not
sufficient.
The emulsion fuel made by adding water to fuel oil has been studied in
Europe since around 1950 and then started the trial to improve combustibility
and
save fuel. Recently, in regard to the emulsion fuel there are so many
researches in
U.S.A. and Japan.
During World War II, using aviation gasoline to which added water the
airplane engine produced strengthened output. There are so many possibilities
for
reducing the air-pollution and improving combustion e~ciency by studying and
testing the emulsion fuel.
CA 02540071 2006-03-23
WO 2005/035696 PCT/KR2003/002105
Objects of the Invention
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel emulsion fuel
having a good effect on reduction of energy consumption and prevention from
anti-
pollution by emulsifying fuel by means of adding water to common fuel oil
(heavy
oil) applied to an industrial boiler or furnace.
Another obj ect of the present invention is to provide an emulsion fuel that
can prevent air-pollution and obtain commercial benefit by dissolving sludge
contained in heavy oil minutely, burning the emulsified fuel oil that is made
by the
added water being ultra-particles and then facilitating complete combustion
through
hydrogen gas reaction and fine explosion.
Still another obj ect of the present invention is to provide an emulsion fuel
that can prevent air-pollution and dispense with fuel by preventing smoke,
dust,
carbon monoxide, hydrocarbon and so on from being formed by decreasing excess
air rate, and can lessen conversion rate of S02 to 503, and change combustion
flame
to white-hot and increasing radiation heat.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a method of
preparing the emulsion fuel.
Other obj ects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the
ensuing disclosure and appended claims.
Summary of the Invention
The emulsion fuel according to the present invention is prepared by
emulsifying about 55 to 90 % by weight of a mixture of heavy oil, 45 to 10 %
by
weight of water, and 0.3 to 0.8 % by weight of a catalyst. The catalyst
comprises
caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) and calcium dichloride in half and half. The
calcium chloride can be partly substituted with calcium sulfate.
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WO 2005/035696 PCT/KR2003/002105
Detailed Description of the Invention
The emulsion fuel according to the present invention stems from green pine
leaves that commonly used as a winter fuel in some agricultural districts of
Korea.
The green pine leaves comprise 90% of water, and 10% of pine oil and other
minimal organic combustibles. Because the green pine leaves burn very actively
and
have a high thermal efficiency during combustion, they are suitable for the
Korean
under-floor heating system.
Just as the green pine leaves comprises 10% of pine oil and 90% of water, the
emulsion fuel of the present invention can be prepared by emulsifying common
heavy oil such as bunker fuel oil C with water. Also, the catalyst compound of
the
present invention have invented owing to the property that a sodium hydroxide
can
be soluble oil in water and that calcium or bittern containing the calcium
solidify
proteins. By using the catalyst compound, a mixture of heavy oil and water can
be
emulsified in the present invention.
For example, the green pine leaves in which 10% of pine oil in 90% water is
dissolved can be easily burned and have a good efficiency. However, in case of
permeating 50% of water into completely dried pine leaves, the leaves did not
get
even ignited. The reason is that the permeated 50% of water exists as water
itself,
not a soluble compound of pine oil and water as in case of the green pine
leaves.
The compound prepared by mixing 10 to 45 % by weight of water and 90 to
55 % by weight of heavy oil such as buucer fuel oil C and petroleum in the
presence
of the catalyst in accordance with the present invention is kind of
combustible
material different from water. The molecule structure of the catalyst
comprises an
alkyl part that is affmitive with oil and a part that is affmitive with water,
that is, the
catalyst has both a hydrophobic and a hydrophilic group. Thus, between an oil
layer
and a water layer, because of the catalyst having a hydrophobic group and a
hydrophilic group, hydrophobic molecules is placed at the oil layer,
hydrophilic
. molecules at the water layer by attr action force. In consequence, the
emulsification
occurs to change properties of an interface or surface of water and oil by
surface
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WO 2005/035696 PCT/KR2003/002105
activities.
The catalyst of the present invention is composed of sodium hydroxide and
calcium dichloride. The calcium dichloride can be partly substituted by
calcium
sulfate. Adding 50% of a sodium hydroxide aqueous solution into 50% of 'a
calcium
dichloride slowly through a netting fabric, a white compound whose shape is
like a
thickening agent is educed by chemical interaction between the sodium
hydroxide
and calcium dichloride. Drying the compound on a netting thread having good
water
permeability, it becomes minute powders that have no tastes.
The emulsion fuel according to the present invention is prepared by
emulsifying with mixing 55 to 90 % by weight of heavy oil such as bwker fuel
oil C
and petroleum and 45 to 10 % by weight of water, and adding 0.3 to 0.8 % by
weight of catalyst. Adding 45 to 10 % by weight of water and the catalyst to
fuel oil,
the water is changed into minute droplets having less than 10 micron of
diameter
and the water becomes water droplets in oil. With the water dr oplets
contained in the
j etted oil droplet being heated and expanded in a furnace, the water droplets
are
vaporized explosively, disperse the emulsion fuel in all directions and then
can
facilitate complete combustion of fuel.
In general, the ultra-particle sized emulsion fuel can burn completely by
reducing an amount of excess water and increasing the contact surface area.
And, a
' cooling reaction of fire by the latent heat caused by vaporization of water,
and a
reaction to carbon of water bring to reductive effect of combustion carbon.
Also, the
contents of NOX and hydrocarbon are reduced by chemical and physical reaction
thereof. The emulsion fuel has an excellent fuel supplying and j etting as a
colloid.
When the emulsion fuel that contains oil and water droplet burns, the water
droplet contained in the oil droplet is exploded and vaporized with being
heated at
high temperature and expanded rapidly. Then the water droplet is continuously
exploded, the ambient fuel is dispersed minutely in all directions. Thus, the
continuous minute explosive reaction brings complete combustion of the fuel.
The water droplet of the emulsion fuel has a diameter of about 10 microns,
10 to 30 % of water, and many of microns of water droplets in oil droplets.
For
4
CA 02540071 2006-03-23
WO 2005/035696 PCT/KR2003/002105
example, the number of water droplets having diameters of 3 microns is about
900
when 50 microns is a diameter of an oil droplet of the emulsion fuel whose
water
contents are 20%.
In case of LPG, the combustion gas includes 19 to 20 % of water and that is
similar with the emulsion fuel. The combustion efficiency of the present
emulsion
fuel is even higher than that of LPG gas.
The reaction formula of the water is C+H20 -> CO+HZ (+OZ) -> COZ + HBO,
and that is the reaction of water gas. Water molecules react with fuel oil at
high
temperature and then CO and H are generated. The combustion efficiency
increases
due to the reduction of the carbons.
An oxidized nitrogen generated in combustion is almost NO and N02. Both
NO and NOZ ar a called NOX. The water of the emulsion fuel having uniform
particles, it prevents generation of local high temperature region and
decreases
combustion temperature by means of vaporization latent heat of 20 to 30 % by
volume of water. The water particles then prevent generation of NOX with
absorption
of heat, and generation of local high temper ature r egion by reaction of
carbon
particles and water gas. This NOX reduction r esults in prevention of air-
pollution.
When the emulsion fuel of the present invention is applied to domestic or
industrial boilers, NOX generation can be reduced by 40 to 75 %. The expanded
surface areas of the particle sized water droplet facilitate air-contact, and
complete
combustion can be accomplished with a little air contents and practically more
than
50 % of smoke is reduced. Also, the concentration of smoke dusts is also
reduced.
For the most part, adding 50 % of water decreases the concentration of smoke
dusts
by half. The emulsion fuel of the present invention can reduce pollution
because of
remarkable reduction of smoke and can reduce the energy fuel by 30% because of
reduction of the excess air rate.
Generally, gas fuel burns with a transparent flame and heavy oil burns with a
transparent and yellow flame, which is in the presence of floating carbons.
However,
the present emulsion fuel burns like the gas fuel with a flame.
Adding water to fuel oil, an amount of combustion gases increase by
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WO 2005/035696 PCT/KR2003/002105
multiplying a weight of added water by 22.4/18 (Nm3/kg). A temperature of the
flame is decreased by about 100 °C when water is added by 30 to 50 %
based on
combustion with 1.2 of lamp-oil over air. However, because the amount of
combustion gases increase, a heat transfer effect is not decreased. The
combustion
gases generated by combustion of liquefied fuel (e.g. LPG or LNG) include
about
13 % of water. By adding water to the fuel the water contents become 16 to 17
%.
The emulsion fuel has no courosion problem because the liquefied fuel that
contains
similar concentration of water with that of the emulsion fuel has no such
lcind of
problem. Although there is little heat loss occurred by the added water, the
theumal
e~ciency is increased owing to the decrease of air rate, smoke, pollution and
so on,
and the effect that can prevent NOX from being generated.
The emulsion fuel is dispersed in a burner actively and the rate of the
combustion gets more faster since combustion flames of oil droplets that have
ultra-
particles with water becomes a single flame. Because the fuel becomes more
minute
particles and then is dispersed again, the particles of the water is exploded
continuously by high temperature. Thus, complete combustion can be
accomplished
by forming combustion flame like complete particle gases.
The present invention may be better understood by reference to the
following examples that are intended for the purpose of illustration and are
not to be
construed as in any way limiting the scope of the present invention, which is
defined
in the claims appended hereto. In the following examples, all parts and
percentage
are by weight unless otherwise indicated.
Examples
Example 1
After mixing 60 % by weight of bunker fuel oil C containing less than 0.5
of sulfur with 40 % by weight of water, 0.5 % by weight of catalyst compound
was
6
CA 02540071 2006-03-23
WO 2005/035696 PCT/KR2003/002105
added based on the weight of the entire composition. The catalyst compound
comprised caustic soda and calcium dichloride in half and half. The present
emulsion fuel was prepared by emulsifying the mixed composition using an
emulsifier.
Example 2
The Example 2 was put to the test in the same manner as in Example 1,
except that 70 % by weight of bunker fuel oil C and 30 % by weight of water
were
used.
Comparative Example 1
The emulsion fuel was prepared with no water and 1.0 % by weight of sulfur
was used.
Comparative Example 2
The emulsion fuel was prepared with no water and less than 0.5 % by weight
of sulfur was used.
The test was performed with a smoke tube packaged boiler continuously
operated under more than 90 % of loading rate. The analyses for the emulsion
fuel
and air-pollutants was carried out and the volume of the supplying oil, the
exhaust
gas and so on were measured. The analyzed results regarding Example 1 and 2,
and
Comparative Example l and 2 were recorded on the below Table 1, and the
performances on the below Table 2. The tables showed that the emulsion fuel
according to the present invention, such as Example 1 and 2, had good results
and
performances.
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WO 2005/035696 PCT/KR2003/002105
Table 1
Example Comparative
Analyzed subj ects Unit Example
Higher calorific valuekcal/kg 8,940 9 720 10 300..""",._".",.10,520
.._....__...._......_......_..._............_........._........__.__...........
.........._...____.__...______...._._...___..__....__~____~......_.._......_._.
..._._...._...__~_.........-..
._..._.._...._....
Water content vol.% 12.0 ' 7.0 3.2 below
0.05
....._.....___..._.__..._.__.._........._..__.........._..~......._..._.__.._..
_..._._...._._
.
........
......._......._....__...._..................-
....._...._.___...._...................._._........._......................._..
.._......_.___._.......___.___..__.._........................_....._ 308
287
D namic viscosi ", _40,C, . ".._ ._
......_....__........__..._........._.._............__.....___......_.__._....
".""._ .,~".......,. cSt"", 385 .
~' _ ..__..~__.__308
y __._......_..........____...._
_....___....._......_.._._wt""% 3.94 5.11 7.21 6.53
..._ _ _ _ _.-
.................._._..._.._........_..._..._.._..._.......__................._
___.._........__...___...__..._.~........_......_......_._.
Residual carbon owder ..__...._.........~
~........__........_.._..._._.........__..._.....
......._......_____..._............_.............__........._........_.........
.
. ..... 15/4 0.9559 0.9496 0.9541 0.9453
Specific gramty C ~ ____...............__........-
......_......_..___.._...._._._...._.._._........_..___.__......._._._
__..._.~._....._.._.....__......._._.._...__.___..__...._...___
__..._......._.
_....__._......._......._.___._....._.__.._.._._..__........... 0.29
0.21 0.013 0.002
Ash contents wt, /0
_._.._......_..._._.........._........._.........._..__.._.._......__......._._
......._._............_....__..........._._.....__.__........._......._._____
._ ....._.._........._.........._......__.........._
_................._..._._....._............_..._.__......._.__.........._-
................._.__._............_.wt, % 0.41 0.42 0.77 0.49
Sulfur contents ..-
...........__..._....._._....__..._......_.__._.._._...._.._._.....____.._.a...
_.............__...._.__....._.._._......._.___...____.....__.._.__........._..
.._........
_...__.......__.__..._.._........_._.........._......._._......................
...._........_................._.......
.
_._...._
............._P.1?m........_...._._................._._.....__.........'___..._
_..._...._.._.._._...-.._.._......._._......._.._....._...__'.._.........___
. ....._.._._..........
_........_Ca~iu~Cd)
........._.
_.._..._.____._Lead...~Pb)...__._.....P.~.m...___.__.___._.._........'_........
.._........_.._._........._...__.r........._................._..__.............
.-_.__.........._.___..____...........'_......_..___._.
.__.........~.
Chrome (Cr) Pam - - below -
_...__...........__...__........._...._....................................___.
._....._._......_._......_...._.___._...__..__....___..............__._........
_._.1 .....___.._..................__........_...
.._......._....._. __..........__..__...._.-.._..
Metal Arsenic (As)
_..........._..p.~.m..................._............._...._...'................
.._...............__.___._...-
....._...._......._...._._..__......'.._...._..................__......._.._..~
........._...__.__
_
,..._..........
. P .
...__.............4~___.....................___............2..__............_..
_.........._._..........-..........._.____..
_._..__................_.........._......_.___~m 2~.........._._......
_
Contents Calcium (Ca)
_........_...__ ._.-_. ..___
__...__.._._..........__......_._......._...
_....._.........._1_2.........___._.__below.....
:_..._.........._.._.__. ___.....___~6 1_.... below
...._Magnesmm..(Mg) __._..........P____.... l.._...
..... m......_._
Phos horus (P)
........_.........__..P.Pm..............._...___....................-
............._.......................____._.-
__......._........_....._......___......'_......._._......_.._............__.-
__..._...........__
_..._......_........_...__~........_..___..........._....
_.. .
Zinc (Zn) Ppm 1 1 1 1
CA 02540071 2006-03-23
WO 2005/035696 PCT/KR2003/002105
Table 2
Example Comparative
Measured subj ects Unit Example
1 2 1 2
..........._.____.__..Fuel___ L~'._.____..._.._.._260-
....._........_.........X59..._..._...___._..___X47._.......___.__...._~49.__._
._
consumption,. ..__....._.___
Supplying oil temperatureC 89 89 89 89
......._._._.___........__...................__......_.._............_...._._..
__.__._...____......._._.._._..._......_.._......_____........_.._........_....
.._...__..............._._.._..___._.............._.........._.___.............
.._.._._.._....__.....__......_........_...__._._.._
Specific gravity of 15/4 0.9559 0.9496 0.9453 0.9541
fuel oil C
......_._._..._~..._....__._...._.......__........_..........................._
__.____...._..._......._._._._.__..._......____......._.....___......._........
..............__....__........_......._...._._______......_........_.......__..
..........._..______...._...._..__......._...___._..___
Converted fuel consum I~ /Hr 236 233 222 226
tion
__..._....~_._.__.....__...._.............__......__...__.......__......__.____
._................._..._..._._..._..........___...................__......__...
__..____._.
...........___._._.__
....
._
_
..
.
...
.
.___
~
. L/Hr 2,982 3,074 3,134 2,880
....__
__..._.......___..._.~..__..._._........._.....__....._......__....._.......__-
............._..........._____..............._._...............................
__......_.._..___.
__..........__
.
.__................................_.
..
_.
_.
_
Su lying water flow
rate
....._.___...._.~~.._.
___............._._................._..............._...._....__........._.....
..-
Supplying water temperatureC 17 20 19 20
....__......_.._...............___............._.................__............
........._._......_._...._.._......__-
...__..._....__..__..._..._._......_..........__........_..............._.__...
........____........_....._......_...._._..._..._........_.__.........._.._....
.._.....__..............._._......_..
Specific gravity of Kg/m3 998.7 998.2 998.4 998.2
su lyin water
....._..._._....__........._....._....._~.~.....__.._....~._.__................
....._........._..............._..__.._....._........___..____._.....____..___.
_._.......__._........._......__..._......._.__._................._...._.._._..
......_......._....__........_......._.._._____.........____...._..
valorization ~g~ 978 3 ~~68 129 2 875
Converted x 3 x
2
. _.__._ . _..__._ , __.....
...__.__ .___ . ..............._..._...._._
........_._..._ Kg/cm2 _._.__.3.2 ....__._3.2
Va or ressure _.._......_.__..__........_._.__..... ___...._.-
..____...........__...3.3 ..._.....__....._._............_......._.._
._....._.._...__.._...._...........__..~..._..~........__.._._...............__
_......._._......._...~ 3.2
........._.._........_....._._....__..._
.._..._............._._.._._............_...
Exit temperature of C 244 252 "244 240
a boiler
__......_.................._...._..__.._..........__......._._......_..__......
._.........._.......__......_._.~.._._....__._..._....._._.........._..........
...____..............._._.............____....._............................_..
.._............._.__._..._._...._..........._........._._....................__
Gas temperature C 228 238 217 220
.....__.._......._.....__.._...._.._..........._....._..._......_.....___..._..
..__.__........_...____......_.............__...._.................__...._.__._
._.....___............_._..._..........._.._..._...........__._....._...___....
......__....................__
02 contents % 2.82 2.14 2.69 2.85
Exhaust __._._Fixed _._.~~2~....._..........-
.._l..~s_.............__...__'.l_~5__.........._..................~.1.v........
._...__...._....'_.1.3._...._._.
pressure .._.._.__._..
Gas Dynamic ressuremmH O 5 5.1 5.2 5.2
~ 2 .3
__.............____._.....__"..,_"
...._"...".,._...__......_.......__._.._____.._...._.._.._...................__
.___........._.......__......_..
(at the ...... ............_...._..............__._........_..._._.. ~695
0_~21 ~.720
density 3 ._...~ ~
Gas K~~m .......
~
~
~08
, ...._....._._.... ~~ _..._._,.~.....
exit __.........._ .._........__...._..__ .._.__.._._
of a _........._... m/sec .. .. 10.02 10.00
Gas velocity . 10.08
~ 10.18
_
......___.....__....._...__...........___......_..................._._.__...._.
.................._..._...._......_......_.....__....._........................
...._......__.........._.._._._....._
mufti- ......_..._.._..__.......__.___...__.......__..._............._
Cross-sectional 16 16 0 0
16 16
cyclone)area of a duct m 0. 0. . .
_.............._...._....._................_.....____......._..._..............
........................_....._..3......._..__.............._._.._._.__........
..........._...._._.......__..........._..............._._._........_....__....
............__.._......._................_.....__........................__
1n /hr g60 g10 ~70 ~60
5 5 5 5
Gas flow rate ............~ _._......~ ~
_ ._._......._......_.~ _..._. ...........
~Nm3/hr ___..._.....__.....___. ......._
3,190~~3,100 3,210 3,190~~
The present invention can pr ovide an emulsion fuel having a good effect on
reduction of energy consumption and prevention from anti-pollution by
emulsifying
fuel by means of adding water to common fuel oil applied to an industrial
boiler or
furnace. Also, the present emulsion fuel can prevent air-pollution and obtain
commercial benefit by dissolving sludge contained in heavy oil minutely,
burning
the emulsified fuel oil that is made by the added water being ultra-particles
and then
facilitating complete combustion through hydrogen gas reaction and fine
explosion.
While the present invention has been described with reference to the
9
CA 02540071 2006-03-23
WO 2005/035696 PCT/KR2003/002105
pauticular illustrative embodiments, it is not to be restricted by the
embodiments but
only by the appended claims. It is to be appreciated that those skilled in the
art can
change or modify the embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit
of
the present invention.
10
