Combustion of liquid hydrocarbon fuel in an evaporative burner with forced supply of superheated steam and air to the reaction zone

Combustion of n-heptane in a laboratory pattern of an original evaporative-type burner with the supply of air or superheated steam to the reaction zone was studied experimentally and numerically. Turbulence was simulated on the basis of the k-omega SST RANS model. Combustion was simulated using the Eddy Dissipation Concept (EDC) model with a detailed kinetic mechanism. The developed mathematical model was verified; a good agreement between calculation results and obtained experimental data is shown. For the first time, a comparative analysis of the effect of forced supply of steam and air on the local and integral characteristics of combustion is carried out. Radical difference in the effect of steam supply in comparison with air supply on reducing emissions of nitrogen oxides and soot from the burner is shown. The burner operating regimes have been studied in detail in a wide range of flow rates of supplied steam and fuel. It has been found that with an increase in steam flow rate, underburning, soot formation and production of nitrogen oxides are significantly reduced.

Automated summary

This study investigated experimentally and numerically the combustion of n-heptane in a laboratory evaporative-type burner, showing a significant difference in combustion characteristics between steam and air supply, with steam supply significantly reducing nitrogen oxides and soot emissions.