Combustion Equipment for Water-Emulsion Fuel
This equipment, now under development, burns a composite fuel of water and heavy oil (water-emulsion fuel) in marine auxiliary boilers. The combustibility of water-emulsion fuel is higher than the combustibility of heavy oil alone and therefore helps to reduce fuel consumption in marine auxiliary boilers. The equipment is additionally environment- friendly because water-emulsion fuel emits cleaner exhaust gas (less CO2 and NOx emissions).
Summary
Water-emulsion fuel is a fuel compound, a mixture of water emulsified in heavy oil. When water-emulsion fuel burns, the water droplets in the fuel suddenly rise in temperature, expanding and atomizing the surrounding oil into diffuse minute particles. As a result, the combustible surface area of oil particles and air increases considerably, which leads to more efficient fuel combustion.
Although water-emulsion fuel formerly required a special emulsifier, the equipment now under development does not require such an emulsifier and thus allows for lower costs.
In addition, the equipment is compact and works with existing burners, so it can be installed on ships currently in operation.
Features
- The equipment creates high combustibility in marine auxiliary boilers, which leads to lower fuel costs.
- The equipment is environment-friendly because water-emulsion fuel burns almost completely, thus reducing CO2 and NOx.
- The equipment does not require a special emulsifier and therefore saves costs.
- The equipment is compact and works with existing burners.
- The equipment is designed for the combustion of class-C heavy oil in marine auxiliary boilers. (Not available for land-use boilers.)
FAQ
- Q: What does emulsion in "water-emulsion" mean?
- A: An emulsion is a liquid mixture of two or more liquids, such as water and oil, which do not naturally mix together. A typical emulsion you can find in your house is mayonnaise. While mayonnaise is a mixture of vinegar and oil, our equipment mixes water and heavy oil to make a highly combustible fuel.
- Q: Doesn't the water portion of water-emulsion fuel boil or evaporate off?
- A: No. Although water boils at 100°C at atmospheric pressure, the boiling point of water at the top of Mt. Fuji is lower than 100°C because of the lower air pressure there. Conversely, water does not boil when the air pressure is high even if the temperature reaches 100°C. And since water-emulsion fuel is always under pressure, the water does not boil or evaporate off.
- Q: What is the proportion of water in the water-emulsion fuel?
- A: The water portion is 20% to 30%.
- Q: What kind of oil is class-C heavy oil?
- A: Ships use two classes of heavy oil, A and C, which differ in viscosity. Class C has the higher viscosity and is mainly used in shipboard diesel engines or power generators.
- Q: Can water-emulsion fuel be used in diesel engines?
- A: Yes. And when water-emulsion fuel is used in a diesel engine, PM* and NOx in the exhaust gas are reduced. Thus, exhaust gas can be made low-pollution, but the output of the diesel engine also decreases. Ultimately, in diesel engines water-emulsion fuel does not lead to reduced fuel consumption.
*Particulate matter
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For Additional Information
Please directly contact Mr. Keishi Kuwada in the Technical Strategy Group by telephone at +81-3-5222-7709 or by our e-mail form.
