| dc.description.abstract | Conversion of biomass to fuel provides a positive contribution for fossil fuel replacements. In
addressing challenges associated with the combustion of pyrolysis oil (bio-oil), this research
aimed at developing a burner system that would handle the atomization and combustion of biooil.
This research started by conducting a spray study in order to explore the potential for bio-oil
combustion in industrial furnaces. Spray experiments were conducted by using different sizes of
externally mixed nozzles with bio-oil and ethanol blends. Results revealed that it is possible to
spray bio-oil/ethanol mixtures containing as high as 40% bio-oil that has a low water content
(12.6%).
The design of the furnace for the combustion of bio-oil followed, this was done based on the
industrial standard methods. The furnace was modelled in a computer aided design (CAD)
software, the design analysis and engineering drawings were prepared followed by the
fabrication and instrumentation. The furnace was then tested with bio-oil and diesel fuel prior to
full scale combustion study.
Building on the spray study, the comparative study of bio-oil and diesel combustion at different
equivalence ratio values were conducted. It was revealed that it is possible to burn neat bio-oil in
a tunnel-like furnace with a self sustaining flame. Bio-oil combustion recorded higher, carbon
monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and hydrocarbon (HxCy) emissions when compared to
those of diesel. A follow-up combustion study with oxygen enriched atomization revealed that it
was possible to fire neat bio-oil with a significant reduction of pollutants emissions.
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Based on the results from this research, it can be concluded that it is possible to burn 100% biooil
in an industrial sized burner. On the other hand, oxygen enriched combustion help in reducing
emissions levels in the exhaust. Therefore, the use of bio-oil as fuel in an industrial scaled
furnace is now possible. | en_US |
