Burning, Smoke Production, and Smoke Dispersion from Oil Spill Combustion

摘要

The combustion of crude oil layers floated on water were studied to assess the potential of using combustion to mitigate oil spills. Burning rates for n-decane, toluene and Alberta Sweet crude oil were measured in a 1.2 m diameter pool. These were used to estimate the energy transfer rate required to vaporize the fuel as part of an energy balance at the liquid surface. Smoke emission per unit of fuel consumed was dramatically reduced in the case of burning oil layers thin enough to cause boiling in the supporting water layer. A new aging/dilution facility is described that allows for measurement of optical properties and sedimentation velocities as the smoke ages. These characteristics are important in estimating smoke properties downwind of the oil spill fire. A formulation is presented that will provide for estimates of downwind particulate deposition of the fire smoke for a steadily burning oil spill.