Oxy-fuel combustion of heavy oil based on OH - PLIF technique

Abstract

Oxy-fuel combustion of heavy oil can be applied to oil field steam injection boilers, allowing the utilization of both heavy oil and CO2 resources. This paper studied the local distribution characteristics of OH on oxy-fuel combustion of heavy oil during the ignition and stable combustion processes. During the ignition process, we observed the generation and evolution of fire kernel, and got the flame propagation velocity. During the stable combustion process, the results showed that the OH distribution and its relative signal intensity were influenced by the oxygen concentration, excess air coefficient, gas flow, reaction atmosphere, oil mist scattering, incident laser energy and laser sheet position. In the same reaction atmosphere, the ranges of OH dense distribution and the high temperature area increased as O2 concentration increased. In the same O2 concentration, both the ranges of OH dense distribution and the high temperature area in O2/N2 were larger than that in O2/CO2. In 29% O2/71% CO2, the flame shape was similar to combust in air, while the OH relative signal intensity and its volatility were much larger than that in air. In the same combustion condition, the location of high concentration of OH relative concentration field lagged behind the high temperature area. The results further reveal the differences between the conventional and oxy-fuel combustion.