Combustion Limits of Foamed Emulsions with High Water Content

Abstract

We consider a new promising approach to the combustion of water-saturated hydrocarbon fuels in the form of foamed emulsions, stable combustion of which can sometimes be maintained at a water content above 90% mass %. Theoretical analysis and numerical simulations demonstrated the basic physical mechanism determining these broad combustibility limits, which consists in the natural spatial separation of the zones of fuel combustion and water evaporation. During combustion, the foam predominantly breaks up into emulsion drops. Nonstationary regimes of combustion are determined by the foam structure. The obtained data define applicability of the proposed concept of combustion of water-saturated foamed hydrocarbon emulsions.