Comparison of particulate-matter emissions from liquid-fueled pool fires and fire whirls

In-situ burning (ISB) is one of the most effective means removing oil spilled over open water. While current ISB practices can eliminate a large fraction oil, they still result in significant airborne emissions particulate matter. ISBs are classified as large, free-buoyant pool fires, from which black smoke consisting matter (PM, soot) emanates plume. An experimental investigation soot fires (PF) and fire whirls (FW) was conducted using liquid hydrocarbon fuels, n-heptane Alaska North Slope (ANS) crude fuel pools 10?70 cm diameter. Burning attributes such rate, fuel-consumption efficiency, PM, unburned hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide, oxygen consumption were measured. For both fuels all diameters, compared to PFs, FWs consumed at higher had lower post-combustion residual mass PM emission rates. Collectively, these resulted consistently factors (EFPM) for scales. FWs, EFPM decreased linearly with nondimensional quantity defined ratio inverse Rossby number heat-release rate. These results show that addition ambient circulation free-burning PFs form increase reducing duration across length The reduction increasing influence attributed feedback loop temperatures, heat feedback, rate air-entrainment velocity, turn contributes maintaining structure FW. Boilover observed formed ANS 70 scale, although overall not affected significantly. This presents foundation evaluate detailed mechanisms further, appropriate configurations be developed help minimize environmental impact ISBs.