Gel Fuels: Preparing, Rheology, Atomization, Combustion

Atomization and Combustion of a Simple Elettrospray

A simple atomizing device is presented capable of generating controlled spray by using an electric field either in isothermal and burning conditions. The stability operating range of controlling parameters (e.g. liquid flow rate and applied voltage) is determined. The coupling of atomization and combustion processes is analyzed by measuring, using a PDA system, the drop diameter distribution as...

Polymer Gel Rheology and Adhesion

Polymer gels are found in many applications ranging from foods (Ross-Murphy, 1995; Tunick, 2010) and drug delivery (Andrews & Jones, 2006) to adhesives (Creton, 2003) and consumer products (Solomon & Spicer, 2010). By manipulating the gel’s microstructure, a wide variety of physical properties can be achieved ranging from hard rubbery plastics to soft hydrogels. Silicone-based polymer gels in p...

Combustion and Emissions Characteristics of Biodiesel Fuels

Rheology of Dispersions of Swollen Gel Particles *

A centrifugal technique wa.'l used to determine the swelling, Q (g swollen gel/g dry polymer), of crosslinked polyacrylate gel particles in water. Both centrifultal force aRd time of centrifugation affected the magnitude of Q but under constant centrifuge conditions it was found that Q-l 'I\'as proportional to 1'0 ' /:, 1'0 being the ionic strength. The viscoelastic properties of water dispersi...

Emission factors from residential combustion appliances burning Portuguese biomass fuels.

Smoke from residential wood burning has been identified as a major contributor to air pollution, motivating detailed emission measurements under controlled conditions. A series of experiments were performed to compare the emission levels from two types of wood-stoves to those of fireplaces. Eight types of biomass were burned in the laboratory: wood from seven species of trees grown in the Portu...