In Situ Burn Testing of Weathered and Emulsified Crude Oils

ABSTRACT This paper investigates the ignitability and effectiveness of burning crude oil spills at sea with respect to type oil, weathering time, seawater emulsion content. In event an or fuel spill sea, in situ can be a practical method removing preventing it from reaching vulnerable coastlines. However, specific chemistry its resulting behavior dictates how well this works. order understand behavior, Santa Barbara Channel oils were tested burned combinations fresh, weathered, seawater-emulsified discrete ratios. A cone calorimeter was used monitor time ignition, mass loss, heat release rate, smoke production for laboratory-scale burn tests. Weathering generally increased ignition but also changed miscibility water; both released efficiency. Emulsions fractions below approximately 20 % found improve rate efficiency compared oil-only burns; suggesting that some water emulsification benefit burning. The results indicate targeted approach degree expand window opportunity burns.