Relationships between dynamic behavior and properties of a single droplet of water-emulsified n-dodecane

• Published in: Fuel (Guildford) Vol. 220; pp. 130 - 139
• Main Authors: Jang, Gyu Min, Kim, Nam Il
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 15.05.2018; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Dodecane; Dynamic viscosity; Heat conductivity; Heat transfer; Light absorbance; Surface tension; Surfactants; TAB model; Viscosity; Water-fuel emulsion; Water-fuel emulsion; Light absorbance; Surface tension; Dynamic viscosity; TAB model
• ISSN: 0016-2361; 1873-7153
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fuel.2018.01.036

•Properties and dynamic behaviors of water-emulsified n-dodecane were investigated.•Surface tension, viscosity, and light absorbance were measured with different methods.•More reliable properties were extracted from the dynamic motion of an emulsion droplet. Water-fuel emulsion liquids are used in variety of combustion systems to suppress pollutant emission and to control flame characteristics. However, the characteristics of fluid-dynamics, phase change, and combustion were significantly affected by the variation of the emulsion properties. In this study, three representative properties (i.e., surface tension, dynamic viscosity, and light absorbance) were investigated for water-emulsified n-dodecane as a diesel fuel surrogate. First, these properties were preliminarily measured with three independent ordinary methods, and the property variation coupled with the micro-structures within the emulsion was discussed. After that, a new method able to estimate the same three properties was suggested. An emulsion droplet was disturbed using a pulse-laser, and its dynamic behavior was analyzed based on the Taylor’s analogy breakup model. Thus, more reliable properties could be proposed for determining the dynamic behaviors of an emulsion droplet, and the relationship between the properties and dynamic behaviors could be better understood.