Burning behavior and thermal hazards of binary blended n-propanol-diesel pool fires

The consumption of alternative fuels accelerated in recent years because of the depletion of petroleum fuel sources, and, nowadays, the blended fuel demand is increasing worldwide. Blended fuel structure and burning characteristics are significantly different from pure fuels. The combustion behavior of pool fire of n-propanol, diesel, and their blends was experimentally studied under quiescent ambient air conditions. The fuels were burned in a circular pan of three sizes (D = 0.20, 0.10, and 0.05 m) to explore the burning properties. Blends of diesel with n-propanol were tested with an n-propanol concentration of 10 and 30 % by volume. The mass burning rate (MBR), fuel temperature, and total heat flux from flames were recorded. The combustion parameters of diesel, n-propanol, and blends with different pans were comparable. The propanol fraction enhances the burning rate of diesel, and soot formation is less visible in blended fuels. The average MBR recorded for pure propanol in 0.20 m pan diameter is 0.01548 kg/m(2).s. The mean fuel temperature difference between thermocouples in diesel is 40 & DEG;C, and n-propanol is 20 & DEG;C, and for P10, the temperature difference is closer to the diesel. Thermal heat flux is estimated by using a low-cost thin-film heat flux sensor. The total heat flux profile of 0.20 m diameter P10 and P30 blends develops a V-shaped curve between the burning time range of 300 to 650 seconds and 400 to 750 seconds. These characteristics of pool fire combustion aid in the safe storage and handling of blended fuel.