Methanol as a soot reducer in a turbulent swirling burner

The combined effect of using methanol as a fuel additive together with a prototype multifuel injector has been evaluated with regard to soot formation in a tubular laboratory burner with a turbulent swirl stabilized diffusion flame. Kerosene, ERBS fuel and Blending Stock with approximately 14,12.8 and 10.3 wt pct of hydrogen respectively were characterized in terms of soot loading at the axial positions Z/D = 2.5 and 4.0 and normalized radius r/R = + or 0.67. Mixtures of ERBS fuel and Blending Stock with 15 and 7.5 wt pct of methanol were also characterized in the same way. Measurements with the plain fuels showed a drastic reduction in soot formation, in the order of one hundred and fifty fold decrease, due to the new injector design. Further reductions by a factor of 2 and 1.5 were accomplished with the mixtures of 15 and 7.5 wt pct of methanol respectively.