JP2006028215A - Environmental adaptation type emulsion fuel and its production method and production installation - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an environmental adaptation type emulsion fuel which can be treated and used similarly as an ordinary fuel oil, and holds a highly good emulsion state over a long period. <P>SOLUTION: This environmental adaptation type emulsion fuel is obtained by stirring and mixing a mixture liquid comprising ≥50 vol.% of a fuel oil and ≤50 vol.% of an emulsifier aqueous solution, while giving ultrasonic waves, and an environmental adaptation type emulsion fuel production installation comprises a mixing container 3 equipped with an ultrasonic wave-generating means 1 and a stirring means 2, and a water tank 4, a fuel oil tank 5, an emulsifier tank 6 and an environmental adaptation type emulsion fuel tank 7 which are connected to the mixing container 3. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

The present invention relates to a method of emulsifying fuel oil such as light oil, kerosene, heavy oil, gasoline, and water into an environment-applicable emulsion fuel, an apparatus used therefor, and an environment-applicable emulsion fuel obtained thereby.

It water and light oil, kerosene, heavy oil, emulsion fuel obtained by mixing fuel oil such as gasoline, since nitrogen oxides (NO _X) and the occurrence of dust is small at the time of combustion, is an effective fuel to air pollution It has been known. For example, diesel engines that are effectively used in many fields such as vehicles, ships, power generation, civil engineering and construction mainly use light oil as fuel, but recently, nitrogen oxides and PM (Particulate Matter) contained in the exhaust gas. Unburned products such as dust, dust, etc. cause air pollution. For this reason, various technological developments have been promoted for the purpose of purifying exhaust gas from diesel engines. As one of them, an emulsion fuel composed of light oil and water is used to reduce nitrogen oxides in the exhaust gas. Various emulsion fuel supply devices that supply, inject, and burn are proposed. Also, various types of emulsifiers for obtaining a stable emulsion fuel have been proposed.
JP-A-6-346071 JP-A-11-263991 JP 2004-10765 A JP 2002-226000 A JP 2003-27074 A JP 2004-123947 A

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-76608 proposes a fuel reformer connected to a diesel engine. This reformer imparts high-frequency vibration to a liquid mixture of liquid fuel and water to produce ultrafine particles. It has been shown that an emulsion fuel having a high mixing density is produced and supplied to the engine body by a fuel injection pump. When such fuel is used in a diesel engine under a control system in an operating state, the combustion temperature is kept low, the water in the fuel becomes water vapor, a part of it separates, causing a small explosion phenomenon, and the explosion It is stated that the generation of unburned products such as nitrogen oxides and PM (Particulate Matter), dust, etc. is almost eliminated because the combustion reaction is promoted by mixing the fuel and air with force. However, the invention disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-76608 relates only to a vehicle-mounted fuel reformer, and the object is achieved only in combination with a control system for operating conditions.
JP 2004-76608 A

As described above, conventionally, various improvements and improvements as a fuel supply system directly connected to a diesel engine have been studied. In fact, a vehicle-mounted system that integrates an electronic fuel-controlled system that combines emulsion fuel that is optimal for the current combustion conditions from light oil and water, and a post-processing filter, is the NO _X / PX method. It is also officially certified as a certified device. According to this, since the peak temperature at the time of combustion is lowered due to moisture in the fuel, the generation of nitrogen oxides is greatly reduced. This is known to have the effect of suppressing the generation of black smoke and dust. However, a practical emulsion fuel that maintains a good emulsion state for a long period of time between fuel and water has not yet been developed as far as the present inventors know.

The present invention aims to develop an environmentally-applicable emulsion fuel that can be handled and used in the same way as ordinary fuel oil, rather than a vehicle-mounted system fuel, and that maintains a very good emulsion state for a long period of time. It is the purpose / issue.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing an environment-applicable emulsion fuel comprising stirring and mixing a liquid mixture of 50% by volume or more of fuel oil and 50% by volume or less of an aqueous emulsifier solution while applying ultrasonic waves. Achieved by using an environmentally-applicable emulsion fuel. Further, another aspect of the present invention is an apparatus for producing such an environment-applied emulsion fuel, a mixing container having ultrasonic generation means and stirring means, a water tank connected thereto, and fuel oil This is achieved by an environment-applied emulsion fuel production apparatus comprising a tank, an emulsifier tank and an environment-applied emulsion fuel tank.

The environment-applied emulsion fuel obtained by the present invention is an environment-friendly fuel with less pollution and maintains a very good emulsion state for a long period of time, so it is handled and used in the same way as ordinary fuel oil. be able to. Moreover, since the environment-applicable emulsion fuel of the present invention can be used as it is in an existing engine or combustion apparatus / equipment, it is not necessary to provide a new one. For example, when the emulsion fuel of the present invention consisting of light oil and water containing an emulsifier is used for a diesel engine, the generation of PM and nitrogen oxides containing black smoke is extremely reduced. In addition, the fuel efficiency of the vehicle is improved, and the merit of extending the life of the engine oil is obtained.

In the present invention, fuel oil is stirred and mixed with 50% by volume or more, preferably 60% by volume or more, and an aqueous emulsifier solution of 50% by volume or less, preferably 40% by volume or less while applying ultrasonic waves. Emulsify the oil. Particularly preferred is a mixture of 80 to 90% by volume of fuel oil and 20 to 10% by volume of an aqueous emulsifier solution. In the present invention, the emulsifier aqueous solution does not necessarily mean only that the emulsifier is dissolved in water from the beginning, and the order of mixing and dissolution is not limited. And those containing 50% by volume or less of water. Therefore, the order of addition / mixing of the fuel oil, water and emulsifier is not particularly limited, and the fuel oil, water and emulsifier may be mixed together, or first, the emulsifier is mixed and dissolved in water before the fuel is mixed. Alternatively, it may be added to the oil, or first, an emulsifier is mixed and dissolved in the fuel oil, and then water is gradually added.

The emulsifier is suitably used in an amount of 0.1 to 10% by weight, preferably 1 to 5% by weight, based on the fuel oil. As the emulsifier, any of nonionic surfactants, anionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, and amphoteric surfactants can be used, but preference is given to fatty acid esters of polyhydric alcohols such as sorbitol, sorbitan and sorbide. And nonionic surfactants such as alkylene oxide adducts of alcohols. One or more emulsifiers can be used in combination.

The environment-applicable emulsion fuel obtained by emulsification is of O / W (Oil in Water) type or W / O (Water in Oil) type depending on the ratio of fuel oil to water. You can also use In general, the W / O type in which water fine particles are dispersed in fuel oil is superior in stability. The size of the water fine particles in the fuel oil is suitably 20 μm or less, and more preferably 5 μm or less. In addition, the environment-applicable emulsion fuel of the present invention may contain necessary known additives such as a rust inhibitor, a pour point depressant and a corrosion inhibitor depending on the purpose and use.

In the present invention, the fuel oil and the emulsifier aqueous solution can be obtained by applying ultrasonic waves with ultrasonic generation means that is easier and safer to handle than the method and apparatus using high frequency electromagnetic waves disclosed in the prior patent. Emulsified, and at the same time under normal temperature and normal pressure, a very stable environment-applicable emulsion fuel is obtained by ultrasonic cavitation effect, which is said to create a vacuum state of 1000 atm and 5000 degrees, and by stirring the liquid by stirring and mixing means It is done.

In the present invention, for example, a known or commercially available ultrasonic generator can be used as the ultrasonic generator. The ultrasonic power is about 1 to 100 W, preferably 10 to 40 W, per liter of the mixed liquid of the fuel oil and the emulsifier aqueous solution. In the present invention, the ultrasonic wave generation means does not include high frequency generation means, but also includes means for applying vibration to an object with a frequency other than so-called ultrasonic waves such as microwaves. The ultrasonic wave generation means may be anything as long as the treatment liquid is sufficiently emulsified by the emulsion effect and promotes the cavitation effect. However, an ultrasonic oscillation rod connected to the ultrasonic generator is inserted into the mixed liquid. The type to be used is suitable. A known or commercially available stirrer may be used as the stirring means. As the mixing container used for stirring and mixing, it is not necessary to use a special container, and practically, for example, a general container or apparatus made of stainless steel, glass, or vinyl chloride can be used.

A method for producing an environment-applicable emulsion fuel of the present invention and an apparatus used therefor will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an apparatus (environment-applied emulsion fuel production apparatus) showing an example thereof. The mixing vessel 3 includes an ultrasonic wave generation unit 1 and an agitation unit 2, and a water tank 4, a fuel oil tank 5, an emulsifier tank 6, and an environment application type emulsion fuel tank 7 connected thereto. 8 indicates a meter, and 9 indicates a valve. A predetermined amount of fuel oil, emulsifier, and water are supplied from each tank to the mixing container 3. The emulsifier may be in the form of powder, liquid, or aqueous solution, depending on the type of the emulsifier, or may be supplied to the mixing container 3 in advance mixed with fuel oil or water. Ultrasonic wave generation means (oscillation rod) 1 for applying ultrasonic waves to the fuel oil and the emulsifier aqueous solution is inserted into the mixing container 3, and the stirring means 2 is also installed in the mixing container 3. Using such a mixing container, the fuel oil is emulsified by stirring while applying ultrasonic waves. The time, temperature, atmosphere, etc. for emulsification are not particularly limited. The obtained environment-applied emulsion fuel with 50% by volume or more of the fuel oil and 50% by volume or less of the aqueous emulsifier solution is introduced into the environment-applied emulsion fuel tank 7 and stored. For example, when the present invention is applied to a combustion apparatus that is installed at a certain location in a factory or the like, it is applied directly to the combustion apparatus directly from the environment-applicable emulsion fuel tank 7 by combining appropriate control means. A type emulsion fuel can be supplied. Further, the water tank 4 is not a tank that temporarily stores water, but may be directly connected to a water supply source such as a water supply. In the present invention, such a water tank 4 is also a concept of a water tank. Shall be included.

EXAMPLES Hereinafter, although an Example demonstrates this invention, this invention is not limited to this. The stability of the emulsion over time was evaluated based on the following criteria by observing the appearance after placing 250 ml of emulsion fuel in a 250 ml graduated cylinder and leaving it at 25 ° C. for 1 month in a sealed system. ○: No change in appearance, Δ: slight change, ×: emulsion separated.

A mixture of 8 liters of light oil (specific gravity 0.85) and 2 liters of water containing 136 g (2% by weight based on light oil) of a nonionic surfactant mainly composed of polyoxyethylene alkyl ether was prepared. (77% fuel oil, 23% water). Using the mixing container (made of stainless steel) shown in FIG. 1, the mixed solution was put therein, and stirred at room temperature and normal pressure for 30 minutes while applying ultrasonic waves. As a radio wave bar as an ultrasonic wave generating means, a metal bar having a diameter of 45 mm and a length of 35 cm was used, and an ultrasonic wave of 20 KHz was applied thereto. The ultrasonic power was 255 W on average. Stirring was performed 1400 times / m using a commercially available mixer. The obtained environment-applied emulsion fuel was in a uniform emulsion state. When the stability of this emulsion with time was evaluated, there was no change in the appearance of the emulsion even after it was left at 25 ° C. for 1 month (◯: no change in appearance).

[Comparative Example 1]
An emulsion fuel was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1 except that no ultrasonic wave was applied. When this product was allowed to stand at 25 ° C. for 1 day, a change in the state of the emulsion appeared (Δ: slight change), and after one week, the emulsion was almost separated (×: the emulsion was separated).

A mixed liquid of 12 liters of kerosene and 8 liters of water containing 200 g of a nonionic surfactant mainly composed of polyoxyethylene alkyl ether was prepared. In the same manner as in Example 1, the mixed solution was put into a stainless steel container, and ultrasonic waves of 20 KHZ were applied and simultaneously stirred with a stirrer. After the treatment for 20 minutes, the treatment liquid was allowed to stand for 1 month. However, the separation of kerosene and water did not occur, and the emulsion state was completely maintained (O: no change in appearance).

Since the environment-applied emulsion fuel obtained by the present invention maintains a very good emulsion state for a long period of time, it can be handled and used in the same manner as a normal fuel oil. Then, water and light oil, kerosene, heavy oil, environmental adaptive emulsion fuel obtained with the fuel oil such as gasoline, since nitrogen oxides (NO _X) and the occurrence of dust is small at the time of combustion, effective in preventing air pollution As fuel, for example, it can be used as fuel for factories, fuel for farm equipment, fuel for fishing boats and ships, and fuel for vehicles. In particular, an environmentally applicable emulsion fuel comprising light oil and water containing an emulsifier can be effectively used as a fuel for a diesel engine.

It is the schematic of an example of the environment application type | mold emulsion fuel manufacturing apparatus of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Ultrasonic wave generation means 2 Stirring means 3 Mixing container 4 Water tank 5 Fuel oil tank 6 Emulsifier tank 7 Environment application type emulsion fuel tank 8 Meter 9 Valve

Claims (5)

An environment-applicable emulsion fuel obtained by stirring and mixing a mixture of 50% by volume or more of fuel oil and 50% by volume or less of an aqueous emulsifier solution while applying ultrasonic waves. The environment-applied emulsion fuel according to claim 1, wherein the amount of the emulsifier is 0.1 to 10% by weight based on the fuel oil. A method for producing an environment-applicable emulsion fuel, comprising mixing and mixing a mixture of a fuel oil of 50% by volume or more and an emulsifier aqueous solution of 50% by volume or less while applying ultrasonic waves. The method for producing an environmentally applicable emulsion fuel according to claim 3, wherein the amount of the emulsifier is 0.1 to 10% by weight based on the fuel oil. An environment-applicable emulsion fuel production apparatus comprising a mixing container having ultrasonic generation means and stirring means, and a water tank, a fuel oil tank, an emulsifier tank, and an emulsion fuel tank connected thereto.

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