The objective of this study is to characterize the flammability of oil-soaked sand towards the development of technology to clean up petroleum product spills using in situ combustion. The burning rate of a sand-oil mixture is enhanced using immersed conductive objects (copper rods) which enable rapid heat-up of the flame exposed to the upper surface of the rod and transmits heat back into the sand. Consequent conduction of heat to the porous media through the lower portion of the immersed rod significantly increases vaporization and therefore the burning rate. Bench scale experiments (10cm) were performed with increasing spill content (18% and 24%) exposed to external heat fluxes (15, 20, 25 and 30kW/m^2 ) and different rod configurations (single rod, multiple rods and cases with various heights and diameters). Flammability parameters such as ignition time, mass loss rate, and temperature profiles were investigated. Experiments show that the ignition time decreases and the burn efficiency rate increases with the addition of immersed objects. A numerical model is used to further explain the controlling parameters for enhancement in burning rate and optimization of the technique.

Creator

• Arava, Shivaprasad

Colaboradores

• Sezer, Hayri
• Arsava, Kemal Sarp
• Rangwala, Ali S.
• V, Raghavan

Degree

• MS

Unit

• Mechanical Engineering

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Language

• English

Identifier

• etd-090716-042415

Palavra-chave

• OIL SOAKED SAND

Advisor

• Rangwala, Ali S.

Committee

• V, Raghavan
• Sezer, Hayri
• Arsava, Kemal Sarp

Defense date

• 2016-07-28

Year

• 2016

Date created

• 2016-09-07

Resource type

• Thesis

Rights statement

• In Copyright