Vol. 337 No. 7 (2026)
DOI https://doi.org/10.18799/24131830/2026/7/5226
Characteristics of combustion of watered hydrocarbon fuel with different water content
Relevance. The problem of disposal of watered hydrocarbon liquids produced during well testing remains one of the key tasks in the oil production industry. Traditional combustion methods used for this purpose often do not provide the necessary environmental safety and process stability, especially at high water content levels. The study of combustion characteristics of such mixtures is relevant for the development of effective and environmentally friendly utilization technologies that meet modern requirements for minimizing harmful emissions and energy efficiency. Aim. Experimental study of combustion characteristics of watered diesel fuel with a water content of 30, 45 and 60% when it is pneumatically sprayed in a gas generation chamber of a laboratory sample of a low-power burner device. The main attention is paid to the assessment of combustion stability, combustion completeness, environmental parameters (CO and NOx emissions), as well as the effect of the oxidizer composition on the process. Methods. The work involved experimental methods, including combustion product gas analysis (Testo 350), measurement of soot particulate matter content (Testo 338), thermographic analysis (FLUKE Ti32 infrared camera), and evaluation of the device thermal power. To stabilize combustion at high water content, air was replaced with a mixture of nitrogen and oxygen. Results and conclusions. It was found that an increase in the water content in the fuel to 55% leads to a decrease in the temperature in the gas generation chamber from 400 to 300°C and a significant increase in CO emissions (to 3291 mg/m³), while the NOx level decreases (to 14 mg/m³). At a water content of 60%, flame failure is observed; however, using a mixture of nitrogen and oxygen instead of air stabilized the process. Thermographic data confirmed the correlation between the burner body temperature and combustion stability. The results demonstrate the promise of the proposed method for the utilization of watered hydrocarbon liquids, as well as the need to optimize equipment operating modes to reduce CO emissions. Prospects. Further research can be aimed at studying the kinetics of emulsion combustion, developing methods for reducing CO emissions at high water content, and creating mathematical models to predict process characteristics. The results of the work open up opportunities for creating more efficient and environmentally friendly systems for thermal utilization of oil-containing waste.
For citation: Kopyev E.P., Sadkin I.S., Shadrin E.Yu. Characteristics of combustion of watered hydrocarbon fuel with different water content. Bulletin of the Tomsk Polytechnic University. Geo Assets Engineering, 2026, vol. 337, no. 7, pp. 7–15. https://doi.org/10.18799/24131830/2026/7/5226
Keywords:
watered fuel, combustion, water-fuel emulsions, gas generation chamber, CO and NOx emissions
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