Atomization for a Great Burn
MSAR has unique properties that support complete combustion with atomization that are very different from conventional liquid fuels. Atomization is the process where a volume of liquid hydrocarbon is converted to many small droplets. The goal is to create many hydrocarbon droplets to increase the total surface area exposed to heat so that the droplets vaporize and burn quickly. MSAR™ has three stages of atomization: pre-atomization, before it enters the burner tip; primary atomization, at the burner tip; and secondary atomization, after the burner tip.
During MSAR production, pre-atomization occurs in a mill when small droplets are created as the heavy hydrocarbons are mixed with water and stabilizer to form an emulsion. These hydrocarbon droplets are small, three to five microns in diameter.
During MSAR primary atomization, the emulsion is passed through an atomizer at the burner tip to form an emulsion drop about 80 to100 microns in size. At this stage, the MSAR drop is made up of water, stabilizer and small hydrocarbon droplets.
During secondary atomization, the drop is heated creating steam from the water. The expansion of the steam explodes the drop, exposing the small hydrocarbon droplets to the heat. This exposure of the droplets to the heat results in complete combustion and limits the production of particulates and unburned carbon.
Experience with MSAR combustion has shown that this three-stage atomization achieves over a 99.9 percent carbon burnout and particulates are limited to incombustible compounds contained in the fuel. The figure below demonstrates the explosion of the drop into small hydrocarbon droplets and steam.
