Preface

As in a past decades, the world today continues to be at crossroads in terms of energy. Shortages and rising prices of fuel, accompanied by environmental damage are leading to a poor quality of life. Fossil fuel consumption is increasing, and our search for oil has led to ever deeper reserves, with its higher production costs. Rapid depletion of oil and gas are real issues affecting both current and future generations.

The production of food for the world population is being affected by the shortages and price-increases of fuel. Fossil fuel's domination on geopolitics continues with evergreater force, even leading nations to wars, and the loss of millions of lives. It is enigmatic that the research described in this book, has potentially far reaching implications on the commodity so important to mankind.

Just about a decade ago, renewable energy could not compete with fossil fuel in terms of cost and feasibility. However, fuel costs have risen unexpectedly quickly, making alternative energy commercially feasible earlier than expected. Thousands of wind turbines line the landscapes of the US and Europe today, supplementing the electric grid. Large areas of solar panels have risen almost overnight, with even households selling power to electric companies in Europe. Areas as large as mid-size countries are being clear-cut for crops for the production of bio-fuels. In the US, bio-fuels constitute 10% (and increasing) of automobile fuel. Hydrid electric vehicles have been commercially available for close to a decade. We are now entering a new era, as fossil fuel and alternative energy begin a long period of coexistence with each other.

Quite appropriately, the research has shifted from the topics of yester year, to more current issues such as increasing efficiency, reducing emissions, coexistence with alternative energy, hybrid vehicles, etc.

Reducing emissions have even promoted the futuristic research on sending emissions back underground, otherwise known as carbon sequestration. The economics of fossil fuel and prices continues to have complex interdependence on production costs, availability, and geopolitics. As prices hover around \$3-4/gallon at

US pumps, a new economics is taking new shape, as described. Concepts such as urban sprawl and a car for every adult are being challenged, as the housing market continues to fall. A chapter is dedicated to the impact on food availability for the world.

#### X Preface

Depleting fossil fuel raises valid concerns about ongoing shortages and availability for future generations. Estimates of current and future reserves of oil and gas are conflicting, given the data by commercial companies, government organizations, and academia. It is clear that increasing prices, coupled with the importance of oil to the chemical industry will ensure that oil will continue to be produced at higher expense for a very long time.

The readers will find 13 chapters in the book. The topics move mostly seamlessly from conventional fuel to alternative energy, to the environment, and finally to economics and food security.

The book starts with conventional topics of fuel properties, combustion and deposition, and co-combustion with alternative fuels. It discusses operator training, power stations, and distributed power systems. There are also discussed some estimates of remaining fuel reserves, electric vehicles, and environmental issues. Chapters on sending emissions back underground, though somewhat futuristic, define the borders of current research, and the importance of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The research on fossil fuel and the environment defines much of the range of today's scientific knowledge, and is a major driving force of modern progress. The ideas and data here, however, humble they may seem, are potentially far reaching and profound, considering the billions of dollars of fuel, its tankers and pipelines and the global geopolitics, that are shaping the world. Whether feasible or futuristic, this book is a great read for researchers, practitioners, policymakers, or just about anyone with an enquiring mind on this subject.

I take this opportunity to thank Intech Publisher, whose vision on open-access publishing has in a few short years brought cutting-edge research to the academic community worldwide.

This book acknowledges and recognizes all the researchers, who have dedicated their lives to the betterment of mankind as well their work on the topic of fossil fuel and the environment. It is a tribute to those, whose tireless pursuit of a new knowledge on energy has been the driving force of modern progress.

> **Shahriar Khan** Associate Professor School of Engineering and Computer Science Independent University, Bangladesh

X Preface

for a very long time.

and food security.

emissions.

enquiring mind on this subject.

energy has been the driving force of modern progress.

community worldwide.

Depleting fossil fuel raises valid concerns about ongoing shortages and availability for future generations. Estimates of current and future reserves of oil and gas are conflicting, given the data by commercial companies, government organizations, and academia. It is clear that increasing prices, coupled with the importance of oil to the chemical industry will ensure that oil will continue to be produced at higher expense

The readers will find 13 chapters in the book. The topics move mostly seamlessly from conventional fuel to alternative energy, to the environment, and finally to economics

The book starts with conventional topics of fuel properties, combustion and deposition, and co-combustion with alternative fuels. It discusses operator training, power stations, and distributed power systems. There are also discussed some estimates of remaining fuel reserves, electric vehicles, and environmental issues. Chapters on sending emissions back underground, though somewhat futuristic, define the borders of current research, and the importance of reducing greenhouse gas

The research on fossil fuel and the environment defines much of the range of today's scientific knowledge, and is a major driving force of modern progress. The ideas and data here, however, humble they may seem, are potentially far reaching and profound, considering the billions of dollars of fuel, its tankers and pipelines and the global geopolitics, that are shaping the world. Whether feasible or futuristic, this book is a great read for researchers, practitioners, policymakers, or just about anyone with an

I take this opportunity to thank Intech Publisher, whose vision on open-access publishing has in a few short years brought cutting-edge research to the academic

This book acknowledges and recognizes all the researchers, who have dedicated their lives to the betterment of mankind as well their work on the topic of fossil fuel and the environment. It is a tribute to those, whose tireless pursuit of a new knowledge on

> **Shahriar Khan** Associate Professor

> > Bangladesh

Independent University,

School of Engineering and Computer Science

**1** 

*Japan* 

**Effects of Fuel Properties on Diffusion** 

Kazuhiro Hayashida1 and Katsuhiko Haji2

*(Present affiliation: Research & Development Division* 

*JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation)* 

**Combustion and Deposit Accumulation** 

*1Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kitami Institute of Technology* 

*2Advanced Technology and Research Institute, Petroleum Energy Center (PEC)* 

Petroleum is still the major source of energy in the world; petroleum-based fuels are used to various combustion devices, such as automotive engines, gas turbines and industrial furnaces. Combustion of petroleum-based fuels generates undesirable exhaust emissions (e.g. unburnt hydrocarbons, NOx, soot particles), and exhaust emissions from combustion devices cause serious problems to the environment and human health. Adjustment of the properties of the fuels is an effective way to improve the combustion characteristics so that minimize pollutant emissions. Basic knowledge of relationship between the fuel properties and practical combustion performances is necessary to make effective adjustments corresponding to the ongoing diversification of fuels, such as newly-introduced crude oil,

It is well known that combustion characteristic of liquid fossil fuels vary by fuel properties, such as distillation characteristics and hydrocarbon components (Kök & Pamir, 1995). Especially in the case of diffusion combustion, soot emission is strongly affected by fuel properties (Kidoguchi et al., 2000). Diffusion combustion is widely applied to various combustion devices, but the influence of fuel properties on diffusion combustion is not fully understood. Moreover, when combustion devices are used for a long time, deposits gradually accumulate on the parts of the device that are exposed to high temperatures, such as the fuel nozzle and the combustion chamber wall (Zerda, 1999). Accumulation characteristics of deposits are also strongly affected by changes in the properties of the fuel used. Since excessive deposit accumulation can cause malfunctions of combustion devices, such as decreased output and degradation of exhaust emissions, understanding of the

The effects of fuel properties on diffusion combustion and deposit accumulation are described in this article. Several types of kerosene fraction, which have different fuel properties, were used as the test fuels. A wick combustion burner was used to form a stable laminar diffusion flame of liquid fuel; the difference of diffusion combustion characteristics was investigated. Moreover, the effects of fuel properties on deposit accumulation were

**1. Introduction** 

sulfur-free fuel, and synthetic fuel (Iwama, 2005).

relationship of fuel properties to deposit accumulation is important.

investigated through deposit accumulation on wick during wick combustion.
