Emissions from flares typical of those found at oil-field battery sites in Alberta, Canada, were investigated to determine the degree to which the flared gases were burned and to characterize the products of combustion in the emissions. The study consisted of laboratory, pilot-scale, and field-scale investigations. Combustion of all hydrocarbon fuels in both laboratory and pilot-scale tests pro...

The environmental fate and biological effects of the fuel oxygenate methyl-tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) is of concern because, among other factors, it is highly soluble in water. Thus ground and surface water contamination may occur through accidental exposures and spills. Little is known about the biodegradability and ecotoxicity of MTBE. We found that MTBE added to carbon-limited microbial con...

With latest improvements in MEMS, combustion based Micro-Power generation devices are seen as alternatives for conventional batteries because of the high energy densities of Hydrogen and other hydrocarbon fuels. An important feature of micro-power system is to utilize the combustion of fuel or propellant in the micro-burner to produce the gas with high temperature and high pressure to drive tur...

We propose a conceptual study of prototype strained hydrocarbon molecules as high energy density additives for hybrid rocket fuels to boost the performance of these rockets without compromising safety and reliability. Use of these additives could extend the range of applications for which hybrid rockets become an attractive alternative to conventional solid or liquid fuel rockets. The objective...

The waste tyres represent a source of energy and valuable hydrocarbon products. Waste tyres were pyrolysed catalytically in a batch reactor under atmospheric pressure. The effects of basic catalysts (MgO and CaCO3) were studied on the pyrolysis products. The distribution ratio of gas, liquid and char with MgO and CaCO3 were 24.4:39.8:35.8 wt % and 32.5:32.2:35.2 wt % r...

The small radiant heaters that burn hydrocarbon fuels propane, butane, methane/natural gas and liquid hydrocarbon fuels are used widely because of their simple design, their portability, and the ready availability of fuels. The open flame heater presents obvious disadvantages as follows. An upset heater is a grave fire risk where the surroundings are flammable and this restricts usage in, for e...

A systematic study of two-staged upgrading process of vacuum residue for light fuel production has been carried out in a semi-batch binary reactor apparatus over Y, ZSM-5 and alkaline treated ZSM-5 zeolites. Prepared catalyst samples were characterized with XRD and BET. Density and Viscosity physical properties parameters estimation, as well as GC/SIMDIS analyses were conducted on liquid produc...

BACKGROUND Globally, the development of a cost-effective long-term renewable energy infrastructure is one of the most challenging problems faced by society today. Microalgae are rich in potential biofuel substrates such as lipids, including triacylglycerols (TAGs). Some of these algae also biosynthesize small molecule hydrocarbons. These hydrocarbons can often be used as liquid fuels, often wit...

The processing of high density liquid hydrocarbon fuels appears to be the most promising method of supplying a hydrogen stream for feeding portable fuel cells. Furthermore, microchemical systems are a strong enabling aspect of compact fuel processors due to their advantageous heat and mass transport and inherent compactness. However, a number of crucial challenges exist for the realization of p...