Evaporation kinetics of diesel and biofuel blends using the single droplet method

Abstract

This study explores the evaporation kinetics of diesel and various biofuel blends to assess their viability as sustainable alternatives to conventional fossil fuels. The Single Droplet Evaporation (SDE) method was employed to investigate the evaporation behavior of diesel, sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, soybean oil, and their respective blends across a temperature range of 300 °C to 600 °C. High-speed shadowgraphy and embedded thermocouples enabled precise measurements of droplet diameter and surface temperature. Additionally, a validated multi-pseudo-component, transient two-phase evaporation model (developed using Aspen HYSYS) was used to simulate the evaporation process under high-temperature conditions. Experimental results showed that soybean oil (BF) had the highest evaporation rate, while rapeseed oil (RF) evaporated the slowest. Diesel exhibited puffing behavior at elevated temperatures, whereas biofuels demonstrated more uniform and stable evaporation dynamics. The numerical model accurately captured droplet evolution, reinforcing the predictive capability of the simulation approach. Overall, the findings highlight the potential of tailored biofuel blends to enhance combustion efficiency and reduce emissions, offering a promising pathway toward cleaner and more sustainable energy solutions in transportation systems.