Mechanical Modifications of Paraffin-based Fuels and the Effects on Combustion Performance

In order to enhance the mechanical properties, 6 kinds of additives of stearic acid, polyethylene wax (A−C®6A), ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA), low density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP) and high density polyethylene (HDPE) were blended in the paraffin fuel. Mechanical properties of paraffin-based fuels were investigated by mixing 5 % in mass of different additives and increasing the mass percent of A−C®6A and LDPE. In addition, the combustion performance of the so modified paraffin-based fuels were tested by a 2D-radial burner at Nanjing University of Science and Technology. The effects of additives on regression rate were analyzed by thermal performance test (melting point and DSC) and viscosity measurement. Overall, all the additives can improve mechanical properties and the mechanical properties are enhanced by increasing mass% of additives. A−C®6A revealed the best for improving compressive strength (64.0 % increase by blending 5 mass %), LDPE revealed the best for improving tensile strength (105.3 % increase by blending 5 mass %). For combustion performance, the regression rates of paraffin-based fuels blended with stearic acid increased owing to the decreased melting points while the regression rates of the other five formulations decreased due to the increased melted liquid viscosity. The relationship between regression rate and viscosity is a power function which is not affected by additives at high temperature, thereby it is convenient to predict the regression rate by measuring viscosity.