Physical properties of biodiesel at elevated temperatures and pressures/removal of fines in aquacultural facilities

A. Physical Properties of Biodiesel Fuels at Operating Temperatures and Pressures The Overall Objective is to determine the physical properties affecting the atomization characteristics of commercially available biodiesel fuels (and their blends with petro-diesel fuel) at operating temperatures and pressures so as to determine the cause of some of the current operating problems. Specific Objectives are to measure the density, viscosity, surface tension and atomization characteristics of biodiesel fuels at temperatures and pressures up to 300C and 6MPa (1000 psi). This involves monitoring of droplet sizes with a Malvern analyzer at temperatures and pressures up to normal cylinder pressures as a function of time through the injection cycle. This will involve measuring the time for different biodiesel fuel components to reach full evaporation (opacity factor) and correlating, against opacity factor and time after onset of injection, fuel type and composition, cylinder and atomization pressures, temperature, & SMD. The properties of additives to modify the current deficiencies of biodiesel fuels will also be tested. B. Fines Removal in Recirculating Aquacultural FacilitiesThe Ultimate Objective is to determine methods for removal of particles, particularly those less than 50 microns from recirculating aquacultural facilities that cause various diseases, including gill rot. Specific Objectives include the determination of further physical and chemical properties of particles that can be used to design for their removal. This will be done by making a generalized model of aquacultural facilities that incorporates the real operating environment that affects particle size. Separation processes will be modeled so as to determine the best method of fines removal, based on the chemical and physical properties of the particles. Waste removal in low velocity flatfish tanks is particularly challenging.