Burning Oil Layer on the Surface of Water

The results of investigations on combustion of Karazhanbas and Tengiz oil on the surface of water are presented. The minimum thickness of oil layer allowing to initiate and support the process of combustion is stated to be lie in the range of 3–5 mm. For ignition and maintenance of stable combustion of oil on water surface, a synthetic sorbent is proposed. It is found that, the synthetic sorbent accelerates the combustion process of oil on water surface threefold in comparison with the combustion process of oil without a sorbent. It is shown that the remaining mass of oil on water surface after combustion process termination, presents a bituminous substance having a good coalescence and high adhesion that allows to collect it with high efficiency by a mechanical method. The process of ignition and combustion of oil on the water surface is significantly affected by contained in it combustible volatiles. In this paper, on the example of oil from Tengiz field, the regularities of the influence of temperature and salinity on evaporation of light fractions and the burnout process are revealed. It is determined that the degree of water salinity does not affect the process of evaporation of light fractions of oil, this process is significantly affected by temperature water. The research has shown that the important factors that influence the degree of burning of the oil layer on the surface of water is the degree of salinity and the initial temperature of water, while these relationships are complex. Revealed that the salt water burning process more profitable to produce oil at water temperatures above 20 °C. The developed model in has been supplemented with a coefficient of thermal conductivity as a function depending on temperature. Numerical results more accurately predict the experimental observations. The reason is that thermal diffusivity is determined more precisely.