Researchers at Baylor University have introduced an innovative approach to effectively burning biofuels, employing an advanced Swirl Burst (SB) injector to combust glycerol/methanol mixtures while producing almost no emissions. This cutting-edge technology allows for exceedingly clean combustion of fuels that are generally hard to ignite due to their thick consistency.
In recent findings published in the journal Fuel, researchers from Baylor University, associated with the Cornerstone Atomization and Combustion Lab (CAC), have developed a groundbreaking technique for the effective combustion of biofuels, utilizing a state-of-the-art Swirl Burst (SB) injector to burn mixtures of glycerol and methanol with nearly zero emissions. This advancement facilitates ultra-clean combustion of fuels that are often challenging to burn because of their high viscosity.
The findings hold the potential to significantly impact both academic study and industry practices, establishing a new benchmark for sustainable energy options.
“This research highlights how viscous bio-waste can be converted into clean energy through Baylor’s combustion technology,” explained lead author Lulin Jiang, Ph.D., who is the main investigator of the CAC Lab and an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Baylor’s School of Engineering and Computer Science.
Importance for the biofuel sector and environmental effects
Standard injectors find it difficult to combust glycerol—a common byproduct of biodiesel manufacturing—owing to its high viscosity, despite having a decent energy density.
In contrast, the SB injector’s capability to process glycerol without the need for expensive fuel preheating or treatment could revolutionize biofuel economics. The design of the SB injector enables optimal and clean combustion by generating fine droplets, which greatly cuts down emissions of harmful pollutants such as carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxides (NOx).
Jiang noted that this innovative technology allows biodiesel manufacturers to turn glycerol waste into a functional fuel resource, fostering a circular economy and lowering the carbon footprint for energy production. The flexibility of the SB injector allows it to accommodate various glycerol/methanol mixes without the need for equipment alterations, making it suitable for power plants striving to comply with rigorous emission standards.
By leading the way in creative solutions to urgent global issues, Jiang and her team illustrate Baylor’s dedication to furthering knowledge for societal advancement.
“Transforming waste, like spent glycerol, into affordable renewable energy boosts energy resilience and equity for economically challenged communities in a changing climate,” Jiang added.
Evaluating fuel mixtures
The research group tested three distinct fuel combinations—50/50, 60/40, and 70/30 ratios of glycerol to methanol based on theoretical heat release rates—across multiple atomizing air-to-liquid mass ratios (ALR). All combinations achieved over 90% combustion efficiency, with complete combustion achieved by the 50/50 blend, alongside nearly zero levels of CO and NOx emissions, even in non-preheated, uninsulated combustion systems. This represents a breakthrough compared to traditional air-blast or pressure-swirl injectors, which typically produce high emissions when used with viscous fuels.
“The demonstrated ability of this technology to tolerate high viscosity and its fuel versatility indicates that not just waste glycerol, but also viscous feedstocks for biodiesel and other waste-derived bio-oils can be used directly for energy generation without needing further processing, significantly lowering biofuel costs and enhancing its widespread adoption,” mentioned Jiang.
This advancement could assist in minimizing the biodiesel sector’s environmental effects and boosting its affordability.
NSF National I-Corps/NSF Civic Innovation Challenge
Jiang and her research group are participants in the National Science Foundation’s National Innovation Corps—often referred to as I-Corps™—program, which emphasizes the significant implications of their revolutionary fuel-flexible combustion technology. The I-Corps program prepares scientists and engineers to broaden their focus beyond academic research, thereby quickening the economic and social advantages of NSF-funded and other foundational research initiatives that are poised for commercialization.
In a related NSF project, Baylor is collaborating with the City of Waco on the NSF Civic Innovation Challenge Project, aiming to create climate-smart, waste-energy combustion at the Waco Landfill to help mitigate methane and other air pollutants while converting waste into clean energy. Baylor and Waco are among 19 teams progressing to the next phase of the NSF Challenge, having secured a $1 million pilot project grant with aspirations of advancing further.
