Development and rheological characterisation of an industrial liquid fuel consisting of charcoal dispersed in water

The ability of a commercially available charcoal to be dispersed in water was evaluated by analysing the rheological behaviour of the resulting charcoal water slurries (ChWS). The charcoal was ground in a conventional ball mill and dispersed in water with the aid of different surfactants. The effects of the most relevant factors influencing the rheological properties of the suspensions were evaluated, including: (i) type of surfactant and its added amount on the fuel viscosity (η) at a given solids fraction; (ii) the charcoal content, which should be as high as possible. The results enabled selecting the most efficient surfactant and its optimal amount required for minimising the fuel viscosity (η) and enhancing the stability of the suspensions. Stable ChWS containing 60 wt.% solids and 1 wt.% surfactant and exhibiting adequate flow properties were successfully obtained.