Saw, W.Nathan, G.Ashman, P.Hupa, M.2010-10-192010-10-192010Fuel: the science and technology of fuel and energy, 2010; 89(8):1840-18480016-2361http://hdl.handle.net/2440/61337The influence of initial droplet size on the release of atomic sodium from black liquor solids (BLS) during each stage of black liquor combustion has been assessed using a planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) technique. Three different initial diameters of black liquor droplets, 1.3, 1.7 and 2.2 mm were burned in a flat flame at equivalence ratios of 0.8, 0.9 and 1.25. The temporal release of the atomic sodium under fuel rich conditions was found to be different from that under fuel-lean conditions, especially during the smelt coalescence stage. For each stage of black liquor combustion, the measured release rate of atomic sodium increases with decreasing d<inf>i</inf>. This implies that significant release of atomic sodium could occur during the in-flight combustion of small droplets, which are known to be generated in recovery boilers from either the carryover or the ejecta. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.enCopyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.SodiumBlack liquorLIFDroplet sizeJournal article002009685710.1016/j.fuel.2010.04.0020002781354000102-s2.0-7795527539934794Saw, W. [0000-0002-2538-5811]Nathan, G. [0000-0002-6922-848X]Ashman, P. [0000-0003-1876-4546]