Bromine as an ash forming element in a fluidised bed boiler combusting solid recovered fuel

Plastic materials are the main sources of chlorine in solid recovered fuels (SRF). Chlorine is attributed to be the main initiator of slagging, fouling and corrosion in biomass and waste combustion as it lowers the melting point of ash forming matter and reacts chemically with the heat transfer surface steels. SRF may also contain sources of bromine in the form of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) applied in many plastics and textiles. Results presented in this paper from an experimental campaign at an 80 MW_th bubbling fluidised bed (BFB) boiler show that bromine is behaving in a similar manner as chlorine: bromine was found at the corrosion front in boiler membrane wall tubes, and as water soluble salts in aerosol samples collected from the furnace and electrostatic precipitator (ESP) ash. It is evident from these results and the data in the literature that most of the salts of bromine are, by both their fate and physical and chemical properties, similar to those of chlorine. It can be concluded that it if there is a source of bromine in the fuel corrosive high vapour pressure bromides can be formed analogously to chlorides.     

Packed bed combustion of char particles: experiments and an ash model

This paper presents the results of a series of experiments on the packed bed combustion of coke particles, including temperature and gas concentration profiles in the bed and measurements of particle size, void fraction and sphericity on both fuel and ash. An earlier numerical model is extended to include the effects of ash on the bed void fraction and other properties as well as on heat conduction within the bed and heat and mass transfer between particulate and gas. The model is shown to give good agreement with experimental data. It is demonstrated that the physical properties of ash—particle size, void, and sphericity—can have a considerable influence on other bed processes.     

Study on NO heterogeneous reduction with coal in an entrained flow reactor

The effects of coal types with a wide range of volatile matter content including lignite, bituminous coal, and lean coal, as well as the effects of reaction temperature, coal particle size, the primary-zone stoichiometry (SR1) and reburning-zone stoichiometry (SR2), etc. on NO reduction efficiency were carried out systematically in an entrained flow reactor. The heterogeneous NO reduction mechanism was analyzed. The results indicate that the NO reduction efficiencies increase with decreasing SR2 and coal particle size, and with increasing reaction temperature. The char contributions to the total NO reduction efficiency increase with increasing proximate volatile matter, coal particle size, and with decreasing reaction temperature. The char contribution can be reached more than 40% when SR2 is larger than 1.06 or less than 0.92 for XLT lignite. The char contribution at the conditions of SR1 = 1.0 and SR1 = 1.2 is significantly larger than that at SR1 = 1.1 for coals with high-volatile matter at a fixed reburning fraction.     

Ash deposition behavior of upgraded brown coal in pulverized coal combustion boiler

Ash with a low melting point causes slagging and fouling problems in pulverized coal combustion boilers. Ash deposition on heat exchanger tubes reduces the overall heat transfer coefficient due to its low thermal conductivity. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the ash deposition for Upgraded Brown Coal (UBC) and bituminous coal in a 145 MW practical coal combustion boiler. The UBC stands for Upgraded Brown Coal. The melting temperature of UBC ash is relatively lower than that of bituminous coal ashes. Combustion tests were conducted on blended coal consisting 20 wt.% of UBC and 80 wt.% of bituminous coal. Before actual ash deposition tests, the molten slag fractions in those coal ashes were estimated by means of chemical equilibrium calculations. The calculation results showed the molten slag fraction for UBC ash reached approximately 90% at 1523 K. However, that for blended coal ash decreased to 50%. These calculation results mean that blending UBC with bituminous coal played a role in decreasing the molten slag fraction. This phenomenon occurred because the coal blending led to the formation of alumino-silicates compounds as a solid phase. Next, ash deposition tests were conducted using a practical pulverized coal combustion boiler. A water-cooled stainless-steel tube was inserted in locations at both 1523 K and 1273 K in the boiler to measure the amount of ash deposits. The results showed that the mass of ash deposition for blended coal did not greatly increase, compared with that for bituminous coal alone. Therefore, appropriately blending UBC with bituminous coal enabled the use of UBC without any ash deposition problems in practical boilers.     

煤粉高压着火特性及影响因素

高压气化炉内煤粉的着火特性对煤粉烧嘴和气化室的设计与运行调控具有重要意义。笔者采用加压热重分析法对3个煤样的着火特性进行研究,根据升温过程中的能量守恒原理和谢苗诺夫着火理论提出了一种新的处理PTG曲线求取着火温度的拐点法,并与传统经验切线法进行对比;讨论了压力、氧气体积分数、升温速率、挥发分和颗粒粒径对着火温度的影响。研究结果表明,煤粉着火温度区间为从初始着火温度(Ti)到极限着火温度(Tig),环境换热条件所决定的切点位置是唯一定解条件,高温工业炉高加热速率对应的为极限着火温度;与常压条件下相比,加压下固定床煤粉的着火为异相着火,着火温度随挥发分的增加而略有增加;在0.1~1.0 MPa和3~5 MPa的压力范围内,随压力的升高,着火温度下降,且比常压下低很多,虽然在1~3 MPa的着火温度略有增加;氧气体积分数对着火温度的影响规律与常压的类似,随氧气体积分数的增加,着火温度降低;虽然加压条件下煤粉的快速反应,拐点法与切线法得到的着火温度相近,但切线法无法响应环境条件的变化,且常压下,经验的切线法无法给出令人满意的结果。     

A mathematical model of ash formation during pulverized coal combustion

A mathematical model of ash formation during high-rank pulverized coal combustion is reported in this paper. The model is based on the computer-controlled scanning electron microscope (CCSEM) characterization of minerals in pulverized coals. From the viewpoint of the association with coal carbon matrix, individual mineral grains present in coal particles can be classified as included or excluded minerals. Included minerals refer to those discrete mineral grains that are intimately surrounded by the carbon matrix. Excluded minerals are those liberated minerals not or at least associated with coal carbon matter. Included minerals and excluded minerals are treated separately in the model. Included minerals are assumed to randomly disperse between individual coal particles based on coal and mineral particle size distributions. A mechanism of partial-coalescence of included minerals within single coal particles is related to char particulate structures formed during devolatilization. Fragmentation of excluded minerals, which is important particularly for a coal with a significant fraction of excluded minerals, is simulated using a stochastic approach of Poisson distribution. A narrow-sized sample of an Australian bituminous coal was combusted in a drop-tube furnace under operating conditions similar to that in boilers. The particle size distribution and chemical composition of experimental ash were compared to those predicted with the model. The comparisons indicated that the model generally reflected the combined effect of coalescence of included minerals and fragmentation of excluded minerals, the two important mechanisms governing ash formation for high-rank coals.     

The effect of oxygen-to-fuel stoichiometry on coal ash fine-fragmentation mode formation mechanisms

Ash particles smaller than 2.5 μm in diameter generated during pulverized coal combustion are difficult to capture and may pose greater harm to the environment and human health than the discharge of larger particles. Recent research efforts on coal ash formation have revealed a middle fine-fragment mode centered around 2 μm. Formation of this middle or fine-fragment mode (FFM) is less well understood compared to larger coarse and smaller ultrafine ash. This study is part of an overall effort aimed at determining the key factors that impact the formation of FFM. This work examined the effects of oxygen-to-fuel stoichiometry (OFS).Pulverized Illinois #6 bituminous coal was combusted and the ash generated was size segregated in a Dekati low pressure inertial impactor. The mass of each fraction was measured and the ash was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray microanalysis. The FFM ash types were classified based on the SEM images to evaluate the significant fine-fragment ash formation mechanisms and determine any possible link between stoichiometry and formation mechanism.From the particle size distributions (PSDs), the coarse mode appears unaffected by the change in OFS, however, the OFS 1.05 lowered the fraction of ultrafine ash in relation to the higher OFS settings, and appears to increase the portion of the FFM. An intermediate minimum was found in the FFM at 1.3 μm for the 1.20 and 1.35 OFS tests but was not observed in the 1.05 OFS. SEM analysis also suggests that OFS may contribute to changing formation mechanisms.     

Analysis of low NO emission in high temperature air combustion for pulverized coal

High temperature air combustion experiments for pulverized coal in a large-scale furnace have been done before and shown that the NO emission in the high temperature air combustion is significantly lower than that in the normal temperature air combustion. This paper numerically studies the NO evolution in the large-scale experiments with a simplified chemical reaction model. Through an analysis of numerical results a low NO emission mechanism in the high temperature air combustion has been presented. If the HCN concentration is high, the NO generation is fast. But, the high HCN and NO concentrations together will make NO destruction fast. It is found that, by properly arranging flow patterns, the high HCN and NO concentrations can be obtained in the vicinity of primary air nozzle. Thus, the generation and destruction of NO can reach an equilibrium point so that the net NO emission rate is low.     

双级燃料反应器的煤化学链燃烧特性

在5 kW_th双级燃料反应器的化学链燃烧装置上,开展煤化学链燃烧特性研究,重点考察反应温度和气化介质对燃烧补偿率、碳增补率、出口气体组分浓度、额外耗氧率以及碳捕集效率的影响规律。实验结果表明,较高的反应温度能显著提高燃烧效率,900℃时出口烟气中CO₂浓度可达92.1%;随着反应温度升高,碳捕集率和燃烧补偿率分别上升至99.6%和83.4%,额外耗氧率和碳增补率下降至12.1%和4.8%。以CO₂为气化介质时,整体反应效率有大幅下降,额外耗氧率提高至23%。此外,在Ⅰ级FR反应器内发现有少量的团聚颗粒,但并未对流化产生影响。     

Ash fusibility and compositional data of solid recovered fuels

Several approaches are established to analyse the fouling and slagging propensities of coal ashes, but the same cannot be said of solid recovered fuel (SRF) ashes. This work has been conducted by using some fouling and slagging indicators, which are commonly applicable to coal ashes, on SRF ashes to ascertain their applicability.In this work, laboratory prepared ashes derived from municipal solid waste (MSW), sewage sludge, demolition wood, shredded rubber tyres, and plastic/paper fluff are analysed for their fusibility leading to fouling and slagging using three approaches; the ash fusibility temperatures (AFT), ternary phase diagrams, and fouling/slagging indices. The results from each approach are examined to determine the inclination of the ashes toward fouling and slagging. A subsequent inter-comparison of the methods was conducted to validate the methods which are in agreement and are applicable to SRF ashes. The study showed that ternary equilibrium phase diagram SiO₂-CaO-Al₂O₃, various fouling and slagging indices, and AFT can be used to complement each other to predict ash fusion properties, fouling and slagging propensities of SRF ashes.     

Experimental study of ash formation during pulverized coal combustion in O2/CO2 mixtures

The present paper was addressed to mineral transformations and ash formation during O₂/CO₂ combustion of pulverized coal. Four Chinese thermal coals were burned in a drop tube furnace to generate ashes under various combustion conditions. The ash samples were characterized with XRD analysis and ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy. The impacts of O₂/CO₂ combustion on mineral transformation and ash formation were explored through comparisons between O₂/CO₂ combustion and O₂/N₂ combustion. It was found that, O₂/CO₂ combustion did not significantly change the mineral phases formed in the residue ashes, but did affect the relative amounts of the mineral phases. The differences observed in the ashes formed in two atmospheres were attributed to the impact of the gas atmosphere on the combustion temperatures of coal char particles, which consequently influenced the ash formation behaviors of included minerals.     

CFD modelling of oxy-coal combustion in an entrained flow reactor

Oxy-fuel combustion is seen as one of the major options for CO₂ capture for both new and existing coal fired power stations. Coal is burned with a mixture of oxygen and recycled flue gas to obtain a rich CO₂ stream ready for sequestration. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tests for coal combustion under different O₂/CO₂ (21-35% vol O₂) atmospheres in an entrained flow reactor (EFR) were carried out using three coals of different volatile matter content. The temperature profiles, burning rates, burnout and concentration of major species, such as O₂, CO₂, CO, were predicted and compared with an air reference case. A decrease in gas temperature and burning rate was observed for 21% O₂/79% CO₂ environment in comparison to the air reference case due to the difference in gas properties between N₂ and CO₂. Experimental coal burnouts obtained in the EFR, were used to test the accuracy of the CFD model. The numerical results showed a decrease in coal burnout when N₂ was replaced by CO₂ for the same oxygen concentration (21%), but an improvement in the O₂/CO₂ atmosphere for an oxygen concentration higher than 30%. The numerical results for oxy-coal combustion were in good agreement with the experimental results.     

Halide aerosols in circulating fluidised bed co-combustion. Role of coal bound kaolin

An experimental campaign was carried out with a circulating fluidised bed (CFB) pilot scale combustor to study the role of coal bound kaolin in the fate of solid recovered fuel (SRF) originated halide aerosols. A combustion experiment was carried out with SRF-Spruce Bark mixture as a reference. High kaolinite coal and paper pigment kaolin, one at a time, were mixed with the SRF-Bark in increasing proportions until dp < 1 μm fine particles were absent as measured from 780 °C combustion gases by means of a dilution probe and low pressure impactor (LPI). This fine particle mode was absent after mixing sufficiently either coal or kaolin with SRF-Bark and only traces of water soluble alkali metal salts were found in the CFB fly ash. These conditions were achieved when kaolin was mixed with the SRF-Bark for 52 times on a molar basis compared to the Na + K initially found in the aerosols. This proportioning was found to be the same for the additive kaolin and coal bound kaolinite. Na and K in the fly ash seem to be bound chemically to the kaolin as alkali aluminosilicates rather than in water soluble alkali sulphates. This is indicated by their solubility behaviour.     

High temperature corrosion of boiler waterwalls induced by chlorides and bromides. Part 1: Occurrence of the corrosive ash forming elements in a fluidised bed boiler co-firing solid recovered fuel

In waste fired boilers high temperature corrosion has often been attributed to zinc and lead chlorides. In addition, bromine induced high temperature corrosion has been earlier observed in a bubbling fluidised bed (BFB) boiler co-firing solid recovered fuel (SRF) with bark and wastewater sludge. In Part 1 of this work a measurement campaign was undertaken to determine the occurrence of Cl, Br, Zn and Pb in the fuel, in the combustion gases as well as in the deposits on the boiler waterwalls. It was observed that Cl, Br, Zn and Pb originate to a large extent from the SRF, they are vaporised in the furnace, and may form waterwall deposits. This, complemented by fluctuations between oxidising and reducing atmosphere resulted in rapid corrosion of the waterwall tubes. Concentrations of Cl, Br, Zn and Pb in the fuel, in the furnace vapours and in the deposits are reported in this work. As there is lack of published data on the bromine induced high temperature corrosion, laboratory scale corrosion tests were carried out to determine the relative corrosiveness of chlorine and bromine and these results will be reported in Part 2 of this work. Furthermore, the forms of Cl, Br, Zn and Pb in the combustion gases as well as in the waterwall deposits were estimated by means of thermodynamic equilibrium modelling and these results will also be discussed in Part 2.     

Co-combustion of peach and apricot stone with coal in a bubbling fluidized bed

In this study a bubbling fluidized bed combustor (BFBC) having an inside diameter of 102 mm and a height of 900 mm was used to investigate the co-combustion characteristics of peach and apricot stones produced as a waste from the fruit juice industry with coal. A lignite coal was used for co-combustion. On-line concentrations of O₂, CO, CO₂, SO₂, NO_X and total hydrocarbons (C_mH_n) were measured in the flue gas during combustion experiments. Variations of emissions of various pollutants were studied by changing the operating parameters (excess air ratio, fluidization velocity, and fuel feed rate). Temperature distribution along the bed was measured with thermocouples.     

NO emission on pulverized coal combustion in high temperature air from circulating fluidized bed – An experimental study

High temperature air was adopted by combustion in high excess air ratio in a circulating fluidized bed. Experiments on pulverized coal combustion in high temperature air from the circulating fluidized bed were carried out in a down-fired combustor with the diameter of 220 mm and the height of 3000 mm. The NO emission decreases with increasing the residence time of pulverized coal in the reducing zone, and the NO emission increases with excess air ratio, furnace temperature, coal mean size and oxygen concentration in high temperature air. The results also revealed that the co-existing of air-staging combustion with high temperature air is very effective to reduce nitrogen oxide emission for pulverized coal combustion in the down-fired combustor.     

Study of coal ash deposition in an entrained flow reactor: Assessment of traditional and alternative slagging indices

The slagging behaviour of 12 different coals/blends was analysed in an entrained flow reactor and compared with predictions using a wide range of empirical indices. Large discrepancies were obtained in most cases, both with respect to experimental results (in terms of capture efficiency and energy-based growth rate) and among the different indices. A new approach is proposed, in which the traditional expressions are modified to account for other parameters with influence on deposition phenomena: aerodynamic diameter and the total mass of mineral matter injected with the coal. Each of these factors resulted in improved correlations between predictions and experimental observations for all the indices analysed, which together with the good agreements achieved with several of the new indices are thought to confirm the validity of the approach proposed.     

煤粉无焰富氧燃烧的数值模拟方法进展

无焰富氧燃烧是煤粉清洁燃烧技术的前沿发展方向之一,可在捕集高浓度CO₂的同时显著降低NOx排放,并提升富氧燃烧稳定性和热力性能。计算流体力学(CFD)作为燃烧研究的重要手段之一,具有快捷、成本低和数据丰富等优点,有效促进了无焰富氧燃烧技术发展。基于笔者团队对煤粉富氧燃烧和无焰燃烧的多年研究积累,对近十几年来煤粉无焰富氧燃烧CFD模拟方法和模拟研究进展进行了总结:首先强调了煤粉无焰燃烧的试验和数学定义,其由于存在非均相反应而区别于气体燃料无焰燃烧;然后详述了煤粉无焰富氧燃烧CFD模拟方法进展,包括模拟流动、传热、燃烧和污染物生成方面的子模型和机理,其中考虑强烈烟气卷吸的可实现k-ε湍流模型、P1或DO辐射模型及针对富氧气氛修正的WSGG气体辐射模型、CPD挥发分析出模型、考虑湍流与化学反应交互的有限速率EDC均相燃烧模型、针对无焰及富氧燃烧开发验证的均相反应机理、考虑气化反应的多步表面焦炭非均相燃尽模型、含氮化学详细反应机理氮转化模拟、动态自适应反应机理加速算法等可显著提高煤粉无焰富氧燃烧的模拟精度和计算效率。总结了煤粉无焰富氧燃烧在基准对照试验、微观反应区域分析、宏观反应特征、污染物生成及大型化锅炉概念设计方面的模拟研究情况;最后以大涡模拟、燃烧模型、高精度反应机理及动态自适应反应机理、工业应用优化等角度展望了煤粉无焰富氧燃烧CFD研究的发展方向。     

Performance of an entrained-flow gasification technology of pulverized coal in pilot-scale plant

Performance of an entrained-flow gasification technology of pulverized coal in pilot-scale plant is introduced. The gasifier was operated for a throughput of 30–45 t coal per day at pressures of 1–3 MPa. Dense-phase pneumatic conveying was employed for coal's feeding to the gasifier using nitrogen and carbon dioxide as carrier gas, respectively. Effects of the operating conditions including oxygen/carbon ratio and steam/carbon ratio on gasification results were investigated, and the concentration of (CO + H₂) in gaseous products reached up to about 97% (vol., dry basis) when CO₂ was employed as carrier gas. Moreover, performances of some important instruments in the conveying system of pulverized coal, such as the level indicator and the solid mass flow meter, were also investigated. The typical operating results in this plant such as (CO + H₂) concentration, oxygen consumption, coal consumption, carbon conversion and cold gas efficiency were almost as good as those of some well-known dry-fed entrained-flow coal gasification plants.