High temperature catalytic combustion of methane and propane over hexaaluminate catalysts: NOx emission characteristics

Several hexaaluminate-related materials were prepared via hydrolysis of alkoxide and powder mixing method for high temperature combustion of CH₄ and C₃H₈, in order to investigate the effect of the concentration of the fuels, O₂ and H₂O on NO_x emission and combustion characteristics. Among the hexaaluminate catalysts, Sr_0.8La_0.2MnAl₁₁O₁₉₋ prepared by the alkoxide method exhibited the highest activity for methane combustion and low NO_x emission capability. NO_x emission at 1500 °C was increased linearly with O₂ concentration, whereas water vapor addition decreased NO_x emission in CH₄ combustion over the Sr_0.8La_0.2MnAl₁₁O₁₉₋ catalyst. In the catalytic combustion of C₃H₈ over the Sr_0.8La_0.2MnAl₁₁O₁₉₋ catalyst, the amount of NO_x emitted was raised in the temperature range between 1000 and 1500 °C when the C₃H₈ concentration increased from 1 to 2 vol.%. It was found that NO_x emission in this temperature range was reduced effectively by adding water vapor.     

CO2, NOx and SO2 emissions from the combustion of coal with high oxygen concentration gases

The emissions of CO₂, NO_x and SO₂ from the combustion of a high-volatile coal with N₂- and CO₂-based, high O₂ concentration (20, 50, 80, 100%) inlet gases were investigated in an electrically heated up-flow-tube furnace at elevated gas temperatures (1123–1573 K). The fuel equivalence ratio, φ, was varied in the range of 0.4–1.6. Results showed that CO₂ concentrations in flue gas were higher than 95% for the processes with O₂ and CO₂-based inlet gases. NO_x emissions increased with φ under fuel-lean conditions, then declined dramatically after φ=0.8, and the peak values increased from about 1000 ppm for the air combustion process and 500 ppm for the O₂(20%)+CO₂(80%) inlet gas process to about 4500 ppm for the oxygen combustion process. When φ>1.4 the emissions decreased to the same level for different O₂ concentration inlet gas processes. On the other hand, NO_x emission indexes decreased monotonically with φ under both fuel-lean and fuel-rich combustion. SO₂ emissions increased with φ under fuel-lean conditions, then declined slightly after φ>1.2. Temperature has a large effect on the NO_x emission. Peak values of the NO_x emission increased by 50–70% for the N₂-based inlet gas processes and by 30–50% for the CO₂-based inlet gas process from 1123 to 1573 K. However, there was only a small effect of temperature on the SO₂ emission.     

Formation of NOx and SOx precursors during the pyrolysis of coal and biomass. Part IV. Pyrolysis of a set of Australian and Chinese coals

The formation of HCN and NH₃ from the pyrolysis of a small set of Chinese and Australian coals were studied using a novel fluidised-bed/fixed-bed reactor and a fluidised-bed/tubular reactor. The fluidised-bed/fixed-bed reactor has some features of a fluidised-bed reactor and of a fixed-bed reactor, allowing the evaluation of the effects of coal properties on the formation of HCN and NH₃ to be carried out on a similar basis for a wide range of coals. The thermal cracking of volatiles was investigated in a tubular reactor in tandem with the fluidised-bed/fixed-bed reactor where the nascent volatiles were generated in situ from the pyrolysis of coal. Our experimental results indicate that, in addition to coal rank, the petrographic composition and/or geographic origin of the coal are important factors influencing the formation of HCN and NH₃ during pyrolysis. Among the few Chinese and Australian coals studied, the inertinite-rich Chinese coals tend to give more NH₃ during pyrolysis than the Australian coals of similar carbon contents. It is believed that the structure of inertinites of less caking properties favours the formation of H radicals in the pyrolysing solid over a ‘correct’ temperature range to overlap with the activation and subsequent hydrogenation of the N-containing ring systems for the formation of NH₃ in the solid. If the coal properties favour the release of coal-N as volatiles, the formation of HCN in the gas phase is more likely. Under the current experimental conditions, where volatiles may be deposited on the reactor wall, the formation and destruction of the sooty materials on the reactor wall play an important role in the formation of HCN from the cracking of volatiles.     

Abatement of diesel-exhaust pollutants: NOx storage and soot combustion on K/La2O3 catalysts

Potassium-loaded lanthana is a promising catalyst to be used for the simultaneous abatement of soot and NO_x, which are the main diesel-exhaust pollutants. With potassium loadings between 4.5 and 10 wt.% and calcination temperatures between 400 and 700 °C, this catalyst mixed with soot gave maximum combustion rates between 350 and 400 °C in TPO experiments, showing a good hydrothermal stability. There was no difference in activity when it was either mixed by grinding in an agate mortar or mixed by shaking in a sample bottle (tight and loose conditions, respectively). Moreover, when the K-loaded La₂O₃ is used as washcoat for a cordierite monolith, there were found no significant differences in the catalytic behaviour of the system, which implies its potentiality for practical purposes.

The influence of poisons as water and SO₂ was investigated. While water does not affect the soot combustion activity, SO₂ slightly shift the TPO peak to higher temperature. Surface basicity, which is a key factor, was analysed by measuring the interactions of the catalytic surface with CO₂ using the high frequency CO₂ pulses technique, which proved to be very sensitive, detecting minor changes by modifications in the dynamics of the CO₂ adsorption–desorption process. Water diminishes the interaction with CO₂, probably as a consequence of an adsorption competition. The SO₂ treated catalyst is equilibrated with the CO₂ atmosphere more rapidly if compared with the untreated one, also showing a lower interaction. The lower the interaction with the CO₂, the lower the activity.

Differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) results indicate that the soot combustion reaction coexists with the thermal decomposition of hydroxide and carbonate species, occurring in the same temperature range (350–460 °C). The presence of potassium increases surface basicity shifting the endothermic decomposition signal to higher temperatures.

We also found that NO₂ strongly interacts with both La₂O₃ and K/La₂O₃ solids, probably through the formation of monodentate nitrate species which are stable under He atmosphere until 490 °C. These nitrate species further react with the solid to form bulk nitrate compounds. The addition of Cobalt decreases the nitrates stability and catalyses the NO_x to N₂ reduction under a reducing atmosphere, which is a necessary step for a working NO_x catalytic trap. Preliminary studies performed in this work demonstrated the feasibility of using these catalysts to simultaneously remove NO_x and soot particles from diesel exhausts. The nitrate formation is still observed during the catalytic combustion of soot in the presence of NO_x, making our K/La₂O₃ a very interesting system for practical applications in simultaneous soot combustion and NO_x storage in diesel exhausts.     

Formation of NOx and SOx precursors during the pyrolysis of coal and biomass. Part III. Further discussion on the formation of HCN and NH3 during pyrolysis

The formation of HCN and NH₃ from the pyrolysis of coal (and biomass) is discussed based on our experimental data as well as the data in the literature, including the pyrolysis of N-containing pyrrolic and pyridinic model compounds reported in the literature. The pyrolysis of the model compounds and the thermal cracking of coal pyrolysis volatiles appear to be in good qualitative agreement in terms of the onset decomposition temperature, the main intermediates and the final N-containing product (HCN). The formation of NH₃ requires the presence of condensed phase(s) of carbonaceous materials rich in hydrogen. Direct hydrogenation of the N-sites by the H radicals generated in situ in the pyrolysing solid is the main source of NH₃ from the solid. The initiation of the N-containing heteroaromatic ring by radical(s) is the first step for the formation of both HCN and NH₃. While the thermally less stable N-containing structures are mainly responsible for the formation of HCN, the thermally more stable N-containing structures may be hydrogenated slowly by the H radicals to NH₃. The formation of NH₃ and the formation of HCN are controlled by the local availability of radicals, particularly the H radicals, in the pyrolysing solid. The increased yield of NH₃ (and HCN) with increasing heating rate can be explained by the rapid generation of the H radicals at high heating rates, favouring the formation of NH₃ (and HCN) over the combination of N-containing ring systems within the coal/char matrix. The size of the N-containing heteroaromatic ring systems and the types of substitutional groups also play important roles in the formation of HCN and NH₃.     

NOx sorption–desorption study: application to diesel and lean-burn exhaust gas (selective NOx recirculation technique)

NO_x adsorption/desorption capacities of barium aluminates and BaSnO₃ were measured under representative exhaust gas mixture at temperatures below 550°C and compared to those of bulk BaO. The capacities are high and the test of sorption–desorption is reproducible on barium aluminate and BaSnO₃, while this is not the case on BaO. The difference is due to the electronic environment of barium oxide. If BaO is not engaged in a chemical bond, progressive formation of high stability carbonates is observed. This is not the case with barium aluminate and BaSnO₃, where carbonation does not take place because the competition between nitrate and carbonate formation is in favour of the nitrate due to its chemical nature. An N-bounded nitrate, with IR frequencies at 1360 and 1415 cm⁻¹, is formed on barium aluminate and BaSnO₃ and not on bulk BaO.     

Impact of air staging along furnace height on NOx emissions from pulverized coal combustion

Experiments were carried out on an electrically heated multi-path air inlet one-dimensional furnace to assess NO_x emission characteristics of an overall air-staged (also termed air staging along furnace height) combustion of bituminous coal. The impact of main parameters of overall air-staged combustion technology, including burnout air position, air stoichiometric ratio, levels of burnout air (the number of burnout air arranged at different heights of the furnace), and the ratios of the burnout air flow rates and pulverized coal fineness of industrial interest, on NO_x emission were simulated to study in the experimental furnace, as well as the impact of air staging on the carbon content of the fly ash produced. These results suggest that air-staged combustion affects a pronounced reduction in NO_x emissions from the combustion of bituminous coal. The more deeply the air is staged, the further the NO_x emission is reduced. Two-level air staging yields a greater reduction in NO_x emission than single-level air staging. For pulverized coal of differing fineness, the best ratio between the burnout air rates in the two-level staging ranges from 0.6 to 0.3. In middle air-staged degree combustion with f_M = 0.75, pulverized coal fineness, R₉₀ (%), has a greater influence on NO_x emission, whereas R₉₀ has little influence on NO_x emission for deep air-staged degree with f_M = 0.61. Air-staged combustion with proper burnout air position has little effect on the burnout. For overall air-staged combustion, proper burnout air position and air-staged rate should be considered together in order to achieve high combustion efficiency.     

Correlating NOx, smoke and wall temperature for a coal liquid and shale oil in a subscale combustion turbine burner

The testing of 18 alternative fuels was the basis for an extensive data bank of combustion parameters and fuel properties. This Paper represents an effort to correlate the three key dependent variables (NO_x, smoke, and wall temperature) to the process conditions and fuel properties. Correlation was facilitated by the use of a multiple linear regression computer program. Linear terms, second-order terms, and their interactions were investigated. Correlation development is discussed and the results presented. Determining the physical meaning of the correlations is attempted together with a discussion concerning extrapolation of the correlations over the range of current operational gas turbine combustors. The correlations can be described as excellent for NO_x and good-to-fair for smoke and wall temperature.     

Formation of NOx and SOx precursors during the pyrolysis of coal and biomass. Part I. Effects of reactor configuration on the determined yields of HCN and NH3 during pyrolysis

The formation of HCN and NH₃ during the pyrolysis of a biomass (bagasse) and a set of rank-ordered coal samples has been studied in a novel reactor. The reactor has some features of both a drop-tube reactor and a fixed-bed reactor: the reactor allows the coal/biomass particles to be heated up rapidly as well as to be held for a pre-specified period of time at peak temperature. The experimental results obtained suggest that a considerable amount of the nitrogen in the nascent char could be converted into HCN and NH₃ if the char is held at high temperatures for long time. The formation of NH₃ from the thermal cracking of char was seen to last for more than an hour even at temperatures as high as 700–900°C. The formation of HCN went to completion much more rapidly than that of NH₃. Compared with the results in the literature from the pyrolysis of coals in a fluidised-bed reactor, the reactor configuration used in this study allows the effects of fuel rank to be studied on an unbiased basis towards the type of fuel. The yields of HCN and NH₃ from the present study decrease with increasing rank. The experimental results suggest that the differences in reactor configurations used by various researchers would account at least partially for some of the discrepancies in the literature regarding the formation of HCN and NH₃ during the pyrolysis of coals.     

Physical structure and combustion properties of super fine pulverized coal particle

Physical structures and combustion properties of super fine pulverized coal particles of eight Chinese coals, Heshan subbituminous coals and Jincheng lean coals from two areas of China, have been investigated using accelerated surface area and porosimetry, thermobalance (TGA), and Fourier transform infrared spectrometer. Results showed that the particle specific surface area and pore volume increased greatly when the coal particle size was reduced. The higher the carbon content on a dry ash-free basis is, the larger the particle specific surface area and pore volume are. When the coal particle size decreases, the combustion process can be largely improved, ignition temperature is reduced, and SO₂ emission from coal combustion is also lower.     

Formation of NOx and SOx precursors during the pyrolysis of coal and biomass. Part II. Effects of experimental conditions on the yields of NOx and SOx precursors from the pyrolysis of a Victorian brown coal

A Victorian brown coal was pyrolysed in a quartz reactor. The reactor has some features of a drop-tube reactor and of a fixed-bed reactor, capable of operating at fast and slow heating rates. The yield of HCN was found to change with gas flow rate and coal feeding rate, indicating that HCN and/or its precursors could interact significantly with the nascent char to be incorporated into char as soot or to form N₂. Experimental results indicated that HCN does not significantly convert to NH₃, either on the char surface or in the gas phase, at least during the pyrolysis of the brown coal in this study. The yields of HCN and NH₃ were both sensitive to changes in heating rate. The reduction in the yields of HCN and NH₃ with decreasing heating rate is mainly due to the lack of radicals at the slow heating rate, which are required to initiate the opening of the N-containing rings. The carbonisation/condensation reactions also make the N-containing heteroaromatic ring systems increasingly stable during the extended holding at high temperatures at the slow heating rate. Experimental results appear to suggest that there are two types of organic sulphur-containing structures in the brown coal with very different thermal stability. The first type could be converted into H₂S at low temperatures (<600°C). The other type was stable at temperatures up to 1000°C. The changes in heating rate or coal feeding rate did not affect significantly the formation of H₂S.     

Analysis of the thermodynamic feasibility of NOx decomposition catalysis to meet next generation vehicle NOx emissions standards

Free energy minimization calculations are used to determine the thermodynamic equilibrium concentrations of NO_x and other species in stoichiometric and lean gas mixtures over a range of temperatures and compositions. Under lean (excess N₂ and O₂) conditions, the NO decomposition (NO↔(1/2)N₂+(1/2)O₂) and NO oxidation (NO+(1/2)O₂↔NO₂) equilibria impose lower bounds on the NO_x concentrations achievable by thermodynamic equilibration or NO_x decomposition, and these equilibrium NO_x concentrations can be practically significant. Assuming a perfect isothermal catalyst acting on a representative diesel exhaust stream collected over the federal test procedure (FTP) cycle, equilibrium NO_x levels exceed upcoming California Low Emission Vehicle II (LEV-II) and Tier II NO_x emissions standards for automobiles and trucks at temperatures above approximately 800 K. Consideration of a perfect adiabatic catalyst acting on the same diesel exhaust shows that equilibrium NO_x values can fall below NO_x emissions standards at lower temperatures, but to achieve these low concentrations would require the catalyst to attain 100% approach to equilibrium at very low temperatures. It is concluded that NO_x removal based on a thermodynamic equilibrating catalyst under lean exhaust conditions is not practically viable for automotive application, and that to achieve upcoming NO_x standards will require selective NO_x catalysts that vigorously promote NO_x reactions with reductant and do not promote NO decomposition or oxidation. Finally, the ability of a selective NO_x catalyst system to reduce NO_x concentrations to or below thermodynamic equilibrium values is proposed as a useful measure for selective catalytic reduction (SCR) activity.     

A combination of NOx trapping materials and urea-SCR catalysts for use in the removal of NOx from mobile diesel engines

Preliminary studies on a series of nanocomposite BaO–Fe ZSM-5 materials have been carried out to determine the feasibility of combining NO_x trapping and SCR-NH₃ reactions to develop a system that might be applicable to reducing NO_x emissions from diesel-powered vehicles. The materials are analysed for SCR-NH₃ and SCR-urea reactivity, their NO_x trapping and NH₃ trapping capacities are probed using temperature programmed desorption (TPD) and the activities of the catalysts for promoting the NH_{3 ads} + NO/O₂ → N₂ and NO_{x ads} + NH₃ → N₂ reactions are studied using temperature programmed surface reaction (TPSR).     

Zeolite-mediated removal of NOx by NH3 from exhaust streams at low temperatures

NH₃ stored on zeolites in the form of NH₄⁺ ions easily reacts with NO to N₂ in the presence of O₂ at temperatures <373 K under dry conditions. Wet conditions require a modification of the catalyst system. It is shown that MnO₂ deposited on the external surface of zeolite Y by precipitation considerably enhances the NO_x conversion by zeolite fixed NH₄⁺ ions in the presence of water at 400–430 K. Particle-size analysis, temperature-programmed reduction, textural characterization, chemical analysis, ESR and XRD gave a subtle picture of the MnO₂ phase structure. The MnO₂ is a non-stoichiometric, amorphous phase that contains minor amounts of Mn²⁺ ions. It loses O₂ upon inert heating up to 873 K, but does not crystallize or sinter. The phase is reducible by H₂ in two stages via intermediate formation of Mn₃O₄. The manufacture of extrudates preserving stored NH₄⁺ ions for NO_x reduction is described. It was found that MnO₂ can oxidize NO by bulk oxygen. This enables the reduction of NO to N₂ by the zeolitic NH₄⁺ ions without gas-phase oxygen for limited time periods. The composite catalyst retains storage capacity for both, oxygen and NH₄⁺ ions despite the presence of moisture and allows short-term reduction of NO without gaseous O₂ or additional reductants. The catalyst is likewise suitable for steady-state DeNO_x operation at higher space velocities if gaseous NH₃ is permanently supplied.     

NOx storage and reduction characteristics of Pd/MnOx–CeO2 at low temperature

The reaction between hydrogen and NO was studied over 1 wt.% Pd supported on NO_x-sorbing material, MnO_x–CeO₂, at low temperatures. The result of pulse mode reactions suggest that NO_x adsorbed as nitrate and/or nitrite on MnO_x–CeO₂ was reduced by hydrogen, which was spilt-over from Pd catalyst. The NO_x storage and reduction (NSR) cycles were carried out over Pd/MnO_x–CeO₂ in a conventional flow reactor at 150 °C. In a storage step, NO was removed by the oxidative adsorption from a stream of 0.04–0.08% NO, 5–10% O₂, and He balance. This was followed by a reducing step, where a stream of 1% H₂/He was supplied to ensure the conversion of nitrate/nitrite to N₂ and thus restore the adsorbability. It was revealed that the NSR cycle is much more suitable for the H₂–deNO_x process in excess O₂, compared to a conventional steady state reaction mode.     

Emission control in palm oil mills using artificial neural network and genetic algorithm

The present study utilized a combination of artificial neural network (ANN) and genetic algorithms (GA) to optimize the release of emission from the palm oil mill. A model based on ANN is developed from the actual data taken from the palm oil mill. The predicted data agree well with the actual data taken. GA is then employed to find the optimal operating conditions so that the overlimit release of emission is reduced to the allowable limit.     

Predicting coal ash fusion temperature with a back-propagation neural network model

A novel technique, the back-propagation (BP) neural network, is presented for predicting the ash fusion temperature from ash compositions for some Chinese coals instead of the traditional techniques, such as the ternary equilibrium phase diagrams and regression relationships. In the applications of the BP networks, some modifications to the original BP algorithm are adopted to speed up the BP learning algorithm, and some useful advice is put forward for the choice of some key parameters in the BP model. Compared to the traditional techniques, the BP neural network method is much more convenient and direct, and can always achieve a much better prediction effect.     

Novel low temperature NOx storage-reduction catalysts for diesel light-duty engine emissions based on hydrotalcite compounds

A series of Pt and Pt,Cu supported catalysts were prepared by wet impregnation of Mg–Al supports obtained from hydrotalcite-type (HT) precursor compounds. These novel NO_x storage-reduction (NO_xSR) catalysts show improved performances in NO_x storage than Pt,Ba/alumina NO_xSR catalysts at reaction temperatures lower than 200 °C. These catalysts show also improved resistance to deactivation by SO₂. The effect is attributed to the formation of well dispersed Mg(Al)O particles which show good NO_x storage properties. The promoted low temperature activity is explained by the lower basicity of the Mg(Al)O mixed oxide in comparison to BaO, which induces on one hand a lower inhibition on Pt activity (NO to NO₂ oxidation and/or hydrocarbon oxidation) due to electronic effect, and on the other hand a lower thermal stability of the stored NO_x. The presence of Cu slightly inhibits activity at low temperature, although improves activity and resistance to deactivation at 300 °C. On these catalysts FT-IR characterization evidences the formation of a Pt–Cu alloy after reduction.     

Urea-SCR: a promising technique to reduce NOx emissions from automotive diesel engines

Urea-SCR, the selective catalytic reduction using urea as reducing agent, has been investigated for about 10 years in detail and today is a well established technique for DeNO_x of stationary diesel engines. It is presently also considered as the most promising way to diminish NO_x emissions originating from heavy duty vehicles, especially trucks.

The paper discusses the fundamental problems and challenges if urea-SCR is extended to mobile applications. The major goal is the reduction of the required catalyst volume while still maintaining a high selectivity for the SCR reaction over a wide temperature range. The much shorter residence time of the exhaust gas in the catalyst will lead to higher secondary emissions of ammonia and isocyanic acid originating from the reducing agent. Additional problems include the control strategy for urea dosing, the high freezing point of urea, and the long term stability of the catalyst.     

低挥发分煤粉燃烧新技术发展与应用

介绍了国内外低挥发分煤粉燃烧技术及发展。对具有代表性的燃烧器及炉膛结构进行简要分析,说明热回流、煤粉浓缩、延长火焰长度等关键技术在实现低挥发分难燃煤粉快速着火、稳定燃烧中的应用。指出尽管燃烧器在应用中取得一定的效果,但仍然存在一些问题,因而对于低挥发分煤种还需要同时选择合理的燃烧方式,如切向燃烧、对冲燃烧、W型火焰燃烧及CUF火焰燃烧等技术。其中,W型火焰燃烧方式对难燃无烟煤的燃烧稳定性优于四角和对冲燃烧方式,是目前主要采用的燃烧结构。高温空气燃烧技术对低挥发分煤具有火焰稳定、热效率高、再循环分级燃烧,低NOx排放等优点,将成为更有前景的燃烧技术。