Gas/particle flow and combustion characteristics and NOx emissions of a new swirl coal burner

Due to the limits of reserves and price for the high rank coal, the low rank coal has been employed as fuel for power generation in China and will be eventually employed in the world. To burn low rank coal, centrally fuel-rich swirl coal combustion burner has been studied in Harbin Institute of Technology. This paper reviews and analyzes the major research results. The work has included both experiments and numerical simulation. The experiments were conducted using small-scale single-phase experimental equipment, a gas/particle two-phase test facility and 200- and 300-MW_e wall-fired utility boilers. For the burner, the primary air and glass beads partially penetrate the central recirculation zone and are then deflected radially. At the center of the central recirculation zone, there is high particle volume flux and large particle size. For the burners the local mean CO concentrations, gas temperatures and temperature gradient are higher, and the mean concentrations of O₂ and NO_x in the jet flow direction in the burner region are lower. Moreover, the mean O₂ concentration is higher and the gas temperature and mean CO concentration are lower in the side wall region. Centrally fuel-rich burners have been successfully used in 200- and 300-MWe wall-fired pulverized coal utility boilers.     

Mechanism analysis on the pulverized coal combustion flame stability and NOx emission in a swirl burner with deep air staging

Low NOx burner and air staged combustion are widely applied to control NOx emission in coal-fired power plants. The gas-solid two-phase flow, pulverized coal combustion and NOx emission characteristics of a single low NOx swirl burner in an existing coal-fired boiler was numerically simulated to analyze the mechanisms of flame stability and in-flame NOx reduction. And the detailed NOx formation and reduction model under fuel rich conditions was employed to optimize NOx emissions for the low NOx burner with air staged combustion of different burner stoichiometric ratios. The results show that the specially-designed swirl burner structures including the pulverized coal concentrator, flame stabilizing ring and baffle plate create an ignition region of high gas temperature, proper oxygen concentration and high pulverized coal concentration near the annular recirculation zone at the burner outlet for flame stability. At the same time, the annular recirculation zone is generated between the primary and secondary air jets to promote the rapid ignition and combustion of pulverized coal particles to consume oxygen, and then a reducing region is formed as fuel-rich environment to contribute to in-flame NO_X reduction. Moreover, the NOx concentration at the outlet of the combustion chamber is greatly reduced when the deep air staged combustion with the burner stoichiometric ratio of 0.75 is adopted, and the CO concentration at the outlet of the combustion chamber can be maintained simultaneously at a low level through the over-fired air injection of high velocity to enhance the mixing of the fresh air with the flue gas, which can provide the optimal solution for lower NOx emission in the existing coal-fired boilers.     

切向叶片角度对中心给粉旋流燃烧器气固流动特性影响

利用三维激光多普勒测速仪,在气固两相实验台上,对不同切向叶片角度下中心给粉旋流燃烧器出口区域的气固流动特性进行了研究,获得了三种切向叶片角度下的三维平均速度和颗粒体积浓度的分布。结果显示,随着切向叶片角度的减小,轴向、径向和切向平均速度峰值都增加,回流区尺寸和旋流数也增大。同时,在x/d=0.1～0.7截面,随着切向叶片角度的减小,在燃烧器中心区域的颗粒体积流量峰值增加。     

Measurement of gas species,temperatures, char burnout,and wall heat fluxes in a 200-MWe lignite-fired boiler at different loads

We measured various operational parameters of a 200-MW_e, wall-fired, lignite utility boiler under different loads. The parameters measured were gas temperature, gas species concentration, char burnout, component release rates (C, H and N), furnace temperature, heat flux, and boiler efficiency. Cold air experiments of a single burner were conducted in the laboratory. A double swirl flow pulverized-coal burner has two ring recirculation zones that start in the secondary air region of the burner. With increasing secondary air flow, the air flow axial velocity increases, the maximum values for the radial velocity, tangential velocity, and turbulence intensity all increase, and there are slight increases in the air flow swirl intensity and the recirculation zone size. With increasing load gas, the temperature and CO concentration in the central region of burner decrease, while O₂ concentration, NO_x concentration, char burnout, and component release rates of C, H, and N increase. Pulverized-coal ignites farther into the burner, in the secondary air region. Gas temperature, O₂ concentration, NO_x concentration, char burnout and component release rates of C, H, and N all increase. Furthermore, CO concentration varies slightly and pulverized-coal ignites closer. In the side wall region, gas temperature, O₂ concentration, and NO_x concentration all increase, but CO concentration varies only slightly. In the bottom row burner region the furnace temperature and heat flux increase appreciably, but the increase become more obvious in the middle and top row burner regions and in the burnout region. Compared with a 120-MW_e load, the mean NO_x emission at the air preheater exits for 190-MW_e load increases from 589.5 mg/m³ (O₂ = 6%) to 794.6 mg/m³ (O₂ = 6%), and the boiler efficiency increases from 90.73% to 92.45%.     

Combustion and NOx emission characteristics of a retrofitted down-fired 660 MWe utility boiler at different loads

Industrial experiments were performed for a retrofitted 660 MW_e full-scale down-fired boiler. Measurements of ignition of the primary air/fuel mixture flow, the gas temperature distribution of the furnace and the gas components in the furnace were conducted at loads of 660, 550 and 330 MW_e. With decreasing load, the gas temperature decreases and the ignition position of the primary coal/air flow becomes farther along the axis of the fuel-rich pipe in the burner region under the arches. The furnace temperature also decreases with decreasing load, as does the difference between the temperatures in the burning region and the lower position of the burnout region. With decreasing load, the exhaust gas temperature decreases from 129.8 °C to 114.3 °C, while NO_x emissions decrease from 2448 to 1610 mg/m³. All three loads result in low carbon content in fly ash and great boiler thermal efficiency higher than 92%. Compared with the case of 660 MW_e before retrofit, the exhaust gas temperature decreased from 136 to 129.8 °C, the carbon content in the fly ash decreased from 9.55% to 2.43% and the boiler efficiency increased from 84.54% to 93.66%.     

Investigation of flame characteristics using various design parameters in a pulverized coal burner for oxy‐fuel retrofitting

In oxy‐coal combustion for carbon capture and storage, oxygen and recirculated CO₂ are used as oxidizers instead of air to produce CO₂‐rich flue gas. Owing to differences between the physical and chemical properties of CO₂ and N₂, the development of a burner and boiler system based on fundamental understanding of the flame type, heat transfer, and NOx emission is required. In this study, computational fluid dynamic analysis incorporating comprehensive coal conversion models was performed to investigate the combustion characteristics of a 30 MWth tangential vane swirl pulverized coal burner. Various burner design parameters were evaluated, including the influence of the burner geometry on the swirl strength, direct O₂ injection, and O₂ concentrations in the primary and secondary oxidizers. The flame characteristics were sensitive to the oxygen concentration in the primary oxidizer. The performance of direct O₂ injection around the primary oxidizer with low O₂ concentration was dependent on the mixing of the fuel and oxidizer. The predictions showed that swirl number adjustment and careful direct oxygen injection design are essential for retrofitting air‐firing pulverized coal burners as oxy‐firing burners.     

PDA research on a novel pulverized coal combustion technology for a large utility boiler

In this paper, a new technology for a tangential firing pulverized coal boiler, high efficiency and low NO_x combustion technology with multiple air-staged and a large-angle counter flow fuel-rich jet (ACCT for short) is proposed. To verify the characteristics of this technology, experiments of two combustion technologies, ACCT and CFS-1 (Concentric Firing System-1), are carried out under a cold model of a 1025 t/h tangential firing boiler with a PDA (particle dynamics anemometer). The distributions of velocity, particle concentration, particle diameters and the particle volume flux of primary air and secondary air are obtained. The results show that the fuel-rich primary air of ACCT can go deeper into the furnace and mix with the main flow better, which means that the counter flow of fuel-rich jets in ACCT can realize stable combustion, low NO_x emission and slagging prevention.     

Concentrator performance within a centrally fuel-rich primary air burner: Influence of multiple levels

Within a gas/particle two-phase testing facility, multi-level concentrators were investigated by obtaining gas/particle two-phase characteristics of each concentrator within a centrally fuel-rich swirl burner. Measurements of velocities, particle volume flux profiles and relative particle number concentrations were obtained and analyzed to assess the performance of these concentrators. For concentrators with fewer levels, peak values of the axial particle volume flux were observed to move away from the central axis of the primary air duct. The rich/lean air ratios near the exit of the last ring were much larger for the single-level concentrator than for the 2- and 3-level concentrators. Conversely, the concentration ratio is always smaller for the single-level concentrator than for the others. In addition, the performance ratio R_CR near the exit is always larger than 2, indicating that the 2- and 3-level concentrators can achieve a stable flame. The resistance coefficient increased with fewer rings making up the concentrator.     

四角切向燃烧锅炉煤粉射流逆向稳燃技术的研究开发

本文首次提出并分析了四角切向燃烧锅炉煤粉射流逆向稳燃技术的设计思想。根据炉内三维湍流流场的数值模拟，优化设计了本项技术应用于焦作电厂Ｎｏ．３炉的燃烧器改造方案。计算结果及现场应用证实，采用煤粉射流逆向稳燃技术能够大幅度延长一次风射流中煤粉颗粒在着火初期的停留时间，改善煤粉气流的着火条件，同时能够有效地削弱炉膛出口气流的残余旋转，从而减轻烟温偏差，并能改变煤粉颗粒的切圆运动轨迹，从而缓解了炉膛燃烧器区域水冷壁的结渣与高温腐蚀。     

The influence of swirl burner structure on the gas/particle flow characteristics

Improvements were made to a low-NO_x axial swirl burner (LNASB), aimed at mitigating slagging in a 600-MWe boiler burning bituminous coal. The new design is referred to as improved low-NO_x axial swirl burner (ILNASB). This paper describes investigations of the influence of swirl burner structure on the gas/particle flow characteristics using a three-dimensional particle-dynamics anemometer. In comparing results from both ILNASB and LNASB, a central recirculation zone is seen to form in the region x/d = 0.1–0.3 within the ILNASB. This zone had shifted from the region between primary and secondary air in LNASB to a region between inner and outer secondary air. In the vicinity of the burner outlet, particle volume flux is reduced significantly in the central recirculation zone. In contrast, this flux is high near the central axis in ILNASB, thus concentrating a great fraction of pulverized coal near the central axis. Form the study, the gas/particle flow characteristics of the ILNASB show that the improved burner has the ability to ease slagging and reduce NO_x emissions.     

中心风对径向浓淡旋流煤粉燃烧器燃烧的影响

通过冷态PDA试验,研究了中心风对燃烧器出口气固流动特性的影响;并结合1台670t/h锅炉的工业性试验,说明了中心风对径向浓淡旋流煤粉燃烧器的燃烧有很重要的调节作用,为设计和运行提供了参考依据。图10参4     

Flame characteristics of hydrogen-enriched methane–air premixed swirling flames

The effect of hydrogen addition in methane–air premixed flames has been examined from a swirl-stabilized combustor under unconfined flame conditions. Different swirlers have been examined to investigate the effect of swirl intensity on enriching methane–air flame with hydrogen in a laboratory-scale premixed combustor operated at 5.81 kW. The hydrogen-enriched methane fuel and air were mixed in a pre-mixer and introduced into the burner having swirlers of different swirl vane angles that provided different swirl strengths. The combustion characteristics of hydrogen-enriched methane–air flames at fixed thermal load but different swirl strengths were examined using particle image velocimetry (PIV), OH chemiluminescence, gas analyzers, and micro-thermocouple diagnostics to provide information on flow field, combustion generated OH radical and gas species concentration, and temperature distribution, respectively. The results show that higher combustibility of hydrogen assists to promote faster chemical reaction, raises temperature in the reaction zone and reduces the recirculation flow in the reaction zone. The upstream of flame region is more dependent on the swirl strength than the effect of hydrogen addition to methane fuel. At lower swirl strength condition the NO concentration in the reaction zone reduces with increase in hydrogen content in the fuel mixture. Higher combustibility of hydrogen accelerates the flow to reduce the residence time of hot product gases in the high temperature reaction zone. At higher swirl strength the NO concentration increases with increase in hydrogen content in the fuel mixture. The effect of dynamic expansion of the gases with hydrogen addition appears to be more dominant to reduce the recirculation of relatively cooler gases into the reaction zone. NO concentration also increases with decrease in the swirl strength.     

Combustion and NOx emissions characteristics of a down-fired 660-MWe utility boiler retro-fitted with air-surrounding-fuel concept

Air-surrounding-fuel is a well-known concept used within tangential and wall-fired boilers. Here, we report for the first time on industrial experiments performed to study the effects of this concept on a 660 MW_e full-scale down-fired boiler. Data are reported for the gas temperature distributions along the primary air and coal-mixed flows, furnace temperatures, gas compositions, for example O₂, CO and NO_x, and gas temperatures in the near-wall region. The influence of concentration control valve (CCV) opening on combustion and NO_x emission in the furnace were determined. The results show that the flame stability, temperature distribution, unburnt carbon are influenced by both concentration ratios and fuel-rich flow velocities. As CCV opening increases, NO_x emissions decrease from 2594 mg/m³ to 1895 mg/m³. Considering altogether economic benefits and environmental protection issues, 30% is the optimal value for the CCV opening.     

Hydrogen combustion characteristics in a model burner with a coaxial injector

We have developed a burner for a hydrogen combustion turbine and proposed two kinds of burners, in which the combustion region is separated from the mixing region and in the former H₂ and O₂ are burned in a slightly fuel-rich condition or a stoichiometric condition. We manufactured a small-scale, water-cooled model burner, made of oxygen-free copper, and with two pairs of transparent quartz windows for a flame observation. A coaxial type injector was employed, in which an inner tube (for oxygen) was set inside the recess of the outer tube (for hydrogen). The H₂-O₂ combustion characteristics were studied while changing such parameters as injection velocities, equivalence ratios, and swirl numbers adding to a O₂ flow. The stable combustion region ranged from ṁH₂ = 0.3–1.5 g/s and fr φ = 0.9–2.0. Then H₂-O₂ combustion characteristics in steam, N₂ and Ar were studied to get stable combustion conditions. As a result, we obtained the fundamental design materials for a hydrogen combustion turbine.     

Bituminous coal combustion in a full-scale start-up ignition burner: Influence of the excess air ratio

A start-up ignition burner has been proposed to reduce oil fuel consumption during the firing-up process and partial-load operation. To investigate the influence of different excess air ratios on bituminous coal combustion in the start-up ignition burner, full-scale reacting-flow experiments were performed for an experiment setup. The ignition burner was identical to that normally used in an 800 MWe utility boiler. Gas temperature distributions in the burner were obtained for excess air ratios of 0.56, 0.75, 0.98 and 1.14 (corresponding to primary air velocities of 17, 23, 30 and 35 m/s). Coal burnout and the release of C and H were observed at the exit of the burner nozzle. Gases such as O₂ and CO were measured at the center of the burner. A change in resistance was obtained within the burner.     

Combustion and emission characteristics of premixed biogas mixtures: An experimental study

In this study, effects of fuel composition, swirl number and hydrogen addition on combustion and emission characteristics of various biogas mixtures were experimentally investigated. To this end, a laboratory scale combustor and a swirl stabilized premixed burner were designed and manufactured. Later on, this combusting apparatus was equipped with flow, control, safety and measurement tools, hence entire test system was constituted. Combustion and emission characteristics of tested biogas mixtures were determined by measuring temperature and species (CO₂, CO, O₂ and NO) distributions throughout the combustion chamber. Additionally, flame structures of tested biogas mixtures were evaluated by examining flame luminosity, visible flame length and flame thickness from instantaneous flame images. Results of this study showed that both radial and axial temperature distribution variations of tested biogas mixtures differently alter with hydrogen addition based on the gas composition. Although flame temperature increases with swirl number at burner outlet, it presents a non-monotonous dependence on swirl number outside the flame region because of the modified flow characteristics. This is also the case for emissions of CO₂.     

Combustion in swirling flows: A review

Swirling flows have been commonly used for a number of years for the stabilization of high-intensity combustion processes. In general these swirling flows are poorly understood because of their compelexity. This paper describes the recent progress in understanding and using these swirling flows. The main effects of swirl are to improve flame stability as a result of the formation of toroidal recirculation zones and to reduce combustion lengths by producing high rates of entrainment of the ambient fluid and fast mixing, particularly near to the boundaries of recirculation zones. Two main types of swirl combustor can be identified as follows:The Swirl Burner. Here swirling flow exhausts into a furnace or cavity combustion occurs in and just outside the burner exit.The Cyclone Combustion Chamber. Here air is injected tangentially into a large, usually, cylindrical chamber and exhausts through a centrally located exit hole in one end. Combustion mostly occurs inside the cyclone chamber.Initially the isothermal performance of swirl combustors is considered, and it is demonstrated that, contrary to many previous assumptions, the flow is often not axisymmetric but three-dimensional time-dependent. Under most normal nonpremixed combustion conditions, the swirling flow returns to axisymmetry, although there is still a residual presence of the three-dimensionality, particularly on the boundary of the reverse flow zone. Swirl increases considerably the stability limits of most flames; in fact with certain swirl burners, the blow-off limits are virtually infinite. Cyclone combustion chambers have large internal reverse flow zones which provide very long residence times for the fuel/air mixture. They are typically used for the combustion of difficult materials such as poor quality coal or vegetable refuse. In contrast to the swirl burner which usually has one central toroidal, recirculation zone, the cyclone combustor often has up to three concentric toroidal recirculation zones. Sufficient information is also available to indicate that stratified or staged fuel or air entry may be used to minimize noise, hydrocarbon, and NO_x emissions from swirl combustors.     

Staged combustion properties for pulverized coals at high temperature

Staged combustion properties for pulverized coals have been investigated by using a new-concept drop-tube furnace. Two high-temperature electric furnaces were connected in series. Coal was burnt under fuel-rich conditions in the first furnace, then, staged air was supplied at the connection between the two furnaces. Reaction temperature (1800–2100 K) and time (1–2 s) were similar to those used in actual boilers. When coal was burnt at the same stoichiometric ratio as in actual boilers, similar combustion performance values as for actual boilers were obtained regarding NO_x emission and carbon in ash. The most important factor for low NO_x combustion was to raise the combustion temperature above the present range (1800–2100 K) in the fuel-rich zone. The NO_x emission was significantly increased with decrease of burning temperature in the fuel-rich zone when the temperature was lower than 1800 K. But, NO_x emission was cut to around 100–150 ppm, for sub-bituminous coal and hv-bituminous coal, in the latest commercial plants by forming this high-temperature fuel-rich region in the boilers. If the temperature and stoichiometric ratio could be set to the most suitable conditions, and, burning gas and air were mixed well, it would be possible to lower NO_x emission to 30–60 ppm (6% O₂). The most important NO_x reduction reaction in the fuel-rich zone was the NO_x reduction by hydrocarbons. The hydrocarbon formation rate in the flame was varied with coal properties and combustion conditions. The NO_x was easily reduced when coals which easily formed hydrocarbons were used, or, when burning conditions which easily formed hydrocarbons were chosen. Effects of burning temperature and stoichiometric ratio on NO_x emission were reproduced by the previously proposed reaction model. When solid fuel was used, plant performance values varied with fuel properties. The proposed drop-tube furnace system was also found to be a useful analysis technique to evaluate the difference in combustion performance due to the fuel properties.     

直流二次风率对径向浓淡旋流煤粉燃烧器空气动力特性的影响

本文阐述了径向浓淡旋流煤粉燃烧器的基本原理，通过在一台４１０ｔ／ｈ的锅炉上的冷态，热态实验，研究了直流二次风率对燃烧器空气动力特性的影响，得到了直流二次风率与射流的扩展角，中心回流区直径及长度，一，二次风混合的关系，以及对燃烧器高效，稳燃，低污染，防结渣及防高温腐蚀性能的影响。     

Role of CO2 in the CH4 oxidation and H2 formation during fuel-rich combustion in O2/CO2 environments

The effect of CO₂ reactivity on CH₄ oxidation and H₂ formation in fuel-rich O₂/CO₂ combustion where the concentrations of reactants were high was studied by a CH₄ flat flame experiment, detailed chemical analysis, and a pulverized coal combustion experiment. In the CH₄ flat flame experiment, the residual CH₄ and formed H₂ in fuel-rich O₂/CO₂ combustion were significantly lower than those formed in air combustion, whereas the amount of CO formed in fuel-rich O₂/CO₂ combustion was noticeably higher than that in air. In addition to this experiment, calculations were performed using CHEMKIN-PRO. They generally agreed with the experimental results and showed that CO₂ reactivity, mainly expressed by the reaction CO₂ + H → CO + OH (R1), caused the differences between air and O₂/CO₂ combustion under fuel-rich condition. R1 was able to advance without oxygen. And, OH radicals were more active than H radicals in the hydrocarbon oxidation in the specific temperature range. It was shown that the role of CO₂ was to advance CH₄ oxidation during fuel-rich O₂/CO₂ combustion. Under fuel-rich combustion, H₂ was mainly produced when the hydrocarbon reacted with H radicals. However, the hydrocarbon also reacted with the OH radicals, leading to H₂O production. In fact, these hydrocarbon reactions were competitive. With increasing H/OH ratio, H₂ formed more easily; however, CO₂ reactivity reduced the H/OH ratio by converting H to OH. Moreover, the OH radicals reacted with H₂, whereas the H radicals did not reduce H₂. It was shown that OH radicals formed by CO₂ reactivity were not suitable for H₂ formation. As for pulverized coal combustion, the tendencies of CH₄, CO, and H₂ formation in pulverized coal combustion were almost the same as those in the CH₄ flat flame.