Modeling of in-line low-NOx calciners—a parametric study

Simulations with a heterogeneous model of an in-line low-NO_x calciner, based on non-isothermal diffusion-reaction models for char combustion and limestone calcination combined with a kinetic model for NO formation and reduction, are reported. The analysis shows that the most important hydrodynamic parameter is the mixing rate of preheated combustion air into the sub-stoichiometric suspension leaving the reducing zone and the most important combustion parameter is the char reactivity. Also, the calcination rate modifies very much the temperature in the calciner, char and limestone conversion and NO emission. Carbon monoxide is a key component for the reduction of NO and reliable data for the kinetics of NO reduction by CO over CaO are very important for the prediction of the NO emission. The internal surface area of char and limestone particles influences the combustion and calcination rates and thereby the char and limestone conversion and the NO emission.     

分解炉空气分级燃烧及NOx排放特性研究

随着我国经济的飞速发展,作为重要基础材料的水泥产品需求量极大且趋于稳定。水泥生产过程中的NOx排放与燃煤火电厂和汽车尾气产生的NOx排放已成为空气污染的主要来源,而分解炉是降低水泥生产工艺中NOx排放的有效设备。笔者在引入高温烟气的模拟分解炉内进行空气分级燃烧试验,研究配风位置、配风比例以及石灰石/煤比例对分解炉内燃烧和NOx排放特性的影响规律。试验稳定过程中,高温烟气发生装置的给煤量和配风量保持不变。此时,高温烟气发生装置的时间平均温度为911℃,其产生的高温烟气温度稳定在750℃左右,高温烟气中NOx主要以NO和N2O的形式存在,其浓度分别为261.49×10^-6和12.96×10^-6。该股高温烟气将模拟实际回转窑产生的烟气进入分解炉内。在分解炉的上部区域(距离顶部0~2 000 mm区域)的温度为800~1 000℃,与实际分解炉运行温度一致,排放烟气中NOx主要以NO和N2O形式存在。随着中间配风位置的下移,煤粉燃烧放热区域下移,而顶部区域的石灰石吸热量变化较小,则原有热量平衡被打破且原有吸热量高于现有放热量,导致顶部区域内燃烧温度降低。此时,还原气氛中煤粉燃烧和石灰石分解反应时间均变长,导致NOx的还原反应更加充分。但石灰石分解产生的氧化钙(CaO)作为中间产物会促进NO的生成反应,其反应时间增加也促进了NO的生成;另一方面,石灰石作为催化剂参与焦炭和挥发分还原NO的反应过程,分解炉顶部区域的温度下降使得该还原反应变弱。综上,NO的最终排放浓度是以上反应的综合结果。随着配风位置的下移,该变化对NO的生成作用更加明显,故NO的排放浓度逐渐升高。当一级风量与二级风量的配风比例降低时,分解炉上部区域的煤粉燃烧份额减少和石灰石分解量降低,而分解炉下部区域的煤粉燃烧份额增加和未分解的石灰石份额增加,但石灰石的吸热增加量高于燃烧增加份额的放热量,因此分解炉内整体温度均降低。分解炉内NO浓度是由石灰石催化的氧化过程和还原过程综合决定的。一级风量变小时,尾部CO浓度随之增加,烟气中NO浓度呈现降低的趋势。当石灰石/煤比例增加时,分解炉内沿程温度逐渐下降。随着石灰石给粉量增加,分解炉内石灰石受热分解产生的CaO浓度增加,CaO催化NO还原反应更剧烈,从而NO浓度逐渐降低。而石灰石给粉量增加和分解炉温度降低的过程导致尾部的CO浓度升高。     

水泥回转窑内NO生成的模拟

采用气固流动、煤粉燃烧和NO生成模型,结合物料烧成过程的物理化学反应热效应的一维热流函数,对采用4通道燃烧器的某3000 t·d^-1生产能力的全尺寸水泥回转窑内NO的生成进行了数值模拟研究,对水泥回转窑内NO生成机理及分布规律进行深入的分析.研究结果表明：水泥回转窑内NO生成主要为热力型NO和燃料型NO,并且以热力型NO为主要生成方式,燃料NO主要在窑头的燃烧带产生,热力NO主要产生于高温烧成带,并且燃料NO与热力NO的生成过程存在着相互抑制作用.     

Numerical analysis of pulverized coal combustion characteristics using advanced low-NOx burner

A three-dimensional numerical simulation is applied to a pulverized coal combustion field in a test furnace equipped with an advanced low-NO_x burner called CI-α burner, and the detailed combustion characteristics are investigated. In addition, the validities of the existing NO_x formation and reduction models are examined. The results show that a recirculation flow is formed in the high-gas-temperature region near the CI-α burner outlet, and this lengthens the residence time of coal particles in this high-temperature region, promotes the evolution of volatile matter and the progress of char reaction, and produces an extremely low-O₂ region for effective NO reduction. It is also found that, by lessening the effect of NO reduction in Levy et al.'s model and taking the NO formation from char N into account, the accuracy of the NO prediction is improved. The efficiency factor of the conversion of char N to NO affects the total NO concentration downstream after the injection of staged combustion air.     

A reduced NOx reaction model for pulverized coal combustion under fuel-rich conditions

A reduced NO_x reaction model was developed for analysis of industrial pulverized coal firing boilers. The model was developed from experiments of laminar premixed combustion under a variety of stoichiometric ratios, burning temperatures, coal ranks (from sub-bituminous coal to anthracite) and particle diameters. Calculations agreed with experimental results for NO_x and nitrogen species (NH₃ and HCN), if the model assumed that the hydrocarbon radicals were formed not only from pyrolysis of volatile matter, but also from char oxidation and gasification. The presence of hydrogen in char at the final burnout stage supported this assumption. NO_x reduction by hydrocarbon radicals was the most important reaction in high temperature (>1500 K), fuel-rich, char combustion regions. NO_x reduction from nitrogen species was sensitive to peak NO_x concentration in volatile combustion regions, but NO_x emission downstream had little influence from the peak NO_x concentration. The heterogeneous reaction between char and NO_x was important for fuel-lean or low-temperature conditions.     

Experimental study of NO reduction over biomass char

Some biomass fuels produce more NO_x than coal on the basis of heating value, giving rise to the necessity and importance of controlling NO_x emission in biomass combustion. The present study investigated the NO reduction over biomass char in a fixed bed quartz reactor in the temperature range of 973–1173 K. The reaction rates of three biomass chars (sawdust, rice husk and corn straw) with NO were compared with Datong bituminous coal char. The results show that the reaction orders of biomass chars for NO are of fractional order and independent of temperature. Biomass chars are more active in reducing NO than coal char. The characteristics of biomass char affect NO conversion. Biomass char formed at high pyrolysis temperature, especially large in particle size, is less active in reducing NO. To some extent, increase of reaction temperature and char loading enhance NO conversion. There exists an optimum bed height for the highest NO conversion. Moreover, NO reduction over biomass char is also enhanced in the presence of CO, O₂ and SO₂.     

Quantification of emissions from the co-incineration of cutting oil emulsions in cement plants – Part I: NOx,CO and VOC

The paper provides an overall assessment of the environmental effects of co-incineration of cutting oil emulsions in cement plants through the quantification of emissions of key pollutants, namely NO_x, CO and VOC. Two realistic scenarios are considered. In the first, the cutting oil emulsion is injected directly into the rotary kiln while the second scenario involves injection of the cutting oil emulsion in the tertiary air stream and thus directly into the precalciner. A detailed kinetic PSR modelling study is performed for combustion conditions relevant both to cement kiln and precalciner operating conditions. It is demonstrated that, although NO_x emissions from the precalciner are generally substantially lower than those from the cement kiln, emulsion injection in the latter appears to be favourable and can lead up to 50% reductions in NO levels. However, injection of cutting oil emulsion with relatively high nitrogen content in the precalciner may lead, under lean conditions, to increases in the emitted NO levels. The effect of cutting oil emulsion on CO and VOC emissions both under cement kiln and precalciner conditions is also quantified.     

Simultaneous easy CO2 recovery and drastic reduction of SOx and NOx in O2/CO2 coal combustion with heat recirculation

Coal combustion with O₂/CO₂ is promising because of its easy CO₂ recovery, extremely low NO_x emission and high desulfurization efficiency. Based on our own fundamental experimental data combined with a sophisticated data analysis, its characteristics were investigated. It was revealed that the conversion ratio from fuel-N to exhausted NO in O₂/CO₂ pulverized coal combustion was only about one fourth of conventional pulverized coal combustion. To decrease exhausted NO further and realize simultaneous easy CO₂ recovery and drastic reduction of SO_x and NO_x, a new scheme, i.e. O₂/CO₂ coal combustion with heat recirculation, was proposed. It was clarified that in O₂/CO₂ coal combustion, with about 40% of heat recirculation, the same coal combustion intensity as that of coal combustion in air could be realized even at an O₂ concentration of as low as 15%. Thus exhausted NO could be decreased further into only one seventh of conventional coal combustion. Simultaneous easy CO₂ recovery and drastic reduction of SO_x and NO_x could be realized with this new scheme.     

NO removal performance of CO in carbonation stage of calcium looping for CO2 capture

Calcium looping realizes CO2 capture via the cyclic calcination/carbonation of CaO.The combustion of fuel supplies energy for the calciner.It is unavoidable that some unburned char in the calciner flows into the carbonator,generating CO due to the hypoxic atmosphere in the carbonator.CO can reduce NO in the flue gases from coal-fired power plants.In this work,NO removal performance of CO in the carbonation stage of calcium looping for CO2 capture was investigated in a bubbling fluidized bed reactor.The effects of carbonation temperature,CO concentration,CO2 capture,type of CaO,number of CO2 capture cycles and presence of char on NO removal by CO in carbonation stage of calcium looping were discussed.CaO possesses an efficient catalytic effect on NO removal by CO.High temperature and high CO concen-tration lead to high NO removal efficiency of CO in the presence of CaO.Taking account of better NO removal and CO2 capture,the optimal carbonation temperature is 650 ℃.The carbonation of CaO reduces the catalytic activity of CaO for NO removal by CO due to the formation of CaCO3.Besides,the catalytic performance of CaO on NO removal by CO gradually decreases with the number of CO2 capture cycles.This is because the sintering of CaO leads to the fusion of CaO grains and blockage of pores in CaO,hin-dering the diffusion of NO and CO.The high CaO content and porous structure of calcium-based sorbents are beneficial for NO removal by CO.The presence of char promotes NO removal by CO in the carbonator.CO2/NO removal efficiencies can reach above 90％.The efficient simultaneous NO and CO2 removal by CO and CaO in the carbonation step of the calcium looping seems promising.     

Estimation of NOx emissions from coal-fired utility boilers

CFD-based engineering models can be cost-effective tools in determining technical feasibility of clean coal-fired power generation technologies like NO_x mitigation strategies targeting the reduction of acid rain and smog. Their actual effectiveness depends on their capability to provide realistic engineering estimates without arbitrary adjustment of model parameters. This investigation focused on testing a CFD based NO_x model over a variety of coal type, firing configuration and boiler size ranging from 200 MW_e sub-critical to most modern 1000 MW_e ultra supercritical. In most cases, the NO_x estimates based on input data readily available from power plants were found within the range of measured data (with the worst estimate being 22% higher than the maximum measured NO_x level). The CFD results also indicated some sensitivity of the NO_x estimates to the ratio of volatile nitrogen to char nitrogen and the importance of NO reduction by char. However, this study showed that the locations of fuel-bound nitrogen evolution with respect to the stoichiometric condition within the boiler actually governed the overall NO emissions.     

Combustion of low-calorific waste liquids in high temperature air

Waste liquids with low-calorific values are not easy to burn. In this experiment, a furnace with a pair of burners for high-cycled alternate firing was utilized to burn the low-calorific value liquids. In a 1383 K furnace, 1173 K preheated air was achieved via these burners equipped with regenerators. It was observed that the alternate firing with highly preheated air was an effective way to ignite and burn the low-calorific value liquids. The preheated air temperature was higher than the auto-ignition temperature of the flammable mixture of the waste liquids. The combustion gas temperature in the furnace was quite uniform via the high-cycled alternate firing, resulting in a longer residence time of combustion in the furnace as compared to the conventional incinerator. The convective heat transfer in this furnace was higher than that of the conventional incinerator, and more useful energy was extracted from the waste liquids for end users. For the waste liquids with lower heating values of 15.0 MJ/kg (19 wt.% water) and 10.4 MJ/kg (42 wt.% water), it was found that 49% and 10% of the heating values of the waste liquids, respectively, could be used for utility energy. Furthermore, the waste liquid with a lower heating value of 7.1 MJ/kg (45 wt.% water) could burn itself in this furnace without the need of co-firing of any auxiliary fuels. NO_x and CO emissions were lower than 60 ppmv (6% O₂) and 50 ppmv (6% O₂), respectively, for all tests.     

Catalytic effect of biomass ash on CO, CH4 and HCN oxidation under fluidised bed combustor conditions

In fluidised bed combustion heterogeneous reactions catalysed by the bed material, CaO, and char are significant for the emission levels for instance of NO, N₂O, and CO. The catalysts present in the bed affect significantly the selectivity of HCN and NH₃ oxidation, which are known as precursors of NO_x (i.e. NO and NO₂) and N₂O emissions from solid fuel combustion. Thus the catalytic activity of biomass ashes may also be responsible for the negligible N₂O emissions from biomass combustion due to the presence of a large amount of solids in fluidised bed combustion, homogeneous oxidation may be suppressed within the bed by the quenching of the radicals. For this reason the catalytic oxidation of hydrocarbons and CO on the bed material may be of significance for the total burnout within the fluidised bed combustor.Within this study the effect of different ashes from spruce wood, peat, and for comparison bituminous coal on the oxidation of CH₄, CO, and HCN was studied. The different ashes were shown to have a strong catalytic activity for the oxidation of CH₄, CO, and HCN. In HCN oxidation the selectivity towards NO is high, whereas very little N₂O is formed. The activity of the ashes is strongly dependent on the fuel, which may be explained by their composition.The kinetics of the oxidation of CO and HCN in the temperature range relevant for fluidised bed combustion, i.e. 800-900 °C, has been evaluated for spruce wood ash.     

The application of FLOX/COSTAIR technologies to reduce NOx emissions from coal/biomass fired power plant: A technical assessment based on computational simulation

Nitrogen oxides (NO_x) is one of the harmful emissions from power plants. Efforts are made to reduce NO_x emissions by researchers and engineers all the times. NO_x emissions are from three resources during the combustion: prompt NO, fuel NO and thermal NO. The last one - thermal NO, which is described by ‘Zeldovich-mechanism’, is the main source for NO_x emissions. The thermal NO emission mainly results from the high combustion temperature in the combustion process. In order to control the NO formation, the control of peak combustion temperature is the key factor, as well as the oxygen concentration in the combustion areas. Flameless oxidation (FLOX) and continuous staged air combustion (COSTAIR) are two relatively new technologies to control the combustion temperature and the reaction rate and consequently to control the NO_x emissions.In this study both FLOX and COSTAIR technologies are assessed based on a 12 MW_e, coal-fired, circulating fluidised bed combustion (CFBC) power plant by using ECLIPSE simulation software, together with a circulating fluidised bed gasification (CFBG) plus normal burner plant. Two different fuels - coal and biomass (straw) are used for the simulation. The technical results from the study show that the application of FLOX technology to the plant may reduce NO_x emissions by 90% and the application of COSTAIR technology can reduce NO_x emissions by 80-85% from the power plant. The emissions from the straw-fuelled plants are all lower than that of coal-fuelled ones although with less plant efficiencies.     

Comparisons of pulverized coal combustion in air and in mixtures of O2/CO2

Pulverized coal combustion in air and the mixtures of O₂/CO₂ has been experimentally investigated in a 20 kW down-fired combustor (190 mm id×3 m). Detailed comparisons of gas temperature profiles, gas composition profiles, char burnouts, conversions of coal–N to NO_x and coal–S to SO₂ and CO emissions have been made between coal combustion in air and coal combustion in various O₂/CO₂ mixtures. The effectiveness of air/oxidant staging on reducing NO_x emissions has also been investigated for coal combustion in air and O₂/CO₂ mixtures. The results show that simply replacing the N₂ in the combustion air with CO₂ will result in a significant decrease of combustion gas temperatures. However, coal combustion in 30% O₂/70% CO₂ can produce matching gas temperature profiles to those of coal combustion in air while having a lower coal–N to NO_x conversion, a better char burnout and a lower CO emission. The results also confirm that air/oxidant staging is very effective in reducing NO_x emissions for coal combustion in both air and a 30% O₂/70% CO₂ mixture. SO₂ emissions are proved to be almost independent of the combustion media investigated.     

Effects of design features on combustion efficiency and emission performance of a biomass-fuelled fluidized-bed combustor

This paper presents an analysis of some measures leading to intensification of the combustion process in a biomass-fuelled fluidized-bed combustor with a cone-shape bed (or ‘conical FBC’). Two combustors firing rice husks with elevated fuel-ash content were the focus of this study. Compared to the pilot 350-kW_th conical FBC exhibiting combustion efficiency of up to 96%, the newly constructed 400-kW_th combustor included geometrical and design modifications aimed at improving the combustion efficiency and emission performance of the reactor. Differences between the air distributors and Δp–u diagrams (accounting for the total pressure drop across the air distributor and gas–solid fluidized bed) for the two reactors are discussed. Axial temperature and gas concentration (O₂, CO and NO_x) profiles in the combustors were compared for similar operating conditions (excess air and heat release rate per unit cross-sectional area). At excess air of 40–60%, the bed temperature in the advanced conical FBC was substantially, by about 180 °C, higher than that in the pilot combustor, mainly, due to better fuel–air mixing and higher residence time of reactants. The formation and decomposition of CO and NO in the bed region as well as in the freeboard of these two combustors showed quite different trends under similar operating conditions. At excess air of 40–60%, the CO emission from the advanced conical FBC was found to be much (7–8 times) lower than that from the pilot combustor, while the NO_x emissions were represented by almost the same values. High (over 99%) combustion efficiency was achieved when firing rice husk in the advanced 400 kW_th conical FBC for the range of excess air.     

石灰石和白云石高温循环脱除CO2过程分析

在N2气氛和高浓度CO2气氛两种典型锻烧气氛下,对石灰石和白云石在循环煅烧/碳酸化捕集CO2过程中的主要系统参数包括长周期循环碳酸化转化率、平均碳酸化转化率、CO2捕集效率和煅烧炉能量需求进行了实验研究和计算分析.结果表明,吸收剂补充流率和吸收剂循环流率对平均碳酸化转化率、CO2捕集效率和煅烧炉所需能量具有直接影响.在...     

Simulation of swirling coal combustion using a full two-fluid model and an AUSM turbulence-chemistry model

A full two-fluid model of reacting gas-particle flows with an algebraic unified second-order moment turbulence-chemistry model for the turbulent reaction rate of NO formation are used to simulate swirling coal combustion. The sub-models are the k-ε-k_p two-phase turbulence model, the EBU-Arrhenius volatile and CO combustion model, the six-flux radiation model, coal devolatilization model and char combustion model. The prediction results are in good agreement with the experimental results taken from references.     

分解炉内流动特性数值模型的探讨

分解炉是预分解窑技术的关键设备，具有燃料燃烧、气固传热、碳酸盐分解等功能。为充分了解分解炉的性能，应用适宜的模型来模拟分解炉内部三维流场是很有意义的。在借鉴分解炉物理模型和流体力学的湍流模型的基础上，对华新水泥厂采用的喷腾式和旋喷式分解炉进行了分析，提出两种数学模型，为优化分解炉结构设计提供了理论依据。     

Pulverized coal combustion in air and in O2/CO2 mixtures with NOx recycle

This paper presents experimental results of a 20 kW vertical combustor equipped with a single pf-burner on pulverised coal combustion in air and O₂/CO₂ mixtures with NO_x recycle. Experimental results on combustion performance and NO_x emissions of seven international bituminous coals in air and in O₂/CO₂ mixtures confirm the previous findings of the authors that the O₂ concentration in the O₂/CO₂ mixture has to be 30% or higher to produce matching temperature profiles to those of coal-air combustion while coal combustion in 30% O₂/70% CO₂ leads to better coal burnout and less NO_x emissions than coal combustion in air. Experimental results with NO_x recycle reveal that the reduction of the recycled NO depends on the combustion media, combustion mode (staging or non-staging) and recycling location. Generally, more NO is reduced with coal combustion in 30% O₂/70% CO₂ than with coal combustion in air. Up to 88 and 92% reductions of the recycled NO can be achieved with coal combustion in air and in 30% O₂/70% CO₂ respectively. More NO is reduced with oxidant staging than without oxidant staging when NO is recycled through the burner. Much more NO is reduced when NO recycled through the burner (from 65 to 92%) than when NO is recycled through the staging tertiary oxidant ports (from 33 to 54%). The concentration of the recycled NO has little influence on the reduction efficiency of the recycled NO with both combustion media—air and 30% O₂/70% CO₂.