Catalytic oxidation of natural gas using flameless burners of a new design

Various aspects of operating burners traditionally used for oxidizing gaseous hydrocarbons and heat exchangers used for heat recovery are considered. A method developed by FAST ENGINEERING LTD. for the efficient burning of fuel with deep heat recovery of waste gases while maintaining a given adiabatic temperature is described. The method is based on using a flameless burner and heat exchangers of a new design. Burner operation is tested on an experimental stand with determination of the dependences for the aerodynamic drag of a granular layer and the content of unburned hydrocarbons, CO, and NO _x in combustion products on the consumption of the fuel-air mixture and the adiabatic temperature of fuel combustion. The described method for burning fuel is shown to provide the desired temperature of combustion products for a consumer of heat energy and to reduce the consumption of fuel by 5–20%. Burning fuel at an adiabatic combustion temperature of no more than 1200°C virtually eliminates the CO and NO _x content in the combustion products. Designed flameless burner, new generation of heat exchangers, and technology for the efficient burning of fuel can be applied to vapor and water-heating boilers, gas turbines, and catalytic reactors to produce synthesis gas from natural gas for processing into hydrogen, ammonia, methanol, synthetic liquid hydrocarbons, and so on.