Comparison of nitrogen oxide emissions from boilers for a wide range of coal qualities

This paper presents the results of experimental researches on nitrogen oxide emissions from coal-fired boilers. Two Chinese lean coals have been fired in two full scale boilers (1 025 t · h ^?1 ) and in a pilot scale test furnace (Drop-Tube Furnace) to study the influence of nitrogen content in coal on nitrogen oxide emission. The nitrogen oxide emission was found to correlate well with the fuel nitrogen content. The test results of the drop-tube furnace and the single burner furnace with three Chinese coals show that the staged combustion can greatly reduce the nitrogen oxide emission. Identical trends in nitrogen oxide emission as a function of the volatile matter of the coals have been obtained under different combustion conditions. The principle of low nitrogen oxide emissions of the wide range burner (biased combustion or internal air staging) and the cases with over fired air port (furnace air staging) is introduced in this paper. In addition, the influence of excess oxygen content on nitrogen oxide emission has been tested in the utility boilers and test furnaces.