EP1892470B1

EP1892470B1 - Method of Reducing NOx Emissions in a Pulverized Coal Burner

Info

Publication number: EP1892470B1
Application number: EP06254290A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Albert D. Larue; William J. Kahle; Alan N. Sayre; Hamid Sarv; Daniel R. Rowley
Original assignee: Babcock and Wilcox Co
Current assignee: Babcock and Wilcox Power Generation Group Inc
Priority date: 2006-08-16
Filing date: 2006-08-16
Publication date: 2011-01-26
Anticipated expiration: 2026-08-16
Also published as: EP2138765A2; DK2138765T3; DE602006019860D1; PL1892470T3; EP2138765B1; PL2051005T3; EP2051005A2; ES2358273T3; PL2138765T3; EP2051005B1; ES2576008T3; EP1892470B8; ES2636594T3; EP2051005A3; EP2138765A3; ATE497126T1; DK1892470T3; EP1892470A1

Abstract

A new burner apparatus and method of combusting fossils fuels for commercial and industrial application is provided wherein the new burner apparatus achieves low NO x emissions by supplying oxygen to the center of the burner flame in as manners so as to create a fuel rich Internal combustion zone within the burner flame.

Description

Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to fuel burners and, in particular, to a new and useful method of combustion which achieves low NO_x emissions by supplying oxygen directly to the center of the burner flame in a manner so as to create a fuel rich internal combustion zone within the burner flame and accelerate fuel combustion.
Background of the Invention
NO_x is a byproduct produced during the combustion of coal and other fossil fuels. Environmental concerns regarding the effects of NO_x have prompted enactment of NO_x emissions regulations requiring sharp NO_x emission reductions from industrial and utility power plants in several countries including the United States. Current commercial methods and apparatuses for reducing NO_x emissions have been successful in lowering NO_x emissions from the levels emitted in previous years; however, further advances, beyond those of currently known methods and apparatuses, are needed to maintain compliance with current NO_x emissions regulations.
A variety of low NO_x burners are commercially available and widely used to fire pulverized coal (PC) and other fossil fuels in a NO_x reducing manner as compared to conventional burners. Examples of such burners are The Babcock & Wilcox Company's DRB-XCL^® and DRB-4Z^® burners. Common to these and other low NO, burner designs is an axial coal nozzle surrounded by multiple air zones which supply secondary air (SA). During operation, PC suspended in a primary air (PA) stream, is injected into the furnace through an axial coal nozzle, as an axial jet, with little or no radial deflection. Ignition of the PC is accomplished by swirling SA, thereby causing recirculation of hot gases along the incoming fuel jet.
Typically a fraction of the SA is supplied to an air zone in close proximity to the coal nozzle and swirled to a relatively greater extent than the SA supplied to the other air zones to accomplish ignition. The remaining SA from the burner is introduced through air zones further outboard in the burner utilizing less swirl, so as to mix slowly into the burner flame, thereby providing fuel rich conditions in the root of the flame. Such conditions promote the generation of hydrocarbons which compete for available oxygen and serve to destroy NO_x and/or inhibit the oxidation of fuel-bound and molecular nitrogen to NO_x.
NO_x emissions can further be reduced by staged combustion, wherein the burner is provided with less than stoichiometric oxygen for complete combustion. A fuel rich environment results at the burner flame. The fuel rich environment inhibits NO_x formation by forcing NO_x precursors to compete with uncombusted fuel in an oxygen lean environment. Combustion is then staged by providing excess oxygen to the boiler at a point above the burner wherein the excess fuel combusts at a lower temperature, thus precluding the production of thermal NO_x as the combustion occurs at a lower temperature away from the burner flame. Staging also serves to lessen oxygen concentrations during the combustion process which inhibits oxidation of fuel bound nitrogen (fuel NO_x).
Oxygen for staged combustion is normally provided in the form of air via air staging ports, commonly called Over Fire Air (OFA) ports, in a system utilizing low NO_x burners. U.S. Patent No. 5,697,306 to LaRue , and U.S. Patent No. 5,199,355 to LaRue , disclose low NO_x burners that may be combined with air staged combustion methods to further reduce NO_x emissions.
Unlike conventional burners, low NO_x burners tend to form long flames and produce higher levels of unburned combustibles. Long flames are not always desirable as they may be incompatible with furnace depth or height, and can impair boiler operation by causing flame impingement, slagging, and/or boiler tube corrosion.
Long flames result from an insufficient air supply to the fuel jet as it proceeds into the furnace. SA from the outer air zones of low NO_x burners do not effectively penetrate the downstream fuel jet, such that unburned fuel persists due to a lack of air supply along the flame axis. High levels of unburned fuel are undesirable in both furnaces with OFA and those without. Unburned combustibles in the form of unburned carbon and CO reduce boiler efficiency and add operation expenses, whereas unburned pulverized coal, by nature of its abrasiveness, may cause undesirable erosive damage to the furnace itself.
Incomplete air/fuel mixing ahead of an OFA system can cause excessive amounts of unburned fuel to persist up to the OFA ports. When large amounts of unburned fuel try to burn with air at the OFA zone, NO_x formation can increase, thereby minimizing or negating the benefit of staged combustion with OFA. In addition it becomes increasingly difficult to completely burn out these combustibles at and beyond the OFA ports, such that they add to inefficiency and operational difficulties.
DE 102 01 588 describes a burner for the combustion of particulate fuel, in particular coal with high levels of inert material.
EP 1 306 614 describes a solid fuel burner operable in a stable combustion in high and low load operation conditions using brown coal.

Summary of the Invention

Aspects of the invention are set out in the claims.
The present invention solves the aforementioned problems associated with delayed combustion produced by typical low NO_x burners and introduces a new method of combusting fossil fuels to further reduce NO_x emissions in commercial and utility boilers.
An aspect of the present invention can be considered a method of reducing NO_x emissions in a center air jet burner comprising, providing a four zone burner, wherein the innermost zone is an axial zone concentrically surrounded by a first annular zone, which in turn is concentrically surrounded by a second annular zone, which in turn is concentrically surrounded by a third annular zone, providing the axial zone with a first gas comprising oxygen, providing the first annular zone with a carrier gas comprising a pulverized coral, providing the second annular zone with a second gas comprising oxygen, providing the third annular zone with a third gas comprising oxygen, providing the burner with the carrier gas at a velocity greater than about 15 m/s (3000 ft/min), providing the burner with the first gas at a velocity greater than the carrier gas, providing the burner with the second gas providing the burner with the third gas at a velocity greater than the carrier gas, combusting the pulverized coal in the carrier gas stream from the inside of the stream with the first gas, combusting the pulverized coal in the carrier gas stream from the outside with the second gas and the third gas, utilizing the velocity gradient between the four annular zones to create a recirculation zone within a burner flame, suppressing NOx formation and accelerating combustion by recirculation of uncombusted coal and oxygen in the burner flame, the method being characterized in the second gas is provided at a velocity less than the carrier gas.
The various features of novelty which characterize the present invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, it's operating advantages and specific benefits attained by it's uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which the preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated.
Brief Description of the Drawings
FIG. 1. is a schematic sectional view of a burner; [0021] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a burner wherein arrows Identify the flow paths of air and coal;
FIG. 3 is a outside view of a burner assembly identifying the location of feeding duct 9: and
FIG. 4 is a schematic cross sectional view of a burner which identifies the concentric zones.
Specific Description
Referring to the drawings; generally where like numerals designate the same or functionally similar features, throughout the several views and first to FlG. 1, there is shown a schematic sectional view of a burner.
Axial pipe 6, defining an axial zone 25 therein, is concentrically surrounded by a first annular pipe 3 wherein the area between the two pipes defines a first annular zone 11. Radially interposed between a portion of first annular pipe 3 and axial pipe 6 is feeder duct 9 such that axial pipe 6 and windbox 51 are in fluid communication with opposite ends of feeder duct 9.
Referring now to FIG. 3, a top view of feeder duct 9 radially interposed between at least a portion of first annular pipe 3 and axial pipe 6 (not shown in FIG. 3) is provided, such that axial pipe 6 and windbox 51 are in fluid communication with opposite ends of feeder duct 9.
Referring back to FIG. 1, secondary air is supplied by forced draft fans (not shown), preheated in air heaters (not shown), and under pressure to windbox 51. Feeder duct 9 in turn provides secondary air from windbox 51 to axial pipe 6, at a rate controlled by damper 10. An air flow measuring device 12 quantifies the secondary air flowing through feeder duct 9.
A pulverizer (not shown) grinds coal which is conveyed with primary air through a conduit connected to a burner elbow 2. An igniter (not shown) may be positioned on the axis of the burner, penetrating elbow 2, plug 5, and extending through axial pipe 6.
Pulverized coal and primary air (PA/PC) 1 pass through the burner elbow 2. The pulverized coal generally travels along the outer radius of elbow 2 and concentrates into a stream along the outer radius at the elbow exit. The pulverized coal enters first annular zone 11 and encounters a deflector 4 which redirects the coal stream into plug 5 and disperses the coal. Axial pipe 6 is attached to the downstream side of plug 5. First annular pipe 3 expands in section 3A to form a larger diameter section 3B. The dispersed coal travels along first annular zone 11 wherein bars and chevrons 7 provide more uniform distribution of the pulverized coal before exiting the first annular zone 11 as a fuel jet. Wedged shaped pieces 9A and 9B (Fig. 3) provide a more contoured flow path for the PA/PC 1 as it travels past feeder duct 9.
A flow conditioning device 30 may be used to disperse the coal to increase the rate at which it interacts with the secondary air. Flow conditioning device 30 may consist of swirl vanes and/or one or more bluff bodies to locally obstruct flow and induce swirl.
Another flow conditioning device 13 may be positioned at the end of axial pipe 6 to provide more uniform flow to secondary air as it exits axial zone 25 into burner throat 8, and out into the furnace (not shown) in the form of a center air jet. Flow conditioning device 13 can be vanes, perforated plates, or other commonly used devices to provide more uniform flow. In some cases, flow conditioning device 13 may provide swirl to the core air to further accelerate coal ignition and reduce emissions.
An aspect pertaining to the operational method of the present invention is the creation of a center air jet within with the fuel jet stream as it exits throat 8 and enters the furnace. The center air jet will have a velocity exceeding that of the fuel jet so as to create a velocity gradient within the flame which promotes ignition of the fuel from the inside out utilizing the oxygen from the center air jet.
Optimum operating conditions occur when PA/PC exits the first annular zone at a velocity between about 15 m/s (3,000 ft/min) and about 25 m/s (5,000 ft/min), and more preferably between about 18 m/s (3,500 ft/min) and about 23 m/s (4,500 ft/min). Optimum operating conditions further occur when secondary air exits axial zone 25 at a velocity between about 25 m/s (5,000 ft/min) and 51 m/s (10,000 ft/min), and more preferably between about 28 m/s (5,500 ft/min) and 58 m/s (7,500 ft/min).
Damper 15 controls the entry of additional secondary air to the burner assembly. When in the open position damper 15 allows secondary air to flow into a second annular zone 16 concentrically surrounding first annular zone 11, wherein the second annular zone 16 is defined as the area between pipe 38 and barrel 19. Damper 15 further allows secondary air to flow into third annular zone 17 concentrically surrounding second annular zone 16, wherein the third annular zone 16 is defined as the area between barrel 19 and outside burner zone wall 38. Damper 15 can be positioned to preferentially throttle secondary air to one zone over the other, or to supply lesser quantities of secondary air to both zones. An igniter (not shown) may optionally be situated in annular zone 17, if not through pipe 6.
Optimal operating conditions for utilizing all three annular zones to provide secondary air for combustion occur when between about 20 percent and about 40 percent of the total oxygen provided to the burner by secondary air is provided through axial zone 25, more preferably between about 25 percent and 35 percent. About 10 percent to about 30 percent of the total oxygen provided to the burner by secondary air is provided through second annular zone 16, more preferably between about 15 to about 25 percent. About 40 percent to about 70 percent of the total oxygen provided to the burner by secondary air is provided through third annular air zone 17, more preferably between about 50 percent to about 65 percent.
Air flow measurement device 18 measures the secondary air flow through second annular zone 16 and third annular zone 17. Optimum operating conditions occur when secondary air exits second annular zone 16 at a velocity between about 15 m/s (3000 ft/min) and about 23 m/s (4500 ft/min), more preferably between about 16 m/s (3100 ft/min) and about 20 m/s (3900 ft/min). Further, wherein secondary air exits third annular zone 17 at a velocity between about 28 m/s (5500 ft/min) and about 38 m/s (7500 ft/min), more preferably the velocity is between about 29 m/s (5700 ft/min) and about 34 m/s (6700 ft/min).
Optimal air shear conditions generally occur when the inner diameter of the axial zone is between about 23 cm (9 inches) and about 51 cm (20 inches), the inner diameter of the first annular zone is between about 38 cm (15 inches) and about 76 cm (30 inches), the inner diameter of the second annular zone is between about 51 cm (20 inches) and about 102 cm (40 inches), and wherein the inner diameter of the third annual zone is between about 56 cm (22 inches) and about 127 cm (50 inches).
Adjustable vanes 21 are situated In the second annular zone 16 to provide swirled secondary air prior to exiting second annular zone 16. Other air distribution devices such as perforated plates and ramps may also be installed at the end of second annular zone 16. Fixed vanes 22A and adjustable vanes 228 impart swirt to the secondary air passing through third annular zone 17. As swirled air leaves third annular zone 17, vane 23, which may alternatively be placed in the middle of the air zone exit, deflects part of the air away from the primary combustion zone.
Referring now to FIG. 2, a graphical depiction, wherein arrows identify the flow paths of secondary air and PA/PC 1, is provided.
In an alternative embodiment, a gas comprising oxygen at a greater concentration than air may be utilized in place of all or part of the secondary air.
In another alternative embodiment, a hydrocarbon fuel other than pulverized coal may be utilized as fuel.
I n another alternative embodiment a center conduit may be placed within axial zone 25 such that axial pipe 6 concentrically surrounds the center conduit. In such an embodiment the center conduit may house an igniter, an oil atomizer or gas alternative, or a lance for introduction of concentrated oxygen or additional hydrocarbon fuel into the flame core either axially or by radial dispersion.
In another alternative embodiment a plurality of center conduits may be placed within axial zone 25 such that axial pipe 6 concentrically surrounds each of the plurality of conduits. In such an embodiment the plurality of center conduits may provide concentrated oxygen in more than one stream, or at least one of the conduits may provide additional coal or other hydrocarbon fuel for combustion.
In another embodiment multiple feeder ducts and/or booster fans or conduits may be utilized to provide additional secondary air or oxygen to axial zone 25.
In another embodiment staged combustion is utilized with the NO_x reduction methods of the present invention to further reduce NO_x emissions.
In yet another embodiment an alternative air ducting system may be devised wherein secondary air is ducted through outer wall 51 B of windbox 51 and fed into axial zone 25 though the outer radius of an enlarged burner elbow or elsewhere to form a axial zone 25 in fluid connection with the windbox 51.

Claims

A method of reducing NOx emissions in a pulverized coal burner comprising the steps of;
providing a four zone burner, wherein the innermost zone is an axial zone (25) concentrically surrounded by a first annular zone (11), which in turn is concentrically surrounded by a second annular zone (16), in turn is concentrically surrounded by a third annular zone (17);

providing the axial zone with a first gas comprising oxygen;

providing the first annular zone with a carrier gas comprising a pulverized coal;

providing the second annular zone with a second gas comprising oxygen;

providing the third annular zone with a third gas comprising oxygen;

providing the burner with the carrier gas at a velocity greater than about 15 m/s (3000 ft/min);

providing the burner with the first gas at a velocity greater than the carrier gas;

providing the burner with the second gas;

providing the burner with the third gas at a velocity greater than the carrier gas:

combusting the pulverized coal in the carrier gas stream from the inside of the stream with the first gas;

combusting the pulverized coal in the carrier gas stream from the outside with the second gas and the third gas;

utilizing the velocity gradient between the four annular zones to create a recirculation zone within a burner flame; and

suppressing NOx formation and accelerating combustion by recirculation of uncombusted coal and oxygen in the burner flame; the method being characterized in that the second gas is provided at a velocity less than the carrier gas.
The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising swirling the second gas prior to reaching the burner flame.
The method as recited in claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising swirling the carrier gas prior to combustion.
The method as recited in anyone of claims 1 to 3, further comprising swirling the third gas prior to combustion.
The method as recited in anyone of claims 1 to 4, further comprising swirling the first gas prior to combustion.
The method as recited in anyone of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first gas comprises more than 21 percent oxygen.
The method as recited in anyone of claims 1 to 6, wherein the second gas comprises more than 21 percent oxygen.
The method as recited in anyone of claims 1 to 7, wherein the third gas comprises more than 21 percent oxygen.