A Study of the NOx Emission in a Regenerative Industrial Furnace

Author(s):  
Qing Jiang ◽  
Chao Zhang

Abstract A study of the nitrogen oxides (NOx) emission and combustion process in a gas-fired regenerative, high temperature, low emission industrial furnace has been carried out numerically. The effect of two additives, methanol (CH3OH) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), to fuel on the NOx emission has been studied. A moment closure method with the assumed β probability density function (PDF) for mixture fraction is used in the present work to model the turbulent non-premixed combustion process in the furnace. The combustion model is based on the assumption of instantaneous full chemical equilibrium. The results showed that CH3OH is effective in the reduction of NOx in a regenerative industrial furnace. However, H2O2 has no significant effect on the NOx emission.

2004 ◽  
Vol 126 (2) ◽  
pp. 159-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Q. Jiang ◽  
C. Zhang ◽  
J. Jiang

The analysis of the combustion process and NOx emission in a gas-fired regenerative industrial furnace has been carried out numerically. The effect of the additive, methanol CH3OH, to the fuel on the NOx emission is studied. A moment closure method with the assumed β Probability Density Function (PDF) for the mixture fraction is used to model the turbulent non-premixed combustion process in the furnace. The combustion model is based on the assumption of instantaneous full chemical equilibrium. The P-1 model is chosen as the radiation model, and the Weighted-Sum-of-Gray-Gases Model is used to calculate the absorption coefficient. The numerical results showed that the use of CH3OH is effective in the reduction of NOx in a regenerative industrial furnace. The mechanism of NOx reduction by the use of CH3OH is also discussed.


2005 ◽  
Vol 129 (2) ◽  
pp. 134-143 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qing Jiang ◽  
Chao Zhang ◽  
Jin Jiang

Preliminary study has shown that the flue gas recirculation (FGR) is one of the effective ways to reduce the nitric oxides (NOx) emission in industrial furnaces. The sensitivity of the NOx emission from a FGR industrial furnace to the change in three major furnace input variables—inlet combustion air mass flow rate, inlet combustion air temperature, and pressure head of the FGR fan—is investigated numerically in this study. The investigation is carried out in frequency domain by superimposing sinusoidal signals of different frequencies on to the furnace control inputs around the design operating condition, and observing the frequency responses. The results obtained in this study can be used in the design of active combustion control systems to reduce NOx emission. The numerical simulation of the turbulent non-premixed combustion process in the furnace is conducted using a moment closure method with the assumed β probability density function for the mixture fraction. The combustion model is derived based on the assumption of instantaneous full chemical equilibrium. The discrete transfer radiation model is chosen as the radiation heat transfer model, and the weighted-sum-of-gray-gases model is used to calculate the absorption coefficient.


Author(s):  
Q. Jiang ◽  
C. Zhang ◽  
J. Jiang

Preliminary study has shown that the flue gas recirculation (FGR) is one of the effective ways to reduce the Nitric Oxides (NOx) emission in industrial furnaces. The research reported in this paper concentrates mainly on the development of dynamic models suitable for on-line and real-time feedback control to reduce the NOx emission in industrial furnaces with FGR. To construct an appropriate dynamic model, the relationship between the NOx emission and the furnace input variables, such as the inlet combustion air mass flow rate, inlet combustion air temperature, and the pressure head of the FGR fan, has been investigated. A moment closure method with the assumed β probability density function (PDF) for the mixture fraction is used to model the turbulent non-premixed combustion process in the furnace. The combustion model is derived based on the assumption of instantaneous full chemical equilibrium. The discrete transfer radiation model is chosen as the radiation heat transfer model, and the weighted-sum-of-gray-gases model is used to calculate the absorption coefficient.


1999 ◽  
Vol 122 (2) ◽  
pp. 287-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Zhang ◽  
T. Ishii ◽  
Y. Hino ◽  
S. Sugiyama

A numerical procedure is presented to predict the turbulent non-premixed combustion flames in regenerative furnaces. A moment closure method with the assumed β probability density function (PDF) for the mixture fraction is used in the present work. The procedure is applied to an experimental regenerative slab reheat furnace developed in NKK to demonstrate its predictive capability. The predictions are compared with the experimental data. The comparison is favorable. [S0022-1481(00)01302-5]


2019 ◽  
Vol 103 (4) ◽  
pp. 847-869 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Giusti ◽  
E. Mastorakos

AbstractThe development of better laser-based experimental methods and the fast rise in computer power has created an unprecedented shift in turbulent combustion research. The range of species and quantities measured and the advent of kHz-level planar diagnostics are now providing great insights in important phenomena and applications such as local and global extinction, pollutants, and spray combustion that were hitherto unavailable. In simulations, the shift to LES allows better representation of the turbulent flow in complex geometries, but despite the fact that the grid size is smaller than in RANS, the push towards realistic conditions and the need to include more detailed chemistry that includes very fast species and thin reaction zones emphasize the necessity of a sub-grid turbulent combustion model. The paper discusses examples from current research with experiments and modelling that focus on flame transients (self-excited oscillations, local extinction), sprays, soot emissions, and on practical applications. These demonstrate how current models are being validated by experimental data and the concerted efforts the community is taking to promote the modelling tools to industry. In addition, the various coordinated International Workshops on non-premixed, premixed, and spray flames, and on soot are discussed and some of their target flames are explored. These comprise flames that are relatively simple to describe from a fluid mechanics perspective but contain difficult-to-model combustion problems such as extinction, pollutants and multi-mode reaction zones. Recently, swirl spray flames, which are more representative of industrial devices, have been added to the target flames. Typically, good agreement is found with LES and some combustion models such as the progress variable - mixture fraction flamelet model, the Conditional Moment Closure, and the Transported PDF method, but predicting soot emissions and the condition of complete extinction in complex geometries is still elusive.


Author(s):  
Carlos Velez ◽  
Scott Martin ◽  
Aleksander Jemcov ◽  
Subith Vasu

The tabulated premixed conditional moment closure (T-PCMC) method has been shown to provide the capability to model turbulent, premixed methane flames with detailed chemistry and reasonable runtimes in Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) environment by Martin et al. (2013, “Modeling an Enclosed, Turbulent Reacting Methane Jet With the Premixed Conditional Moment Closure Method,” ASME Paper No. GT2013-95092). Here, the premixed conditional moment closure (PCMC) method is extended to large eddy simulation (LES). The new model is validated with the turbulent, enclosed reacting methane backward facing step data from El Banhawy et al. (1983, “Premixed, Turbulent Combustion of a Sudden-Expansion Flow,” Combust. Flame, 50, pp. 153–165). The experimental data have a rectangular test section at atmospheric pressure and temperature with an inlet velocity of 10.5 m/s and an equivalence ratio of 0.9 for two different step heights. Contours of major species, velocity, and temperature are provided. The T-PCMC model falls into the class of table lookup turbulent combustion models in which the combustion model is solved offline over a range of conditions and stored in a table that is accessed by the computational fluid dynamic (CFD) code using three controlling variables: the reaction progress variable (RPV), variance, and local scalar dissipation rate. The local scalar dissipation rate is used to account for the affects of the small-scale mixing on the reaction rates. A presumed shape beta function probability density function (PDF) is used to account for the effects of subgrid scale (SGS) turbulence on the reactions. SGS models are incorporated for the scalar dissipation and variance. The open source CFD code OpenFOAM is used with the compressible Smagorinsky LES model. Velocity, temperature, and major species are compared to the experimental data. Once validated, this low “runtime” CFD turbulent combustion model will have great utility for designing the next generation of lean premixed (LPM) gas turbine combustors.


Author(s):  
Andrea Giusti ◽  
Savvas Gkantonas ◽  
Jenna M. Foale ◽  
Epaminondas Mastorakos

The understanding of the processes involved in soot formation and oxidation is a critical factor for a reliable prediction of emissions in aero-engines, particularly as legislation becomes increasingly stringent. This work studies the flame structure and soot formation in a lab-scale burner, which reproduces the main features of a Rich-Quench-Lean (RQL) combustor, using high-fidelity numerical simulations. The investigated burner, developed at the University of Cambridge, is based on a bluff-body swirl-stabilised ethylene flame, with air provided in the primary region through two concentric swirling flows and quenching enabled by means of four dilution jets at variable distance downstream. Measurements for different air split between the two inlet swirling flows and dilution ports, and different height of the dilution jets, indicate noticeable differences in the soot tendency. Numerical simulations have been performed using Large-Eddy Simulation with the Conditional Moment Closure combustion model and a two-equation model for soot, allowing a detailed resolution of the mixing field and to directly take into account the effect of turbulent transport on the flame structure, which has been shown to have an important effect on the soot formation and evolution. The main objective of this work is to study the flow field and mixing characteristics in the burner’s primary region, in order to improve the understanding of the mechanisms leading to the soot behaviour observed in the experiment at different operating conditions. Results show the key role of mixing in determining the level of soot in the burner, with the soot production mainly related to the extension of the flame zone characterized by a rich mixture, with pyrolysis products and soot precursors. The presence of additional dilution air seems to improve the oxidation and leads to a leaner mixture in the primary combustion region whereas the air added through the outer swirl stream seems to have less impact on the mixture formation in the primary region. Analysis of the solution in mixture fraction space shows the importance of residence time for the soot formation and highlights the existence of a range of values of mixture fraction, between 0.1 and 0.2, where the soot production terms are maximum. High residence times and local air-to-fuel ratio in the range of high soot production should be avoided to decrease the level of soot mass fraction in the burner.


Author(s):  
Juncheng Li ◽  
Zhiyu Han ◽  
Cai Shen ◽  
Chia-fon Lee

In this paper, the effects of the start of injection (SOI) timing and exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) rate on the nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions of a biodiesel-powered diesel engine are studied with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) coupling with a chemical kinetics model. The KIVA code coupling with a CHEMKIN-II chemistry solver is applied to the simulation of the in-cylinder combustion process. A surrogate biodiesel mechanism consisting of two fuel components is employed as the combustion model of soybean biodiesel. The in-cylinder combustion processes of the cases with four injection timings and three EGR rates are simulated. The simulation results show that the calculated NOx emissions of the cases with default EGR rate are reduced by 20.3% and 32.9% when the injection timings are delayed by 2- and 4-deg crank angle, respectively. The calculated NOx emissions of the cases with 24.0% and 28.0% EGR are reduced by 38.4% and 62.8%, respectively, compared to that of the case with default SOI and 19.2% EGR. But higher EGR rate deteriorates the soot emission. When EGR rate is 28.0% and SOI is advanced by 2 deg, the NOx emission is reduced by 55.1% and soot emission is controlled as that of the case with 24% EGR and default SOI. The NOx emissions of biodiesel combustion can be effectively improved by SOI retardation or increasing EGR rate. Under the studied engine operating conditions, introducing more 4.8% EGR into the intake air with unchanged SOI is more effective for NOx emission controlling than that of 4-deg SOI retardation with default EGR rate.


2014 ◽  
Vol 694 ◽  
pp. 45-48
Author(s):  
Qun Zhang ◽  
Hua Sheng Xu ◽  
Tao Gui ◽  
Shun Li Sun ◽  
Yue Wu ◽  
...  

A twin annular premixing swirler (TAPS) combustor model of low emissions was developed in this study. And computational studies on combustion process in the combustor model were carried out. Standard k-ε Turbulence Model, PDF non-premixed combustion model, Zeldovich thermal NOx formation model and DPM two-phase model were employed. The distributions of some key performance parameters such as gas temperature, flow velocity, concentrations of NOx and CO emissions were obtained and analyzed. At the same time, combustion mechanics inside the TAPS combustor model were investigated. The computational results indicated that the TAPS combustor employed in this study does a better job of improving key combustion performances such as combustion efficiency, total pressure recovery and outlet temperature distribution factor, and reducing NOx and CO emissions at the same time.


1998 ◽  
Vol 120 (4) ◽  
pp. 276-284 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Ishii ◽  
C. Zhang ◽  
S. Sugiyama

The numerical simulations of reactive turbulent flows and heat transfer in an industrial slab reheat furnace in which the combustion air is highly preheated have been carried out. The influence of the ratio of the air and fuel injection velocities on the NOx production rate in the furnace has also been studied numerically. A moment closure method with the assumed β probability density function (PDF) for mixture fraction was used in the present work to model the turbulent non-premixed combustion process in the furnace. The combustion model was based on the assumption of instantaneous full chemical equilibrium. The turbulence was modeled by the standard k-ε model with a wall function. The numerical simulations have provided complete information on the flow, heat, and mass transfer in the furnace. The results also indicate that a low NOx emission and high heating efficiency can be achieved in the slab reheat furnace by using low NOx regenerative burners. It is found that the air/fuel injection velocity ratio has a strong influence on the NOx production rate in the furnace.


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