An on-site experience with burning coal-oil mixtures in firetube boilers

Journal Article · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1983 · Am. Soc. Mech. Eng., (Pap.); (United States)

OSTI ID:5616623

Singh, S N; Love, D P; Provance, G A; Rangi, B; Wright, R

Industrial and commercial firetube packaged boilers are uniquely designed to use gas or oil fuel. Due to diminishing gas and oil resources, users and sellers of these fuels in the U.S.A. feel concerned about cost and availability. They are seeking a viable, easily adaptable technology to minimize dependency on current suppliers. Synfuels are produced on a small scale, but found uneconomical for immediate application. Therefore, an old concept, mixing powdered coal and fuel oil has been tried. Coal-oil mixtures (COMS) can be used as an alternate for fuel oil by making modifications in the existing boiler system. In this paper, the main focus is on the burning characteristics of COMS, chemistry of COMS with respect to combustion process, and discussion of deposit mechanism in typical firetube boilers. Various coal-oil mixtures were fired in a firetube boiler (Cleaver-Brooks 150 HP), rated at 2270 kg/hr. (5,000 lbs/hr.) steam output. Full firing rate was maintained at 25% excess of stoichiometric air for 8 to 10 hours. Coal macerals appear to play an important role in maintaining a stable combustion process. Flame behavior was observed to be similar to that with number 6 oil until deposits in the combustion chamber and back door became thick enough to block flue gas passage. Engineering design concepts were considered to reduce deposit build up.

• Research Organization: Aqua-Chem Inc., Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• OSTI ID: 5616623
• Journal Information: Am. Soc. Mech. Eng., (Pap.); (United States), Journal Name: Am. Soc. Mech. Eng., (Pap.); (United States) Vol. 83-PET-22; ISSN ASMSA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
014000* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Combustion
02 PETROLEUM
025000 -- Petroleum-- Combustion
42 ENGINEERING
421000 -- Engineering-- Combustion Systems
BOILER FUELS
BOILERS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
COAL
COMBUSTION
COMBUSTION CHAMBERS
DISPERSIONS
ENERGY SOURCES
FLAMES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL OILS
FUEL SLURRIES
FUEL SUBSTITUTION
FUELS
LIQUID FUELS
MACERALS
MATERIALS
MIXTURES
OILS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDATION
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
SCALING
SLURRIES
SUSPENSIONS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES