Cyclonic combustor for low-heating value off-gas incineration

Conference · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:6076186

Abbasi, H A; Khinkis, M J; Waibel, R T; Meder, S R

The combustion characteristics of a low-Btu off-gas and the operating performance of a 3 x 10/sup 6/ Btu/h pilot-scale cyclonic combustor were investigated to evaluate the incineration and heat recovery potential. The average composition of the off-gas was 8.5% H/sub 2/, 1.5% CO, 22% CO/sub 2/, 56% N/sub 2/, 3.4% CH/sub 4/ and higher hydrocarbons, 7.3% H/sub 2/O, 0.5% NH/sub 3/, and 0.15% H/sub 2/S with a higher heating value of 67 Btu/SCF. The cyclonic combustor design was selected based on a survey of burner and combustion equipment manufacturers that were contacted as to the availability of a combustor capable of burning the off-gas. Test work was carried out at the Institute of Gas Technology's Combustion Laboratory using a simulated off-gas doped with various levels of NH/sub 3/ and H/sub 2/S. The results of these tests are described. Stable and efficient combustion (CO < 50 ppM) was achieved at the design firing rate of 3 x 10/sup 6/ Btu/h (specific heat release 6 x 10/sup 4/ Btu/ft/sup 3/-h) and at a 4 to 1 turndown when the average gas was preheated to 350/sup 0/F, and combustion air to 750/sup 0/F with 15% excess air. At these conditions an estimated 65% of the fuel heating value should be available for steam generation. Flame size and shape, gas temperatures within the combustor, and flue gas composition were measured. The NO/sub x/ emissions were about 480 ppM with less than 5% thermal NO/sub x/. NO/sub x/ emissions decreased to 300 ppM when the fuel NH/sub 3/ concentration was reduced by 80% or when the excess air was reduced to 7%. The lower excess air level, however, may not be practical because of the possibility of very high CO emissions resulting from small imbalances in the air/fuel ratio or fuel composition. Combustion air staging and fuel staging techniques were tested for NO/sub x/ reduction. Both techniques were ineffective as tested. The combustor could also be operated on lower heating value gases (down to 54 Btu/SCF) provided it was down rated. 15 figures.

• Research Organization: Institute of Gas Technology, Chicago, IL (USA); American Schack Co., Inc., Pittsburgh, PA
• OSTI ID: 6076186
• Report Number(s): CONF-8410240-1; ON: TI85900657
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
023000* -- Petroleum-- Properties &amp; Composition
42 ENGINEERING
421000 -- Engineering-- Combustion Systems
AIR HEATERS
AMMONIA
CALORIFIC VALUE
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON MONOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMBUSTION
COMBUSTION PRODUCTS
COMBUSTION PROPERTIES
COMBUSTORS
CYCLONE COMBUSTORS
DATA
DESIGN
ENERGY RECOVERY
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FLAMES
FLUE GAS
FLUIDS
FUEL GAS
FUEL-AIR RATIO
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASEOUS WASTES
GASES
HEAT RECOVERY
HEATERS
HEATING
HYDRIDES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
LOW BTU GAS
MANUFACTURERS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN HYDRIDES
NITROGEN OXIDES
NUMERICAL DATA
OFF-GAS SYSTEMS
OXIDATION
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PERFORMANCE
RECOMMENDATIONS
RECOVERY
STABILITY
STAGED COMBUSTION
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
WASTES