BIOMASS REBURNING - MODELING/ENGINEERING STUDIES

This project is designed to develop engineering and modeling tools for a family of NO{sub x} control technologies utilizing biomass as a reburning fuel. During the tenth reporting period (January 1-March 31, 2000), EER and NETL R and D group continued to work on Tasks 2, 3, 4, and 5. Information regarding these tasks will be included in the next Quarterly Report. This report includes (Appendix 1) a conceptual design study for the introduction of biomass reburning in a working coal-fired utility boiler. This study was conducted under the coordinated SBIR program funded by the U. S. Department of Agriculture

Utilization of Partially Gasified Coal for Mercury Removal

In this project, General Electric Energy and Environmental Research Corporation (EER) developed a novel mercury (Hg) control technology in which the sorbent for gas-phase Hg removal is produced from coal in a gasification process in-situ at a coal burning plant. The main objective of this project was to obtain technical information necessary for moving the technology from pilot-scale testing to a full-scale demonstration. A pilot-scale gasifier was used to generate sorbents from both bituminous and subbituminous coals. Once the conditions for optimizing sorbent surface area were identified, sorbents with the highest surface area were tested in a pilot-scale combustion tunnel for their effectiveness in removing Hg from coal-based flue gas. It was determined that the highest surface area sorbents generated from the gasifier process ({approx}600 m{sup 2}/g) had about 70%-85% of the reactivity of activated carbon at the same injection rate (lb/ACF), but were effective in removing 70% mercury at injection rates about 50% higher than that of commercially available activated carbon. In addition, mercury removal rates of up to 95% were demonstrated at higher sorbent injection rates. Overall, the results of the pilot-scale tests achieved the program goals, which were to achieve at least 70% Hg removal from baseline emissions levels at 25% or less of the cost of activated carbon injection

Second Generation Advanced Reburning for High Efficiency NOx Control

This project develops a family of novel Second Generation Advanced Reburning (SGAR) NO{sub x} control technologies, which can achieve 95% NO{sub x} control in coal fired boilers at a significantly lower cost than Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR). The conventional Advanced Reburning (AR) process integrates basic reburning and N-agent injection. The SGAR systems include six AR variants: (1) AR-Lean--injection of the N-agent and promoter along with overfire air; (2) AR-Rich--injection of N-agent and promoter into the reburning zone; (3) Multiple Injection Advanced Reburning (MIAR)--injection of N-agents and promoters both into the reburning zone and with overfire air; (4) AR-Lean + Promoted SNCR--injection of N-agents and promoters with overfire air and into the temperature zone at which Selective Non-Catalytic Reduction (SNCR) is effective; (5) AR-Rich + Promoted SNCR--injection of N-agents and promoters into the reburning zone and into the SNCR zone; and (6) Promoted Reburning + Promoted SNCR--basic or promoted reburning followed by basic or promoted SNCR process. The project was conducted in two phases over a five-year period. The work included a combination of analytical and experimental studies to confirm the process mechanisms, identify optimum process configurations, and develop a design methodology for full-scale applications. Phase I was conducted from October, 1995 to September, 1997 and included both analytical studies and tests in bench and pilot-scale test rigs. Phase I moved AR technology to Maturity Level III-Major Subsystems. Phase II is conducted over a 45 month period (October, 1997-June, 2001). Phase II included evaluation of alternative promoters, development of alternative reburning fuel and N-Agent jet mixing systems, and scale up. The goal of Phase II was to move the technology to Maturity Level I-Subscale Integrated System. Tests in combustion facility ranging in firing rate from 0.1 x 10{sup 6} to 10 x 10{sup 6} Btu/hr demonstrated the viability of the AR technology. The performance goals of the project to reduce NO{sub x} by up to 95% with net emissions less than 0.06 lb/10{sup 6} Btu and to minimize other pollutants (N{sub 2}O and NH{sub 3}) to levels lower than reburning and SNCR have been met. Experimental data demonstrated that AR-Lean + SNCR and Reburning + SNCR are the most effective AR configurations, followed by AR-Lean and AR-Rich. Promoters can increase AR NO{sub x} reduction efficiency. Promoters are the most effective at small amounts of the reburning fuel (6-10% of the total fuel heat input). Promoters provide the means to improve NO{sub x} reduction and simultaneously decrease the amount of reburning fuel. Tests also showed that alkali-containing compounds are effective promoters of the AR process. When co-injected with N-agent, they provide up to 25 % improvement in NO{sub x} reduction. A detailed reaction mechanism and simplified representation of mixing were used in modeling of AR processes. Modeling results demonstrated that the model correctly described a wide range of experimental data. Mixing and thermal parameters in the model can be adjusted depending on characteristics of the combustion facility. Application of the model to the optimization of AR-Lean has been demonstrated. Economic analysis demonstrated a considerable economic advantage of AR technologies in comparison with existing commercial NO{sub x} control techniques, such as basic reburning, SNCR, and SCR. Particularly for deep NO{sub x} control, coal-based AR technologies are 50% less expansive than SCR for the same level of NO{sub x} control. The market for AR technologies is estimated to be above $110 million

Reducing NOx Emissions by Coal Reburning: Pilot Scale Process Studies

Reburning is a NOx reduction technique which is gaining wide interest for the control of NOx emissions from utility boilers. Unlike alternative control techniques such as low NOx burners and selective non-catalytic reduction, rebuming has been demonstrated to achieve high levels of control with no measurable by-produc t emissions. While natural gas has predominantly been used as the reburning fuel in full-scale demonstrations of reburning technology, oil and coal may also used. Coal is a nitrogen bearing fuel, and the extent to which this impacts the reburning process overall control efficiency depends primarily upon fuel nitrogen content and nitrogen reactivity. In reburning, complete combustion of the reburning fuel is always a concern because of the limited time and temperature for reactions to occur. Because coal does not burn as readily as natural gas, coal reburning has the potential to increase unburned carbon losses. Finally, coal ash can slag under fuel rich conditions leading to increased deposits on the boiler walls in the rebum lone . The use of some coals in specific boiler situations may be unacceptable from a boiler operability point of view. This paper describes the results of a pilot scale study supported by the Canadian Electrical Association of the process parameters influencing the coal reburning process. The goal of the project described in this paper was to identify the characteristics of Canadian utility coals that will result in low NOx emissions, low unburned carbon levels and have minimal impact on boiler performance. To accomplish this, selected Canadian utility coals were evaluated in a small pilot scale furnace over a range of operating conditions simulating full-scale utility boilers. The test results provide signifIcant insight into the impacts of coal type and properties on the reburning process and are provide critical information needed to optimize the application of the coal reburning process to Canadian utility boilers

Application of Gas Reburning Technology to Glass Furnaces for NOx Emissions Control

Like many other high-temperature industrial processes, glass furnaces produce high concentrations of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) due to the high combustion temperatures required to process the glass batch raw materials. Since increasingly stringent air quality regulations are forcing the glass industry to reduce emissions of NOx, there is significant interest in technologies which can be applied to glass furnaces to achieve high levels of emissions control cost effectively. For glass furnaces, available options for NOx control are either very expensive or have the potential to negatively impact the process. Gas Reburning is a NOx control technology which has successfully been demonstrated on utility boilers to provide moderate to high NOx removal efficiencies at a moderate cost per ton of NOx abated. This paper describes the results of a study to assess the potential for and economics of applying gas reburning technology to industrial glass furnaces. Model furnaces were defined for glass furnaces employed in the manufacturing of flat, container, and fiber glass to permit a detailed evaluation of reburning technology. Conceptual reburning system designs for each model plant were developed to permit the process performance and costs to be established. Chemical kinetic and heat transfer models were used, respectively, to assess the potential reductions in NOx emissions achievable and to evaluate the impacts of the reburning process on the overall furnace thermal efficiency. Costs for application of reburning technology to glass furnaces were developed and compared to other available technologies for control of NOx emissions

ACHIEVING NEW SOURCE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS (NSPS) EMISSION STANDARDS THROUGH INTEGRATION OF LOW-NOx BURNERS WITH AN OPTIMIZATION PLAN FOR BOILER COMBUSTION

The objective of this project is to demonstrate the use of an Integrated Combustion Optimization System to achieve NO{sub x} emissions levels in the range of 0.15 to 0.22 lb/MMBtu while simultaneously enabling increased power output. The project consists of the integration of low-NO{sub x} burners and advanced overfire air technology with various process measurement and control devices on the Holcomb Station Unit 1 boiler. The project includes the use of sophisticated neural networks or other artificial intelligence technologies and complex software that can optimize several operating parameters, including NO{sub x} emissions, boiler efficiency, and CO emissions. The program is being performed in three phases. In Phase I, the boiler is being equipped with sensors that can be used to monitor furnace conditions and coal flow to permit improvements in boiler operation. In Phase II, the boiler will be equipped with burner modifications designed to reduce NO{sub x} emissions and automated coal flow dampers to permit on-line fuel balancing. In Phase III, the boiler will be equipped with an overfire air system to permit deep reductions in NO{sub x} emissions to be achieved. Integration of the overfire air system with the improvements made in Phases I and II will permit optimization of the boiler performance, output, and emissions. During this reporting period, efforts were focused on completion of Phase I and Phase II activities. The low-NO{sub x} burner modifications, the coal flow dampers, and the coal flow monitoring system were procured and installed during a boiler outage in March 2003. During this reporting period, optimization tests were performed to evaluate system performance and identify optimum operating conditions for the installed equipment. The overfire air system process design activities and preliminary engineering design were completed

ADVANCED BIOMASS REBURNING FOR HIGH EFFICIENCY NOx CONTROL AND BIOMASS REBURNING - MODELING/ENGINEERING STUDIES JOINT FINAL REPORT

This report presents results of studies under a Phase II SBIR program funded by the U. S. Department of Agriculture, and a closely coordinated project sponsored by the DOE National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL, formerly FETC). The overall Phase II objective of the SBIR project is to experimentally optimize the biomass reburning technologies and conduct engineering design studies needed for process demonstration at full scale. The DOE project addresses supporting issues for the process design including modeling activities, economic studies of biomass handling, and experimental evaluation of slagging and fouling. The performance of biomass has been examined in a 300 kW (1 x 10{sup 6} Btu/hr) Boiler Simulator Facility under different experimental conditions. Fuels under investigation include furniture waste, willow wood and walnut shells. Tests showed that furniture pellets and walnut shells provided similar NO{sub x} control as that of natural gas in basic reburning at low heat inputs. Maximum NO{sub x} reduction achieved with walnut shell and furniture pellets was 65% and 58% respectively. Willow wood provided a maximum NO{sub x} reduction of 50% and was no better than natural gas at any condition tested. The efficiency of biomass increases when N-agent is injected into reburning and/or burnout zones, or along with OFA (Advanced Reburning). Co-injection of Na{sub 2}CO{sub 3} with N-agent further increases efficiency of NO{sub x} reduction. Maximum NO{sub x} reduction achieved with furniture pellets and willow wood in Advanced Reburning was 83% and 78% respectively. All combustion experiments of the Phase II project have been completed. All objectives of the experimental tasks were successfully met. The kinetic model of biomass reburning has been developed. Model agrees with experimental data for a wide range of initial conditions and thus correctly represents main features of the reburning process. Modeling suggests that the most important factors that provide high efficiency of biomass in reburning are low fuel-N content and high content of alkali metals in ash. These results indicate that the efficiency of biomass as a reburning fuel may be predicted based on its ultimate, proximate, and ash analyses. The results of experimental and kinetic modeling studies were utilized in applying a validated methodology for reburning system design to biomass reburning in a typical coal-fired boiler. Based on the trends in biomass reburning performance and the characteristics of the boiler under study, a preliminary process design for biomass reburning was developed. Physical flow models were applied to specific injection parameters and operating scenarios, to assess the mixing performance of reburning fuel and overfire air jets which is of paramount importance in achieving target NO{sub x} control performance. The two preliminary cases studied showed potential as candidate reburning designs, and demonstrated that similar mixing performance could be achieved in operation with different quantities of reburning fuel. Based upon this preliminary evaluation, EER has determined that reburning and advanced reburning technologies can be successfully applied using biomass. Pilot-scale studies on biomass reburning conducted by EER have indicated that biomass is an excellent reburning fuel. This generic design study provides a template approach for future demonstrations in specific installations