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The fundamentals and thermodynamic analysis of high-temperature air combustion (HiTAC) technology is presented. The HiTAC is characterized by high temperature of combustion air having low oxygen concentration. This study provides a theoretical analysis of HiTAC process from the thermodynamic point of view. The results demonstrate the possibilities of reducing thermodynamic irreversibility of combustion by considering an oxygen-deficient combustion process that utilizes both gas and heat recirculations. HiTAC conditions reduce irreversibility. Furthermore, combustion with the use of oxygen (in place of air) is also analyzed. The results showed that a system, which utilizes oxygen as an oxidizer, results in higher first and second law efficiencies as compared to the case with air as the oxidizer. The entropy generation for an adiabatic combustion process is reduced by more than 60% due to the effect of either preheating or oxygen enrichment. This study is aimed at providing technical guidance to further improve efficiency of a combustion process, which shows very small temperature increases due to mild chemical reactions. [DOI: 10.1115/1.2795757]

Particle image velocimetry and a spectroscopy technique has been used to obtain information on the flow dynamics and flame thermal signatures of a fuel jet injected into a cross-flow of normal temperature and very high-temperature combustion air. Flame fluctuations were obtained using a high-speed camera and then performing fast Fourier transform on the signal. High-temperature air combustion has been demonstrated to provide significant energy savings, higher heat flux, and reduction of pollution and equipment size of industrial furnaces. The dynamics of flow associated with high temperature combustion air conditions (for mean velocity, axial strain rate and vorticity) has been obtained in two-dimensional using propane and methane as the fuels. The data have been compared with normal temperature combustion air case, including the nonburning case. A specially designed experimental test furnace facility was used to provide wellcontrolled conditions and allowed air preheats to 1100[degrees]C using regenerative burners. Four different experimental cases have been examined. The momentum flux ratio between the burning and nonburning conditions was kept constant to provide comparison between cases. The results provide the role of high-temperature combustion air on the dynamics of the flow, turbulence, and mixing under nonburning and combustion conditions. The data provide the direct role of combustion on flow dynamics, turbulence, and flame fluctuations. High-temperature combustion air at low-oxygen concentration showed larger flame volume with less fluctuation than normal or high-temperature normal air cases. High-temperature combustion air technology prolongs mixing in the combustion zone to enhance the flame volume, reduce flame fluctuations, and to provide uniform flow and thermal characteristics. This information assists in model validation and model development for new applications and technology development using high-temperature air combustion principles. [DOI: 10.1115/1.2436558] Keywords: high temperature air combustion, flow dynamics, energy conservation, pollution reduction

A chemical equilibrium model was developed to predict the product composition of a biomass gasification system using highly preheated air and steam. The advantages and limitations of this system were discussed from a thermodynamic viewpoint. The first and second law analyses have been conducted for various preheating temperatures and steam/biomass mass (S/B) ratios. The results demonstrated that the chemical energy output of the produced syngas is highest when the S/B ratio is 1.83 under the conditions used in this study. However, higher S/B ratios have a negative effect on the energy and exergy efficiencies. Higher preheating temperatures increase the chemical energy of the produced syngas and the two efficiencies. The peak values for the energy and exergy efficiencies are 81.5% and 76.2%, respectively. Based on the calculated limitation values, where the highest chemical energy (exergy) of the produced syngas and maximum achievable efficiencies are determined, a thermodynamically possible operating region is suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experimental research on the pyrolysis and gasification of randomly packed straw pellets was conducted with an emphasis on the reactive properties of the shrinking porous structure of the pellets. The apparent kinetics of such pyrolysis was approximated by the random pore, grain, and volumetric models. The best approximation results were obtained with the grain and random pore models. The self-organized oscillations of the pellet conversion rate during pyrolysis were observed. Two complementary explanations of the phenomenon are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the influence of oxide scale on heat transfer during reheating of steel. It presents methodology and development of a mathematical model for prediction of the influence of oxide scale on heat transfer during reheating of steel in an industrial furnace. Using the model, temperatures inside the steel billet were measured and with thermocouples at selected places and were collected by a water cooled computer that was traveling inside the slab.

The article discusses a study which examines transient surface temperature, heat flux and effective heat transfer coefficient of a steel slab heated in an industrial reheating furnace. A model for inverse heat conduction is used to calculate the transient surface temperature, heat flux and effective heat transfer coefficient.

A mathematical model has been formulated for predicting the main chemical and physical processes taking place during the fixed-bed gasification of biomass fuels using high temperature air (up to 1000°C). Predicted gas species concentrations profiles and their maximum values are in good agreement with measurements. The results also show that when the temperature of feed gas (air) is increased a higher gasification rate, higher molar fractions of fuel gases (CO, H2 and CmHn) are obtained, thus resulting in a higher LHV. At a high flow rate of the feed gases, the peaks of the fuel gas concentrations are slightly increased, and the gasification rate is strongly increased. A smaller particle size of the biomass fuels leads to higher peak values of the fuel gas species molar fractions, and a more stable gasification zone for a relatively long period of time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: To meet the urgent environmental targets, substituting coal with biomass has been considered to be an effective and promising method over the last decades. In this paper, a new concept of volumetric combustion is proposed and further developed to achieve 100% fuel switching to biomass in large scale coal-fired boilers. Volumetric combustion not only changes the in-furnace flow but also affects the combustion reactions by the intensive mixing and internal recirculation of the flue gases. Firstly, the volumetric combustion properties of the wood pellets were investigated experimentally. An Aspen model was then used to thermodynamically describe and study the volumetric combustion with three different types of fuel, and the emission properties of CO2 and NOx were compared. Finally, two applications of volumetric combustion were discussed. It is concluded that the wood pellets ignited and combusted much faster than the coal pellets and had a larger combustion volume when combusted under lower oxygen concentration conditions, and the ignition time was almost independent of the oxygen concentration when the oxidizer was preheated to 1000°C. In addition, the NOx emissions decreased as the recirculation ratio of the flue gas increased, and as the percentage of biomass used in co-firing increased, the amount of flue gas that needs to be recycled for reduction of NOx decreased. Thus, the volumetric combustion is beneficial as it reduces the operation cost of NOx reduction. The volumetric combustion would be an attractive technology for co-firing a large proportion of biomass in coal-fired boilers with high boiler efficiency and effective emissions reduction. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

High-temperature air combustion using the high-cycle generator is attracting great interest in metallurgical industries. Flame configurations play a very important role when a modern regenerative burner system is adopted in an industrial furnace because multi-burners are required. Numerical studies of combustion in a semi-industrial scale test furnace equipped with two sets of two-flame high-cycle regenerative system have been performed and results were compared with experimental values. Influences of flame configurations on combustion properties and NO emissions of LPG with high- temperature air were numerical studies as well as excess air ratio. The flame volume and size were figured out by a parameter named as oxidation mixture ratio. It is found that the flame configurations have strong influences on the combustion and flame properties as well as NO emission. Increasing the excess air ratio leads to increasing of NO emission. Lesser the ratio of fuel/air injection momentum larger is the NO production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this work, the flame characteristics of torrefied biomass were studied numerically under high-temperature air conditions to further understand the combustion performances of biomass. Three torrefied biomasses were prepared with different torrefaction degrees after by releasing 10%, 20%, and 30% of volatile matter on a dry basis and characterized in laboratory with standard and high heating rate analyses. The effects of the torrefaction degree, oxygen concentration, transport air velocity, and particle size on the flame position, flame shape, and peak temperature are discussed based on both direct measurements in a laboratory-scale furnace and CFD simulations. The results primarily showed that the enhanced drag force on the biomass particles caused a late release of volatile matter and resulted in a delay in the ignition of the fuel–air mixture, and the maximum flame diameter was mainly affected by the volatile content of the biomass materials. Furthermore, oxidizers with lower oxygen concentrations always resulted in a larger flame volume, a lower peak flame temperature and a lower NO emission. Finally, a longer flame was found when the transport air velocity was lower, and the flame front gradually moved to the furnace exit as the particle size increased. The results could be used as references for designing a new biomass combustion chamber or switching an existing coal-fired boiler to the combustion of biomass. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Torrefied biomass has several benefits, such as higher energy density, good grindability, higher flowability and uniformity. The process of torrefaction moves the chemical and physical properties of raw biomass close to that of bituminous coal, which allows co-utilization with high substitution ratios of biomass in the existing coal-fired boilers without major modifications. In this study, a torrefaction based co-firing system was proposed and studied. Devolatilization and char oxidize kinetics of the torrefied biomass have been investigated experimentally. CFD modeling of co-firing with varying substitutions of torrefied biomass in a pulverized coal boiler have been carried out. To figure out the boiler performance when co-firing torrefied biomass, five different cases were involved and simulated, coal only, 25% biomass, 50% biomass, 75% biomass, and 100% biomass on thermal basis, respectively. The results showed torrefaction is able to provide a technical option for high substitution ratios of biomass in the co-firing system. The case-study pulverized coal boiler could be fired 100% torrefied biomass without obvious decreasing of the boiler efficiency and fluctuation of boiler load. More positively, the net CO2 and the NO x emissions significantly reduced with increasing of biomass substitutions in the co-firing system. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Plasma Gasification Melting (PGM) is a novel gasification technology which offers a promising treatment of low-heating-value fuels like municipal solid waste (MSW), medical waste (MW) and other types of waste. By considering the differences in pyrolysis characteristics between cellulosic fractions and plastics in MSW, a semi-empirical model was developed to predict the performance of the PGM process. The measured results of MSW air and steam gasification in a PGM demo-reactor are demonstrated and compared with the model predicted results. Then, the effects of dimensionless operation parameters (ER, PER, and SAMR) are discussed. It was found that all three numbers have positive effects on system cold gas efficiency (CGE). The reasons can be attributed to promoted tar cracking by enhanced heat supply. The effects of PER and ASME on syngas LHV are also positive. The influence of ER on syngas pyrolysis can be divided into two parts. When 0.04

Abstract: Experiments on gasification of chars obtained from original and pulverised wood pellets were conducted in atmosphere of water steam and nitrogen under temperatures of 800, 900 and 950°C. Molar flow rates of carbon containing product gases were measured and approximated using different models with respect to extents of carbon conversion in char of the pellets. Comparison of the random pore, grain and volumetric models revealed the best applicability for approximations of the random pore model. Apparent activation energies obtained as a result of application of the models to the data from experiments with char of original pellets were higher in comparison to those of pulverised pellets, except for a grain model. Approximations under 800°C showed relatively big deviations from experimental data on the beginning of char gasification. This is attributed to catalytic effects from alkali metals in the pellets. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A new carbon capture and recycle (CCR) system based on multi-reforming of CH4 with CO2 is proposed in this study. The aim was to develop a novel method to remediate greenhouse gases (CO2) using a high temperature (over 1173 K) process of reforming CH4 and/or O2, and/or H2O without catalysts. Using this novel method, the reactants are individually preheated to over 1173 K using a ceramic honeycomb heat exchanger, and then these high temperature streams enter the reactor to start the reforming reactions. Both thermodynamic and experimental studies were carried out on this novel method. Thermodynamic equilibrium models were built for four types of reforming, including dry reforming, bi-reforming, auto-thermal reforming, and tri-reforming. Only dry reforming was experimentally tested. The feasibility of this novel technology was proven by simulated and experimental results. High temperatures significantly promoted the multi-reforming process while avoiding the problem of catalyst deactivation. The experimental results on the direct system also showed that potential improvements in the efficiency of the novel technology could be achieved by optimizing the reforming reactants. Therefore, a continuous system was proposed. Moreover, the power source for the application of CCR systems was also discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]