Flameless Combustion Process for Reducing PM 2.5 Emissions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current combustion processes fail to effectively reduce the emission of fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) and the corrosive impact of basic ashes on combustor and thermal recovery plant materials, leading to environmental and health concerns, especially when using fuels with high ash content.
Innovation Solution
A combustion process involving a comburent, fuel, and specific components: sulphur or sulphur-containing compounds, and low-melting salts/oxides, operated isothermally and flamelessly at high temperatures, which transforms basic ashes into inert compounds, reducing PM 2.5 emissions and minimizing corrosive effects on materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional combustion processes are used with fuels containing basic ashes, then thermal energy transformation is achieved, but PM 2.5 emissions increase and corrosive effects on materials occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful basic ashes (alkaline metals) into beneficial inert compounds by reacting them with sulphur compounds and low-melting salts/oxides. The basic ashes that would normally cause corrosion and PM 2.5 emissions are transformed into stable compounds that precipitate out of the flue gas, eliminating their harmful effects while maintaining thermal energy transformation efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the combustion process by introducing specific reactants (sulphur compounds, low-melting salts/oxides) that alter the chemical state of basic ashes from reactive alkaline metals to inert compounds. This parameter change in chemical composition transforms the harmful emissions into harmless precipitates
2Adaptability or versatility
If high ash content fuels are used, then fuel versatility and economic viability improve, but PM 2.5 emissions and material corrosion increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent turns the harmful basic ashes present in high ash content fuels into beneficial inert compounds. By adding sulphur compounds and low-melting salts/oxides, the basic ashes are converted into stable precipitates that can be easily separated from flue gas, enabling the use of high ash content fuels without the usual environmental and material damage problems
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediary substances (sulphur compounds and low-melting salts/oxides) that mediate between the basic ashes and the flue gas. These intermediaries react with basic ashes to form inert compounds, preventing direct contact between harmful basic ashes and environmental materials, thus enabling fuel versatility with high ash content
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional materials are used in thermal recovery plants, then manufacturing cost decreases, but resistance to basic ash corrosion is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by converting basic ashes into inert compounds before they can reach the thermal recovery plant materials. The sulphur compounds and low-melting salts/oxides react with basic ashes in the combustor to form precipitates that are removed from the flue gas stream, preventing corrosion of downstream materials and allowing use of conventional, cost-effective materials in thermal recovery plants
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful basic ashes into beneficial inert compounds that protect thermal recovery plant materials. By transforming basic ashes into stable precipitates through reaction with sulphur compounds and low-melting salts/oxides, the system eliminates corrosion threats to conventional materials, enabling cost-effective plant construction without requiring expensive corrosion-resistant alloys
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The process significantly reduces PM 2.5 emissions and prevents corrosion of combustor and thermal recovery plant materials, allowing the use of conventional materials and fuels with high ash content, while achieving high thermal energy transformation yields.
Implementation Method 1
sulphur or compounds containing sulphur... to have a molar ratio BI/CI≧0.5, wherein BI is the sum by moles between the amount of sulphur present in component B)+the amount of sulphur (component BII)) contained in the fuel, CI is the sum by moles between the amount of alkaline and/or alkaline-earth metals contained in the feeding fuel (component CII))+the amount (component C)) of alkaline and/or alkaline-earth metals contained in component B)
Implementation Method 2
component A) comprising low-melting salts and/or oxides or their mixtures, having a melting temperature ≦1,450 K
Implementation Method 3
The combustion process contemporaneously allows to transform the basic ashes (alkaline ashes) contained in fuels... into compounds which are not aggressive at the combustion temperatures
Data Source
AI summary
A combustion process wherein a comburent, a fuel and the following components are fed: i) component B) sulphur or compounds containing sulphur in an amount to have a molar ration B1/C1≧0.5, wherein B1 is the sum by moles between the total amount of sulphur present in component B)+the total amount of sulphur (component B11)) contained in the fuel, C1 is the sum by moles between the total amount of alkaline and/or alkaline-earth metals contained in the fuel (component C11))+the amount (component C)) of alkaline and/or alkaline-earth metals in the form of salts and/or oxides contained in component B), ii) component A), comprising low-melting salts and/or oxides or their mixtures, having a melting temperature<1,450 K, wherein the ratio by weight A′/(A″−A′)≧1:100, wherein A′ is the sum by moles between the metals under the form of low-melting salts and/or oxides or their low melting mixtures in the component A) and the amount of metals of low-melting salts and/or oxides contained in the fuel, A″ is the sum of the amount of all the metals contained in the fuel and those contained in component A), in which the combustor is isothermal and flameless.