Flameless Combustor High-Velocity Injection for Ultra-Low Emissions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional flame-based combustors face challenges in achieving low NOx and CO emissions due to high temperature oxidizing agents, which exceed the limits of metal liners and complicate ceramic manufacturing, and prior flameless combustors require recirculation of flue gases to reduce oxygen concentration, leading to inefficient combustion processes.
Innovation Solution
A flameless combustor design that injects high-velocity oxidizing agents and fuel at evenly distributed locations, maintaining a controlled air-fuel ratio, eliminating the need for flue gas recirculation and allowing the use of high-temperature oxidizing agents, resulting in ultra-low NOx and CO emissions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high temperature oxidising agents are used in conventional flame-based combustors, then combustion efficiency is improved, but NOx emissions increase and metal liners cannot withstand the temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the temperature parameter distribution by using flameless combustion to eliminate localized high temperature zones. The oxidising agent temperature is maintained high for efficiency, but the combustion process distributes heat uniformly, preventing thermal NOx formation while allowing metal liners to withstand the temperatures.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the harmful effect of high temperatures (which cause NOx formation) into a beneficial uniform heat distribution. The high temperature oxidising agent is used, but the flameless combustion process ensures that heat is distributed evenly throughout the combustion chamber, preventing localized thermal peaks that would generate NOx.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If flue gases are recirculated to reduce oxygen concentration in prior flameless combustors, then flameless combustion is achieved, but combustion efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the flue gas recirculation component from the combustion system. Instead of recirculating flue gases to achieve flameless combustion, the system uses direct high-velocity injection of fresh oxidising agent, removing the inefficiency associated with recirculating already-combusted gases while maintaining flameless combustion conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the oxygen concentration parameter by using high-velocity fresh oxidising agent injection instead of flue gas recirculation. This maintains the oxygen levels necessary for efficient combustion while achieving flameless combustion through the high velocity distribution of reactants.
3Temperature
If complex liner geometries with dilution holes are manufactured in conventional combustors, then cooling capability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the need for complex cooling geometries into a benefit by eliminating the requirement for such geometries. The flameless combustion process produces uniform temperature distribution that prevents localized thermal peaks, allowing simple cylindrical liners without complex dilution hole patterns to suffice, thereby greatly simplifying manufacturing.
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 solution achieves ultra-low NOx (<5ppm) and CO (<6ppm) emissions, reducing the need for secondary removal methods and enabling the use of high-temperature oxidizing agents, while simplifying the combustor design and materials, meeting stringent regulatory requirements.
Implementation Method 1
A combustor is a device which ignites and burns a fuel to raise the temperature of a working fluid
Implementation Method 2
increasing gas velocities in the reaction region. The reduction of oxygen reduces the reaction rate and the high gas velocities distribute the reactants sufficiently
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
A flameless combustor usable with multiple fuels comprises a combustion chamber and fuel lines in communication with the chamber.