Optical Pyrometer Combustion Control for Solid Fuel
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current combustion installations face challenges in controlling primary air intake due to the heterogeneity of solid fuels, leading to incomplete combustion, excessive nitrogen oxide formation, and increased energy consumption, as well as fouling and corrosion issues in boiler heat exchangers.
Innovation Solution
The use of optical pyrometers to measure the radiative temperature of primary combustion, allowing for real-time control of primary air flow and distribution, ensuring the optimal ratio of air to fuel in different zones of the combustion chamber.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If excess primary air is admitted to ensure complete combustion of heterogeneous solid fuels, then combustion completeness is improved, but nitrogen oxide formation increases and energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The combustion chamber is divided into multiple zones with independent primary air admission control. Each zone can be regulated separately based on local combustion conditions, allowing precise control of air-fuel ratio to ensure complete combustion while minimizing excess air and nitrogen oxide formation.
Solution Approach 2:
A control system continuously monitors combustion parameters and automatically adjusts primary air admission in each zone. This feedback mechanism ensures optimal combustion completeness while preventing excessive air intake that would lead to nitrogen oxide formation and energy waste.
2Reliability
If excess primary air is admitted to ensure complete combustion, then combustion completeness is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the combustion chamber into zones with independent air control, the system delivers air only where and when needed for complete combustion. This eliminates energy waste associated with heating and moving excess air through the entire combustion chamber.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts primary air flow parameters in each zone based on actual combustion conditions. This ensures optimal air-fuel ratio for complete combustion while minimizing the energy required to heat and circulate air.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If primary air admission is not precisely controlled, then nitrogen oxide formation increases, but precise control requires complex measurement and regulation systems
Solution Approach 1:
The combustion chamber is divided into zones with independent air control, allowing localized measurement and regulation. This segmentation simplifies the control system by reducing the complexity of monitoring and adjusting entire-chamber conditions, as each zone can be managed separately with simpler sensors and actuators.
4Device complexity
If heterogeneous solid fuels are burned without zoned air control, then device complexity is reduced, but combustion homogeneity and efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Dividing the combustion chamber into zones with independent air admission control allows each zone to be optimized for its local combustion conditions. This segmentation improves combustion homogeneity by addressing the heterogeneity of solid fuels through localized air-fuel ratio optimization, while keeping each zone's control system relatively simple.
Solution Approach 2:
Each zone is equipped with air admission control tailored to its specific combustion characteristics and fuel distribution. This local quality approach ensures optimal combustion homogeneity in each region while managing overall system complexity through modular, independent zone control.
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
This approach enables precise and instantaneous regulation of primary air, reducing nitrogen oxide formation, energy consumption, and fouling, while improving combustion efficiency and extending the lifespan of boiler components.
Implementation Method 1
The use of optical pyrometers to measure the radiative temperature of primary combustion
Implementation Method 2
the non-volatile part of the solid fuels is completely burned
Implementation Method 3
by oxidation of the nitrogen contained in the primary air
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
In this combustion plant control method (1), solid fuels (C) are introduced into a combustion chamber (10) and burn there in a primary combustion process in the presence of primary air (P), which is introduced into the combustion chamber at a specific primary air flow rate. To control the primary combustion in this plant, the primary combustion temperature of the solid fuels is measured in the combustion chamber by one or more optical pyrometers (50.1 to 50.5). These pyrometers are arranged laterally to the combustion chamber and point at the combustion gases (G) generated by the primary combustion in the immediate vicinity of the solid fuels, so as to measure the radiation emitted by both these combustion gases and the solid particles they contain. The primary air flow rate is controlled according to the measurements from the pyrometer(s).