COAL

COMBUSTION

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

 FURNACES OF COAL-FIRED BOILERS
Basic boiler furnaces:
- grate (steady and moving grates)
- fluidized beds (bubble and circulating beds),
- pulverized coal-furnace.
Others:
- cyclone,
- retort furnace,
- rotary furnace.

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

 BASIC COAL FURNACES
fumes coal
b)

drying
pyrolysis
gasification
combustion
ash
System for coal burning:
air air a) Moving grate,
b) Fixed bed,
c) Fluidized bed
d) Pulverized coal flame
secondary
air
d)

pulverized
coal
COMBUSTION AND FUELS
 COMBUSTION PROCESS COAL SIZING
REQUIREMENTS
Grate furnaces (stoker firing systems):
• fixed beds: mud, dust, tiny, peas, nut, thick,
• moving grate: peas, nut (10-30 mm),
Fluidized bed:
• bubling <25 mm,
• circulating: 6 mm,
Pulverized coal furnaces:
• bituminous coal: R90= 25-30%, R200<8%,
• lignite: R90= 48-55%, R200 = 25-32%, R1000<2-3%

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

BASIC PROCESSES OF COAL COMBUSTION
- evaluation and combustion of volatile matter,
- char combustion

Ash Ash

Char

Ash

Coal particle

COMBUSTION
Volatile matter AND FUELS
SINGLE COAL PARTICLE
COMBUSTION

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

 SINGLE COAL PARTICLE COMBUSTION
Zapłon Zapłon
Coal
Cząstka Ignition Ignition Ash
części pozostałości Popiół
węgla
particle of v.m. of char
lotnych koksowej

Wydzielenie
Volatile Spalanie
i spalenie
Char
pozostałości
matter
części lotnych combustion
koksowej
combustion
Heating
Nagrzewanie Combustion
Spalanie

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

HISTORY OF SINGLE COAL PARTICLE
COMBUSTION
T
Temperatura cząstki
Particle temperature

Temperatura spalin
Flue gas temperature

d t
Średnica cząstki
Particle diameter
d0

Stage
of
Faza Stage
Faza t
heat. of
zapłonu spalania Faza spalania koksu
& v.m. Stage of char combustion
COMBUSTION AND FUELS
części
comb.
ignit. lotnych
 STAGES OF BURNING OF SINGLE
PARTICLE OF COAL
Induction ignition time:
- heating time,
- drying time.
Time of combustion:
- evaluation and combustion of volatile matter,
- burning of char.
Ratio of time of volatile matter combustion/time of char burning: 1:10

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

 VOLATILE MATTER CONTENT
Lignite Bituminous coal
Montana, % Pittsburgh, %
Component
6.9 MPa He 6.9 MPa He
1000 °C, 3–10 s 850–1070 °C, 2–10 s

CO 9.0 2.5
CO2 10.6 1.7
H2O 12.9 9.5
CH4 2.5 3.2
C2H4 0.6 0.5
C2 H6 0.2 0.9
Liquid HC – 0.7
Tar 3.0 12.0
Char 59.9
COMBUSTION AND FUELS 62.4
MECHANISMS OF VOLATILE MATTER EVALUATION

Produkty
Products
u iojnny
sy of spalania
combustion n
if f z
DDyffulame ń io
tat Bubbles
pło mie Części
Volatile Ro
Ciepło
heat
lotne
matter

Koks
Coal O2

Volatile
matter

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

THERMAL DECOMPOSITION OF COKING COAL
1st STAGE 2nd STAGE 3rd STAGE
(coal/metaplast) primary secondary
pyrolysis pyrolysis
tar soot

RAW primary secondary

COAL gases gases

char char

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

DYNAMICS OF VOLATILE MATTER EVALUATION
Lignite

intensity of v. m. evaluation
Young hard coal

Hard coal
Anthracite
Coke
Drying

Temperature °C

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

 CHAR STRUCTURE

Pores

Microscopic photo of char surface after coal devolatilization

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

CHAR COMBUSTION

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

 MAJOR FACTORS INFLUENCING RATE
OF CHAR PARTICLE COMBSTION

C O2

a) chemical: chemical kinetic of oxidation

reaction (temperature, O2 concentration)
b) physical: transport of oxygen to the surface of
char particle

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

Simple model of char particle combustion
Char
particle
Oxygen Oxygen

Reaction
occurs here

Carbon dioxide
Model of reaction: C + O2 = CO2
Rate of reaction: Wc = Ω Ys k, g/(m2s)

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

CHEMICAL MECHANISM OF CHAR COMBUSTION

Basic chemical reactions of char combustion :

C + O2 = CO2 – 393.5 kJ/mol (I)
C + 0.5O2 = CO – 110.5 kJ/mol (II)
C + CO2 = 2CO + 172.5 kJ/mol (III)
2CO + O2 = 2CO2 – 283.0 kJ/mole (IV)

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

COMBUSTION OF A SINGLE PARTICLE OF CHAR

O2
CO
CO2

2CO + O2 → 2CO2

C + CO2 → 2CO

Distribution of primary and secondary products of oxidation of char

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

 RATE OF CHAR OXIDATION
Assumption:
1. Single chemical reaction of oxidation is considered

C + O2 → CO2
2. Char particle is considered spherical and smooth.

C + O2 CO2

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

 RATE OF CHAR OXIDATION, Wc
FORMULA
WC = Y0/(1/k + 1/αD) , kg/(m2s)

Rate constant: k = k0 exp[– E/(RT)],

Stoichiometry coefficient: Ω (Ω = 0.375 when burning is to CO2),

Mass transfer coefficient: αD = (D/d)Sh –of (Sh = CRenPrk

Units: Wc [kg/(m2s)]

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

COMPETITION OF TEMPERATURE AND DIFFUSION

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

REGIMES TEMPERATURE AND DIFUSSION REGIMES
OF CHAR REACTION
Overal rate: WC = Y0/(1/k + 1/αD)
Remember:
Arrhenius rate: k = k0 exp[– E/(RT)], temperature dependent
Mass transfer coefficient: αD = (D/d)Sh, temperature independent

Two regimes of char burning

Kinetic (reaction) control regime (low temperature):
1/k >> 1/αD → WC = ΩYO k0 exp[– E/(RT)]
Diffusion control regime (high temperature):
1/k << 1/αD COMBUSTION
→ WC = ΩAND
YOαD FUELS
 LOW – AND HIGH TEMPERATURE PROFILES
AROUND CHAR PARTICLE
Profiles of oxygen concentration

Y s = YO YO YO YO
Ys

r r Ys = 0 r
a) Low temperature -
b) c) High temperature –
Transition
reaction control diffusion control

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

REGIMES OF COMBUSTION OF POROUS CHAR PARTICLE

III II I
Szybkość reakcji
Reaction rate

Zewnętrzny Wewnętrzny
obszar obszar Obszar
dyfuzyjny dyfuzyjny kinetyczny

1/ T c k=ko exp(-E/(RT)
Bulk surface Pore Reaction
diffusion diffusion control

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

Influence of temperature on the course of
combustion of solid particle of coal

650° C 450°C

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

INFLUENCE OF AERODYNAMICS ON THE RATE OF
COMBUSTION OF SINGLE COAL PARTICLE

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

 ROLE OF SECONDARY CHEMICAL REACTIONS IN
BURNING OF SINGLE CHAR COMBUSTION

Flame zone

Flame zone

Convection and temperature influence on the chemical reactions participation

COMBUSTION
in the rate ofAND FUELS
burning.
COAL COMBUSTION AND
SLAGING PROCESSES

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

 MINERAL MATTER OF COAL
Mineral matter of coal:
- included (a mineral associated with organic
matter)
- excluded (liberated, like clay, sand and rocks).

There are four major groups of minerals in coal:

– aluminosilicates – mainly kaolinite,
– oxides – quartz SiO2 and hematite Fe2O3,
– carbonates – calcite CaCO3, syderyt FeCO3 and dolomite CaCO3MgCO3,
– sulphur compounds – pyrite FeS2 i gipsium CaSO4 2H2O.
COMBUSTION AND FUELS
SOLID RESIDUES AFTER COAL COMBUSTION

COMBUSTION
FLY ASH,
MINERAL MATTER
BOTTOM
ASH

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

MEMBRANE WALLS DEPOSITS IN PULVERIZED
COAL FIRED BOILERS
Fly ash

Wall deposits

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

 PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROCESSES OF MINERAL
MATTER CONVERSION DURING COAL COMBUSTION

During coal combustion mineral matter undergoes

conversion:
- physical: melting, evaporation, sublimation and
condensation,
- chemical: dehydratation, carbonates decomposition and
oxidation of sulfides.

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

 BASIC PROCESSES OF MINERAL MATTER
CONVERSION IN THE FURNACE
heterogenic
vaporasing condensation
of inorganic surface covering
matter homogenic
nucleation
coal particles with and coalescence
bound mineral small particles
matter

coalescence

coal particles with

bound and free char
swelling cenospheres
mineral matter disintegration
 SLAGING PROCESS
Slaging a process of covering of walls (tubes) of
furnace by deposit being a result of conversion of
mineral matter of coal during combustion.
Types of deposits:
- loose,
- bound (sintered, melted).

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

TYPES OF DEPOSITS

loose bound

sintered melted
COMBUSTION AND FUELS
SLAG DEPOSIT ON THE WALL OF A FURNACE

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

PULVERIZED COAL FLAME

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

STRUCTURE OF PULVERIZED COAL FLAME
Pyro- Basic part of flame End of flame
lysis
v.m. Char

recirculation Unburned coal

Flame front particles
COMBUSTION AND FUELS
JET OF PULVERIZED COAL FLAME

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

PULVERIZED
COAL
FLAME IN
THE BOILER
FURNACE
UNBURNED CARBON (UBC) IN FLY ASH

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

UNBURNED CARBON IN FLY ASH: FACTORS
INFLUENCING UBC
The most important factors determining UBC (LOI):
• reactivity of coal
• stoichiometric ratio
• temperature
• quality of grinding

Petrographic components of UBC: inertenite, ksylite

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

 INFLUENNCE OF MINERAL MATTER IN COAL ON UBC

ashziacontent
Ud ł p o p io łu
20% 10% 5%
40% High content of mineral
35%
30%
matter in coal decreases
25% UBC
Wt

20%
15%
10%
5%
UBC UNITS: %
0%
0,00% 90,00% 99,00% 99,90% 99,99%
Accepted level of UBC: 5%
Sto p ie ńofwy
degree p a le n ia
burnout

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

BURNERS AND BOILER
FURNACES

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

SELECTION OF PULVERIZED COAL FURNACES
Antr. Hard coal Lignite Peat Biomass
LCV, MJ/kg (daf)

Volatile matter content, %

Vertical
furnace, Wall front
furnace, Tangencial
jet burners swirl burners furnace,
jet burners
COMBUSTION AND FUELS
 SWIRL BURNERS
secondary air
external
recirculation
rosette

b
)

oil
lance

external internal swirler vanes pulverised coal / air

recirculation recirculation mixture

Swirl number: S = 0.4-0.7

Outlet velocity of pulverized coal/air mixture: 20-22 m/s
Secondary air velocity: 26-30 m/s

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

FRONT OF SWIRL BURNER (40-50 MWth)

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

 BACK OF THE SWIRL BURNER
AIR BOX – VANES OF AIR SWIRLER

vanes
COMBUSTION AND FUELS
SWIRL BURNERS ON FRONT WALL OF THE OP-650
BOILER

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

STRUCTURE OF SWIRLED PULVERIZED
COAL FLAME

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

INFLUENCE OF AIR SWIRL ON THE PULVERIZED
COAL STRUCTURE

primary 25° primary 35°

secondary 45° secondary 35°
tertiary 30° tertiary 35°

primary 35° primary 35°

secondary 45° secondary 45°
tertiary 45° tertiary 60°
JET BURNERS FOR BITUMINOUS COAL

o al
pulverized c

mazout

e d coal
pulveriz

air
e d coal
pulveriz

ut
mazo

ed coal
pulveriz
JET BURNERS FOR BITUMINOUS COAL
JET BURNERS FOR BITUMINOUS COAL
JET BURNER
IN BOILER
FURNACE
OP 430
 JET BURNERS FOR PULVERIZED LIGNITE
Outlet velocities from the burner:
Pulverized lignite/gas 11-13 m/s,
Upper and lower air 45–55 m/s, nozzle for ceramics cooling air

Middle air 45–55 m/s, nozzle for upper air

Cooling and core air 20–25 m/s. nozzle for pulverised coal
with core air

nozzle for middle air

nozzle for pulverised coal

with core air

nozzle for lower air

nozzle for ceramics cooling air

HOW PULVERIZED COAL IS TRANSPORTED FROM
THE MILL TO BURNERS?

Media transporting pulverized coal:

Bituminous coal: hot air,
Lignite: flue gas.

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

JET BURNERS: PULVERIZED LIGNITE BURNING
Ventilation ratio of the coal mill: 1.6 kg/kg
Volumetric rate of flue gas/ Volumetric rate of air

Ventilation, m3/h No. of pulverized lignite

(flue gas) nozzles in the burner

do 80 000 2
80 000–200 000 3
200 000–300 000 4
300 000–400 000 6
400 000–500 000 8
No. of nozzles in a jet burner depending on the ventilation of a mill

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

FLAME PATTERN OF TANGENTIALLY FIRING FURNACE

Corner furnace

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

BOILER DUCTS IN TANGENTIALLY FIRING FURNACES

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

FLUIDIZED COMBUSTION

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

BURNING IN CIRCULATING FLUIDIZED BED BOILERS

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

 COMPOSION AND TEMPERATURE OF FLUIDIZED BED

Composition of fluidized bed:

- inert material (sand and ash),
- dolomite/calcite ( and products of desulfurization),
- 2-6% of coal.

Temperature of fluidized bed: 800 – 900 oC

Optimal temperature wth respect desulfurization: 850 oC

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

COAL BURNING IN FLUIDIZED BED
CaSO4

FREE BOARD
CaO ½ O2
CO2 CO2
HO

ZONE
CO2
2
SO2 CO2 HO
2
O2
½ Cn Hm
CO Cn Hm CO2
CaO coal ½ O2
particle
CO2 CO

CaO fines CO2

CO2
CO
CO
BED

char
sorbent
O2 CO2
LIGNITE BURNING IN LABORATORY FLUIDIZED BED

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

 COAL
COMBUSTION
IN FREE
BOARD ZONE
OF FB
FRAGMENTATION OF COAL PARTICLES
IN FLUIDIZED BED
Coal particles undergo
fragmentation in fluidized bed
due to:- increase of porosity of
char particles (percolative
fragmentation),
- collision of coal
particles with bed
particles,
- attrition of coal particles
in bed.

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

SPECIAL BOILER FURNACES

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

RETORT FURNACE FOR SMALL BOILERS

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

RETORT FURNACE: COAL COMBUSTION

COMBUSTION AND FUELS

CYCLONE COMBUSTION CHAMBERS
igniter
secondary air
oil burner
pulverised coal / air
mixture

tertiary air

igniter
secondary air
oil burner
pulverised coal / air
mixture

tertiary air

Cyclone combustion chambers with tangent (a) and secant (b)

injection of pulverised coal / air mixture
BOILER WITH CYCLONE COMBUSTION CHAMBER

postcombustion
zone

air

pulverised reburning secondary

air coal
coal zone

air
Primary air

cyclone
main burner
combustion
zone
water
liqiud
slag

COMBUSTION AND FUELS