CONCEPT OF COMBUSTION

Pulverized coal dispersed in primary air is fed to the boiler through the nozzles
then heated directly by flame or by radiant heat from high temperature slag adhered to
the boiler wall and starts ignition then forms primary combustion zone.
Primary combustion zone is the one where combustion of volatile matter
primarily takes place. CH4, He and CO evaporated from volatile matters combine with
O2 in primary air and form flame around the coal particles.
Secondary combustion zone is for char combustion where char and unburned
gas from primary combustion zone is burned dispersed by secondary air. Time
required for char combustion accounts for 80% – 90% of total coal burnout.

Secondary air
burnout
Coal + Primary air

Ash
(10~20 W%)
ignition

Primary Secondary
Combustion Zone Combustion Zone

Volatile Char
( 30 ~ 50W% ) ( 60 ~ 30W% )

Ignition
Pulverized coal fed through nozzles receives heat from flame directly or
radiant heat from other heat sources then temperature around surface of coal particles
goes up and ignition takes place. Ignition characteristics would be largely affected by
coal properties.
Depending on coal properties, type of nozzles, design of nozzles, necessity of
auxiliary fuel and maximum load are to be considered. The temperature when ignition
takes place is defined as radiant ignition temperature.
As shown in Fig. 2 radiant ignition temperature goes down as volatile matter
of the coal increases. Volatile matters of the coal which Japanese power companies
would normally consume are in the range of 30% - 50% on dry ash free basis, so
range of radiant ignition temperature would be 600oC – 700oC.
 Figure 1. demonstrate the relationship between boiler temperature and distance
from nozzle where ignition takes place. It is generally noted that as boiler temperature
goes down the distance increases and that ignition becomes unstable.

FIGURE. 1

Low Volatile
800

Anthracite

600
Distance (m/m)

Medium Volatile
400

High Volatile
200

600 700 800 900 1000 1100

Furnace (boiler) Temperature (oC)

 FIGURE. 2.

900
Low Volatile
Radiant Ignition Temperature (oC)

800

Medium Volatile

700

600

High Volatile

500

10 20 30 40 50 60
Volatile Matter (dry ash free) (%)