United States
                  Environmental Protection
                  Agency
Air and Energy Engineering
Research Laboratory
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
                  Research and Development
 EPA/600/S7-89/015  May 1990
&EPA         Project  Summary
                   Field Evaluation of  Low-
                   Emission Coal  Burner
                   Technology on Utility Boilers
                   A.R. Abele, J. F. LaFond, J.A. Cole, G.S. Kindt, W.C. Li, E. C. Moller, R. Payne.
                   and J. L. Reese
                   This  report summarizes an
                  extensive field evaluation of low-
                  emission coal burner technology on
                  utility boilers. The experimental
                  studies described fall into four main
                  areas:
                  • Distributed  Mixing Burner  (DMB)
                   Evaluatlon-in which  a  prototype
                   DMB and two commercial Babcock
                   &  Wilcox burners were tested at
                   scales  of 60 and 120 x  106 Btu/hr
                   (17.5  and  35 MW)  in  a  large
                   experimental test furnace. The
                   evaluation focused on combustion
                   performance, NOX emissions,  and
                   the application of sorbent injection
                   for SO2 control.
                  • Second  Generation  Low-NOx
                   Burners-in which the performance
                   of three 78 x 106 Btu/hr (22.9 MW)
                   Babcock & Wilcox low-NOx burners
                   was evaluated and optimized.  Key
                   performance criteria  included NOX
                   emissions, flame length, and
                   combustion efficiency. Results
                   from these  tests were  used to
                   recommend  a  burner  for
                   application  in  the  EPA  LIMB
                   (Limestone  Injection  Multistage
                   Burner) demonstration program at
                   Edgewater Station Unit 4.
                  • Field Evaluations-in  which field
                   testing  was performed at two
                   different utility  boiler sites. The
                   objective of this  testing was to
                   compare commercial burner
                   performance under field and test
                   furnace conditions, as a basis for
                   the scaling of NOX emissions.
• Alternate concepts--in  which
  experimental  studies were
  conducted   on   coal-fired
  precombustor concepts,  with a
  view to the simultaneous control of
  NOX,  SO2, and  particulate
  emissions. This  activity  included
  fundamental studies of parameters
  affecting  sulfur evolution  and
  retention  by  injected sorbents
  under fuel-rich slagging conditions.
  This Project  Summary  was
developed by EPA's Air and Energy
Engineering Research Laboratory,
Research  Triangle  Park,  NC,  to
announce key findings of the research
project that is fully documented in five
separate volumes of the same  title
(see  Project  Report ordering
information at back).

Introduction
  The objective of this program was to
evaluate the performance  of the  EPA
Distributed Mixing burner  (DMB),
incorporating Babcock & Wilcox (B&W)
burner  hardware, in  a utility boiler. The
original plan to achieve this  objective
involved four key elements:
  1. A field test of the host boiler with
    the original burners to establish the
    "baseline" burner/boiler  perform-
    ance.
  2. A test of the original, "baseline"
    burner in the Large Watertube
    Simulator (LWS) research furnace
    to calibrate the furnace against the
    corresponding host boiler.
  3. Evaluation and optimization  of a
    prototype  DMB  with B&W

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     components in  the  LWS to verify
     performance prior to installation at
     the host site.

   4. Long-term field evaluation  of the
     DMB in the host boiler.

  Progress  on  this plan  was delayed
because of  difficulties   in  finding  a
suitable host boiler. Costs to fully retrofit
a  utility  boiler with DMBs  escalated
beyond available  funding. A  revised
program scope addressed  two distinct
issues. The major portion  of the program
still focused on the evaluation of the  DMB
for utility boiler application. The  second
area of interest added to the scope of this
project was  an evaluation  of alternate
concepts for Iow-N0x emissions coupled
with high levels of  particulate removal
and possible SOX control. These alternate
concepts considered  fuel-rich,  high-
temperature prechambers, such  as
cyclone furnaces. The alternate concept
program was structured to:  (1) compile
and synthesize existing data on coal-fired
precombustor systems; (2) conduct  initial
pilot scale tests at 1 x 1Q6 Btu/hr (293
kW) to identify  the  key  parameters
affecting  NOX and  SOX  reduction
potential, and (3) a second phase of  more
fundamental  testing  structured  to
investigate  a broader  range  of  SOX
control issues in smaller, well-controlled
experiments  to generate  a more  com-
plete set of  basic  precombustor design
data.
  The  evaluation of the DMB for  utility
boiler  application  was restructured to
achieve the  program  objective without a
field installation. In the original program
plan, differences In performance with the
DMB  were  to be determined by direct
comparison  to  the  original equipment
burners. The  elimination of the  field
installation  precluded this comparison
and required dependence  on research
furnace test results. As part of the revised
program, the performance  of  the
prototype  DMB in  the LWS research
facility had  to  be  demonstrated to  be
similar  to the  performance  in  a  field
operating boiler.
  The  scope was further  expanded with
an  opportunity  to directly participate  in
full application of second generation low-
emission burners to an operating boiler.
The  EPA   demonstration  of  LIMB
(Limestone  Injection  Multistage Burner)
technology had the objective of reducing
both NOX and  S02 emissions by  50%.
The NOX reduction was to be achieved
by retrofitting existing  burners  at  Ohio
Edison's Edgewater  Unit  4 boiler  with
second generation  Iow-N0x burners.
Because of the constraints at this boiler,
evaluation  of three  candidate  B&W
burners prior to selection was essential.
  The broad scope of this program can
be thus separated into four distinct parts:
(1) the evaluation of prototype DMBs for
application to utility boilers; (2) field tests
of baseline burners at two host boilers to
support  the  extrapolation  of  prototype
DMB  performance  to  field  applications;
(3)  evaluation of three  B&W  second
generation  Iow-N0x  burners  to  be
selected for use in  the  EPA  LIMB
demonstration; and (4) alternate concepts
for  NOX   and  SOX  control   in
precombustors. Each of these represents
a distinct element of  the program. The
final report is, therefore, organized to fully
address  each element.
  Volume l~Distributed Mixing  Burner
Evaluation. Volume I presents the results
from the prototype DMB evaluations in
the LWS, the principal element to achieve
the original program objectives. This part
describes the methodology employed to
evaluate the  DMBs without a field retrofit,
linking  research furnace results  to
operating boilers.  The  experimental
systems, including test burners, fuels, the
test facility itself, and testing procedures,
are fully detailed. Burner performance for
each test burner is discussed. The key to
interpreting  the  results is  the link of the
LWS  test results  to operating  utility
boilers achieved with tests of commercial
B&W  burners in  the LWS and field test
results of the  same  burner design  in
utility boilers. This  link allows extra-
polation  of prototype  DMB  performance
from the LWS to the field. A summary of
sorbent  injection  trials for SO2 control is
also included in Volume I  to broaden the
existing  data base and experience with
LIMB technology.
  Volume //--Second  Generation Low-
NOX Burners. Volume II summarizes the
LWS  trials  of the  three  B&W Iow-N0x
burners  being  considered for the  EPA
LIMB  demonstration  program  at
Edgewater  Station  Unit  4.  The three
burners  were: the Dual Register burner
(DRB),  Babcock-Hitachi  NR   burner
(HNR), and  the  B&W XCL burner. The
burners  and each configuration tested are
described, along with  the fuels and test
facility  configuration  used throughout
these tests.  The  optimization  of  the
various  configurations of  each  basic
burner design is described with  respect
to the key  performance criteria  of NOX
emissions,  flame  length,  combustion
efficiency, and burner pressure drop. The
performance   of  each  optimized
configuration  is compared to the LIMB
demonstration  site requirements and
recommendations for  burner selection
are made. Finally, sorbent injection test
were  conducted  for  a  selectei
configuration of each burner  design
These tests were performed to determim
any possible effect of burner design oi
SO2 capture  potential  with  sorben
injection.
  Volume  111--Field Evaluations.  Volumi
III  details  the  field  tests  performed ii
conjunction with the DMB evaluation. Thi
field tests were performed at two differen
utility boilers, generally similar in desig
and size  except  for  the  burne
equipment. Comanche Unit 2 of Coloradi
Public  Service was equipped with  B&V
Circular burners, the  pre-NSPS  (Ne\
Source  Performance  Standard) burne
design. The Wyodak  Plant of Black Hill
Power  was  equipped with  DRBs.  Tes
results  of emissions  and   boile
performance are presented for each uni
Key performance aspects from these tw
boilers  are used in interpreting LWS test
of the Circular burner  and the DRB.
  Volume  IV--Alternate Concepts.  Pre
combustor studies  for NOX and  SO
control  are described in Volume IV. Thi
work  represents  alternate  concept
considered as  a result of the program'
restructuring. Volume  IV stresses th
fundamental design  considerations  fc
precombustor control  of S02 emission
with a  brief  summary of pilot scale, 1
106 Btu/hr (293 kW) tests for NOX contra
The various experimental apparatus an
test procedures for this fundamental wor
are described.  Results from entraine
flow sulfidation tests  and  slag  sulfi
chemistry are fully detailed.
  Volume  V—Burner Evaluation  Dai
Appendices. Volume V documents th
Quality Assurance program for the LW
tests of the DMB evaluation  and th
Second Generation  Low-NOx  burne
selection. In addition,  computer listings <
all valid data reported in Volumes I and
are included for reference.


Distributed Mixing Burner (DME
Evaluation
  The  objective  of this program was 1
demonstrate the performance of the DM
on  a multi-burner  utility  boiler.  Th
involved  integrating  the  DMB  concei
with Babcock  & Wilcox  (B&W) burnt
components to produce a  prototyp
burner  meeting commercial standards.
the  original   program   plan,  th
demonstration was to include a full-sea
utility  boiler retrofit  with  DMBs.  Tr
effectiveness  of  the DMB  was to  t
determined by direct comparison with tt
original  equipment  burners   in  or
representative  operating  utility boile

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Difficulties in finding  a host boiler  to
participate in a demonstration retrofitting
existing  burners  with the  new  OMB
technology resulted in delays to the
overall program.  These delays,  in  turn,
caused escalating costs for a utility boiler
retrofit with  DMBs. Because of  these
problems, the program was restructured
to achieve its objective without installing
the DMB in a utility boiler. The approach
taken was extensive testing of DMBs  at
two  scales and two B&W commercial
burner  designs  in  the  EPA  Large
Watertube Simulator (LWS) coupled with
field tests at utility boilers equipped with
the two B&W commercial  burners. This
approach provided data  for  burner
scaleup,  performance  characteristics  of
the  DMB compared  to  commercial
burners,  and commercial  burner  per-
formance in utility boilers. With this data,
the expected performance  of DMBs can
be  extrapolated  to utility  boilers  with
some confidence.

LWS Tests
  In  the original  program  plan,
differences in performance with the DMB
were to  be  determined  by  direct
comparison of the  original equipment
burners.  The elimination  of the field
installation precluded  this comparison
and  required  dependence on research
furnace test results. As part of the revised
program, the  performance  of the
prototype DMB  in  the LWS research
facility had to be  demonstrated to be
similar to the performance in  a  field
operating boiler.  This  objective  was
achieved  by: (1) translating develop-
mental DMB design  criteria into practical
prototype burners; (2) verifying  and
optimizing the  performance  of the
prototype  B&W DMBs in the LWS; (3)
evaluating the  performance  of two
commercial burners  in both utility boilers
and  the  LWS; and  (4) from that  data
base, extrapolating  the prototype DMB
performance to operating utility boilers.
  Four different burners were tested:
  • 120 x 106 Btu/hr  (35  MW)  Circular
    burner
  • 60 x 106 Btu/hr (17.6 MW) DRB
  • 60 x 106 Btu/hr (17.6 MW)DMB
  • 120 x 106 Btu/hr (35 MW) DMB
  Two commercial  B&W  designs, the
pre-NSPS Circular  burner  and the low-
NOX DRB were tested in  the LWS  to
provide a basis on which  to judge DMB
performance. This comparative evaluation
verified safe,  efficient  operation  of the
prototype DMB, providing confidence for
field application. Limited sorbent injection
 jsts  evaluated the effect of  burner
design on SO2 reduction  potential for
both  near-burner  and  upper-furnace
locations.
  The  full-scale  120 x 106  Btu/hr (35
MW)   DMB  was   the  key  to this
demonstration  program. The  LWS test
furnace imposed severe constraints  on
flame  shape and  size for  a Iow-N0x
burner. Low-N0x burners,  like the DMB,
rely on controlled, delayed  mixing of the
fuel  with air.  This delayed  mixing
generally produces  a long flame which
may cause operational problems in a
boiler. Although equipped with adjustable
inner and outer secondary air registers as
well as tertiary air  ports,  the dominant
factor  In determining  ultimate per-
formance (NOX, flame length) was the
coal  injector  configuration.  Iterative
modifications  were made to the coal
Injector  to  yield  the  optimum per-
formance for  the  LWS.  There  was a
direct tradeoff  between NOX  emissions
and flame length.
  The  final design selected  resulted  in
unstaged flames about 16 ft (4.9 m) long.
At staged conditions (SRB  0.70)*, the
flame  length  increased to about 22 ft (6.7
m]. NOX emissions  for the DMB at these
optimum settings  at nominal full-load
conditions  with  a  burner  zone
stoichiometry of 0.75 and 20% excess air
were 282, 340, 298, and  273" ppm  for
Utah,  Illinois, Comanche,  and Wyodak
coals,  respectively.  This  performance
compares  favorably  with  the  two
commercial B&W burners tested, as seen
in Table 1.
  The potential for S02 control combined
with NOX reduction  was evaluated in a
series  of sorbent  injection  trials. Six
injection locations were  considered.
Three sorbents were used: Vicron 45-3
limestone, Colton  hydrated  lime,  and a
limited number of tests with  a pressure
hydrated dolomitic  lime.  Thermal
environment  was  the  key   factor
determining  SO2  capture  efficiency.
Upper furnace  locations  where  gas
temperatures  were about  2200°F
(1200°C) yielded the highest captures.
Near-burner injection, either with the coal
or through tertiary  air ports, generally
gave  the poorest  SO2 capture. The
pressure  hydrated dolomitic lime was the
most effective of the three sorbents on a
Ca/S  molar  ratio basis;  however, the
advantage disappears when  considered
  *SRg  Burner zone stoichiometry,  fraction of
   theoretical air
  'All emission concentrations reported are
   corrected to 0 percent 02 on a dry basis, except
   where indicated.
on a mass addition basis because of the
additional magnesium component.

Field Tests
  Field testing  was  conducted at two
boilers, one equipped with  the Circular
burner and one with the DRB. The boilers
were selected by B&W to be comparable
in  terms  of  age,  capacity,  coal
characteristics, and  firing configuration.
The Circular burner was evaluated at the
Colorado  Public Service  Comanche
Generating Station,  Unit 2  located  in
Pueblo, Colorado. The DRB was tested at
the Wyodak Generating Station, Gillette,
Wyoming, owned  by Pacific  Power and
Light Company and the Black Hills Power
and Light  Company.  Testing  was
conducted for 1  week at Comanche in
December  1984  and for  2  weeks  at
Wyodak  in  February 1985.  Both  the
Comanche  and Wyodak  units have  a
nominal maximum capacity (MCR) of 350
MWB (gross).
  Both boilers fire subbituminous  coal
and use a  front and  rear  wall  firing
configuration. The front and rear wall
burners at the Comanche  boiler  are
directly opposed with four rows of four
burners each. The front and  rear burners
at Wyodak  are  offset to avoid  flame
interactions and are arranged  in five rows
of three burners each. The boilers have
comparable  furnace cross-sectional
dimensions, but the Wyodak boiler has a
taller furnace to accommodate  the five
burner rows. Thus, the Wyodak furnace
has a lower ratio of firing rate to cooled
surface area.
  During  testing,  the  boilers  were
generally operated in a normal fashion by
the operators. Thus, the burner settings,
load, and excess  air  were controlled by
plant personnel. The overfire  NOX ports
were  closed during the day at  the
Comanche  boiler,  and returned to their
normal open  position of 18% at  night.
Both the Circular boiler and the DRB
operated  satisfactorily during  the  tests.
Exact  flame lengths could  not  be
determined with the available  observation
ports.  Both  burners showed  a high
combustion  efficiency,  and  large
imbalances of fuel or air distribution were
not observed.
  Both boilers operated  over a narrow
excess  02  range,  2.5 to  3.5%  at
Comanche and 3.8 to 4.0% at Wyodak.
Thus, the data were not  sufficient  to
establish NOX emissions with  excess Q2.
Figure 1 shows NOX emissions at the two
boilers as  a function of  load.  Both
correlations show  a similar  slope,  with
lower  N02  emissions for  the DRB  at
Wyodak. Nominal NOX emissions with the

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  Table 1.   Comparison of Burner Performance in the LWS Firing Utah Coal (SRT=1.20)
                                   DMB

Firing Rate (106 Btulhr)
(MW)
SRB
Furnace Exit Gas
Temperature
(°F)
(°C)
NOX (ppm @ 0% 02)
Flame Length (ft)
(m)
Full-Scale
120
(35.2)
0.70
1792
(978)
282
22
(6.7)
Half-Scale
60
(17.6)
0.70
(969)
350
18
(5.5)
UHB
Half-Scale
60
(17.6)
1.20
1776
(969)
390
18
(5.5)
circular
Full-Scale
120
(35.2)
1.20
1828
(998)
380
>22
(6.7)
800
700
600
500
300
200
 100
          MCR = 350 MWe (Gross)
                 (Wyodak and Comanche)
                                                      MCR
                  60        120       180       240
                                 Load(MWe)
Figure 1.    NOX emissions vs. boiler load.
                                                   300       360

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Circular burner at  Comanche were 550
ppm at 0% O2[0.64  lb/106  Btu (0.29
kg/kJ)].  Full load  emissions  at  Wyodak
with all mills in service were 395 ppm at
0% O2[0.46 lb/106 Btu (0.21 kg/kJ)].


Second Generation Low-NOx
Burner Evaluation
  The initiation of  the LIMB  (Limestone
Injection  Multistage Burner)  technology
demonstration at the  Ohio  Edison
Edgewater Station, Unit  4, provided an
opportunity to  broaden the relevance of
this project. The objective of this LIMB
program  with  respect to burner design
was to provide a commercial pulverized-
coal burner that demonstrates a reduction
in nitrogen oxide  (NOX)  emissions of at
least  50%  relative  to uncontrolled
performance of the original  Babcock &
Wilcox (B&W) Circular burners.
  The  three  B&W  Iow-N0x  burner
designs  being considered-the  DRB,
Babcock-Hitachi  NOX  Reducing (HNR)
burner, and the XCL burner-were tested
at full scale in  the EPA Large Watertube
Simulator  (LWS) to determine the
optimum design for use at the Edgewater
boiler as part of this study. Burners sized
at 78 x  106 Btu/hr  (22.9  MW), the same
size as  the Edgewater  burners, were
tested in  the  LWS, minimizing  scaleup
questions. By coincidence, the LWS has
a firing depth of 22 ft (6.7 m), essentially
the  same as Edgewater Unit 4. Screening
tests of the three  basic  burner  designs
were conducted firing Pittsburgh No. 8
coal, the coal to be used  during the LIMB
demonstration, to  determine optimum
operating  conditions.  In addition to
available burner adjustments,  a  number
of burner hardware  components were
also evaluated  to establish the optimum
burner  design. Sorbent  injection tests
were  completed  for a   selected
configuration of each basic  burner to
determine the  effect of burner design on
S02 capture.  Following   the  screening
tests of  the three burners, selected XCL
burner configurations  were characterized
with three  additional, distinctly  different
coals to broaden the application of this
new burner.
  Optimization  tests of the three basic
burner  designs screened the available
burner adjustments as well as the various
burner  component configurations.  The
three basic components  of each burner
(the coal  injector,  inner  secondary air
zone, and outer secondary air zone) were
evaluated  in these  screening  tests. The
results  from these tests  can  be easily
 eneralized for all three Iow-N0x burners
•vith respect to  sensitivity  of performance.
In each case, the coal injector was the
dominant factor that determined the key
performance  characteristics  of  NOX,
flame length, and carbon burnout.  Both
the design of the coal injector  and the
available adjustments could produce up
to 67% reduction in NOX emissions. The
outer secondary air  zone, the degree of
swirl, and the air flow  rate through the
outer  passage  were  second  in
importance to burner performance. The
inner air zone parameters of swirl and air
flow rate generally had the least effect on
performance.
  Consistent  and recurring  throughout
the screening  tests  of  all three burners
was the  close  correlation  of  NOX
emissions with flame length. Data  from
tests of the DRB,  HNR  burners, and the
initial screening tests of the XCL burner,
summarized in Figure  2,  clearly shows
this  correlation. At 20% excess and full
load conditions, these data indicate that,
for a flame less than the  firing depth of
the Edgewater  boiler, NOX emissions in
the range of about 300-400 ppm  were
achieved  by  several  burner  con-
figurations. With flame length as the  most
severe constraint at the  Edgewater boiler,
only 8  of the  20 burner configurations
tested  in  this  program  and 5  Phase V
DRB configurations achieved flames less
than 22ft (6.7 m) long. These are listed in
Table 2.
  From the  numerous  burner  con-
figurations tested,  two stand  out as
suitable for application for the  LIMB
demonstration.  All configurations tested
met the requirements of a firing capacity
of 78 x 106 Btu/hr (22.9 MW) burner, a
throat  diameter no  greater  than  35 in.
(88.9 mm),  and  mechanical reliability
meeting commercial  standards.  The
Edgewater  boiler  also  imposed  the
constraint  on flame length, 22 ft (6.7 m),
and on maximum  tolerable  burner
pressure drop, about  5 in.  (127  mm)
water gauge. In addition, the burners had
to produce  a  stable  flame  with  low
emissions but high  combustion  eff-
iciency. The two configurations  meeting
all those conditions were:
  • XCL burner with 30° impeller in the
    standard coal nozzle with appropriate
    outer vane design.
  • XCL burner with 20°  impeller in an
    expanded coal nozzle.
  In addition to meeting  all Edgewater
boiler  requirements,  the  two impeller-
equipped XCL burner configurations offer
a  very effective  way  to  optimize
performance to suit the  application, using
the adjustable  coal  impeller. For  both
designs, flame length and NOX emissions
can  be varied simply  by  moving the
impeller a matter of inches. The impeller
adjustment can thus be used to tune the
burner for maximum NOX reduction within
the constraints of available firing depth.


Alternate Concepts for SOX,
NOX, and Particulate Emissions
Control from a Fuel-Rich
Precombustor
  The potential  for simultaneous control
of ash,  NOX, and  SOX emissions  from
coal-fired boilers  and  heaters by
combustion external  to the furnace has
made precombustor development an
area of  great  interest and effort.  A
precombustor burns  coal in a chamber
outside  the  normal furnace region. An
example of  a simple precombustor  is
shown in Figure 3.
  Aerodynamic  separation  and  slag
drainage remove most of the coal mineral
matter before entry into the furnace. Also,
staged combustion  and fuel reburning
have been shown to  be an effective way
to control NOX  emissions.  It has  been
proposed that the use of calcitic sorbent
or possibly other  additives  in a fuel-rich
precombustor can  produce  significant
reductions in overall SO2  emissions.
Successful control  of all three pollutants
would allow coal  users  to circumvent
expensive exhaust  stream cleanup
equipment and help avoid  derating  in oil
or gas retrofit applications.
  The issue  of sulfur capture under fuel-
rich  conditions  has been an  area of
uncertainty and much recent interest. The
fuel-rich reactions of:
    H2S + CaO-»CaS + H20 and
    COS + CaO + CaS + C02
are  theoretically more  effective  at
capturing  gas-phase  sulfur than the well
studied fuel-lean reaction:
    SO2 + CaO + 1 /2  O2-*CaSO4,
from both a thermodynamic and kinetic
standpoint. However, at the time  this
program was initiated,  the  operating
conditions which promote these fuel-rich
reactions had not been fully investigated.
In addition, the presence of a liquid slag
in the  reactor  was thought to  be  a
potential  source  of  sulfur  capture  or
regeneration which required additional
research.
  The program  involved two  phases: (I)
exploratory testing of a pilot-scale coal
precombustor [293 kW (1x106 Btu/ hr)] to
help identify  critical operating parameters
for precombustor systems  with  NOX
control and the potential for sulfur control;
and (2) a more fundamental investigation
of factors affecting sulfur removal under
fuel-rich conditions.

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  The  pilot-scale testing  indicated that
there was significant  sulfur  captured  as
calcium  sulfide (CaS) by  suspended
sorbent particles  in  the  fuel-rich
combustion  zone of the  precombustor.
However, there was evidence  that sulfur
was released  from  the  CaS  when
exposed to a fuel-lean  flame front. There
was also concern that sulfur in the slag
layer was evolving back into the gas
phase.  A combination of  high  solids
carryover, complexities of sampling in the
pilot-scale precombustor,  and  a growing
number of  fundamental  questions
concerning  fuel-rich sulfur capture led to
Phase  2, which  is  the  main topic of the
alternate concepts report.
  The objective of  Phase 2 was to make
a detailed  investigation of  several key
elements in the fuel-rich  sulfur capture
process, including:  1)  the formation  of
                           stable  sulfides  in  the  entrained flow
                           region of a precombustor using calcium-
                           based sorbents, 2) the evolution of sulfur
                           from coal in an  entrained flow process,
                           and 3) the stability of sulfur  in  molten
                           slag layers.
                             This  program  focused  on the area of
                           fuel-rich sulfur capture, since little more
                           than  theoretical  predictions and  a few
                           uncertain tests results  were  available.
                           Several obstacles face the successful use
                           of calcitic sorbents  in fuel-rich coal-fired
                           precombustors.  The  most important
                           issues were investigated in  this program,
                           including:  extent  of  entrained flow
                           sulfidation,  the speciation of sulfur as  it
                           evolves  from  coal under  fuel-rich
                           conditions,  the equilibrium  solubility  of
                           sulfur in  molten slags,  the impact  of
                           fluxing additives on  slag  fluidity and
                           sulfur solubility,  and the rate at which
       sulfur regenerates from slags containing
       a super-equilibrium level of sulfur.
        The  major  conclusions from  this
       program are:
        • The sulfidation reactions  betweer
           CaO and HgS or COS are  fast and
           under  optimum  conditions,car
           capture most of the gas-phase sulfu
           in a fuel-rich precombustor.

        • The conditions which  favor fuel-ricf
           sulfur  capture  (deep   sub
           stoichiometric operation  and  mod
           erate  temperatures)  can   result  it
           poor  carbon burnout  and  low  sla<
           fluidity.

        • Typical molten coal ash and mixture:
           of coal ash and CaO are incapable c
           holding large  amounts of sulfur in
           coal  precombustor  environmen
           when at equilibrium.
                  1000
                   900
                   800
                   700
               g;  600
               O1  500
o
0)
o*
                   400
                   300
                   200
                   100
                           (') 1ft = 0.30 m
                                           4
                                                     4  *  *         f
                                                            A           -
                                                     6
Nominal Conditions:
Fuel: Pittsburgh No. 8
Firing Rate: 78 * 106 Btulhr (22.9MW)
SRT = 1 20 (20% excess air)

Dual Register Burner

O Diffuser
A 75° Impeller

Q De-Nox Stabilizer

Q Flame Stabilizing Ring/Air
   Separation Plate/Swirler

Babcock-Hitachi NOX Reducing Burner
O> Swirler
0 Diffuser

XCL
• Diffuser
A 30° Impeller

• De-NOx Stabilizer

£ Flame Stabilizing Ring
              10     12     14     16     18

                    Observed Flame Length (ft*)
                                                                20
                                                                       22
        Figure 2.     Correlation of NOX emissions with flame length.

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 Coal  ash/CaO  slags  quickly
 desulfurize from super-equilibrium
 levels  of  sulfur   at  typical
 precombustor temperatures and gas
compositions, indicating that rapid
slag drainage designs are required.
Slag  fluxing additives,  such  as
B203,can  extend  operating
conditions which will make  fuel-rich
sulfur removal a possibility over  a
wider  range  of  coal types and
precombustor systems.
        Table 2.  Second Generation Low NOXBurners with Flames <22 ft (6.7m) Long [78* 106 Btu/hr (22.9 MW), SRr ,-1.20]


                                                                                               Burner dP, in. W.G.
Burner
Low-Velocity DRB

Phase V DRB




HNR

XCL









Configuration
75" Impeller

Diffuser
Venturi
Diffuser, ASP
Diffuser, FSR
Diffuser, FSR, ASP
Swirler
Diffuser
DNS
30"lmpeller,
Standard Nozzle
30"lmpeller,
Expanded Nozzle
20" Impeller,
Expanded Nozzle
30" Impeller,
Standard Nozzle,
Fixed Outer Vanes
NO, <@ 0% O-,, ppm
708

372
350
326
292
328
348
289
288
374

546

338

420


Flame Lenath, ft (m)
18
(5.5)
20-21(6.1-6.4)
20-21(6.1-6.4)
22(6.7)
22(6.7)
22(6.7)
18-20(5.5-6.1)
20(6.1)
20(6. 1)
20-22(6.1-6.7)

19-20(5.8-6.1)

21(6.4)

21-22(6.4-6.7)


Flv Ash Carbon, wt%
7.28

6.12
6.45
3.20
6.96
5.16
N/A
3.34
N/A
4.42

1.36

4.92'

3.40


(mm W.G.)
6.0(152)

10.8(274)
11.0(279)
6.4(162)
10.5(267)
11.0(279)
7.20(183)
7.50(190)
8.20(208)
3.30(84)

4.30(109)

4.90(124)

4.60(117)


 "Data for SRT ,1.16
              Primary
                Air
         Coal-
                                          Boiler
                                       Furnace Wall
                               Fuel-Rich (SRrf
                 Fuel-Lean (SR2)
Figure 3.     Common cyclonic precombustor in staged combustion configuration attached to boiler furnace wall.

-------
  A. Abele, J. LaFond, J. Cole, G. Kindt, W. Li, E. Moller, R. Payne, and J. Reese
        are with Energy and Environmental Research Corp.,  Irvine, CA 92718.
  P. Jeff Chappell is the EPA Project Officer (see below).
  The  complete five volumes, entitled "Field Evaluation of  Low-Emission  Coal
     Burner Technology on Utility Boilers:"
  "Volume I. Distributed Mixing Burner Evaluation," (Order No. PB90-155 680/AS;
         Cost: $23.00)
  'Volume  II. Second Generation Low-NOx Burners;" (Order  No.  PB90-155
        698/AS; Cost: $23.00)
  'Volume  III. Field Evaluations;" (Order No. PB90-155 7051 AS; Cost: $23.00)
  'Volume IV. Alternate Concepts for SOX,  NOX, and Particulate Emissions Control
        from a  Fuel-Rich Precombustor;"  (Order No.  PB90-155 714!AS; Cost:
        $23.00)
  Volume V. Burner Evaluation Data Appendices," (Order No. PB90-155  7221 AS
        Cost: 23.00, subject to change) will be available only from:
           National Technical Information Service
           5285 Port Royal Road
           Springfield, VA 22161
           Telephone: 703-487-4650
  The EPA Project Officer can be contacted at:
           Air and Energy Engineering Research Laboratory
           U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
           Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Center for Environmental Research
Information
Cincinnati OH 45268
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use $300

EPA/600/S7-89/015
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