THE PREDICTION OF NO(X) EMISSIONS FROM SPRAY COMBUSTION

The study of in-flame chemical processes involving nitrogenous species forms an important part of the understanding of the design parameters which lead to lower NO(x) emissions from combustion systems. This pap er presents data from experimental and modelling studies on the nitrog enous emissions from an oil fired furnace using staged combustion for the control of NO(x) emissions. Measurements of the in-flame NO concen tration profiles are compared for the same burner operating in the uns taged and staged mode. The exit gas NO concentration was reduced by 30 % during staged combustion with 35% secondary air. A post-processing N O model linked to the output from a commercial computational code was used to predict the rates of formation and concentrations of thermal, fuel and prompt-NO from the experimental system. The predictions showe d that NO emission is in good qualitative agreement with the experimen tally observed values when the effects of superequilibrium radical for mation and turbulence/chemistry interaction are considered.