MEASUREMENT AND MODELING OF NO(X) FORMATION IN A GAS-FIRED FURNACE

This paper reports results of NO(x) measurements carried out on a gas fired furnace using radial fuel injection. The data consists of a comp lete mapping of NO(x) concentration in the furnace under variable swir l conditions. Swirl produced locally higher NO(x) concentrations but l ittle overall increase. Measured stack NO(x) variations with burner in put conditions indicate that, for this system, operating with a fuel-r ich mixture is more effective in suppressing NO(x) formation than with excess air operation. The data is needed for testing and developing t heoretical models. Theoretical predictions of the overall NO(x) format ion are made using a well-stirred reactor model based on the Zeldovich mechanism with account for the species concentration fluctuations. Th e model predictions compare satisfactorily with the measurements.