FLAMELESS OXIDATION TO REDUCE THERMAL NO-FORMATION

This report will present a special form of combustion, called flameles s oxidation. In contrast to the combustion within stabilized flames, t emperature peaks can be avoided at flameless oxidation. For that reaso n, the thermal NO-formation is largely suppressed, even at very high a ir preheat temperatures. A brief summary of the present NOx-reducing t echniques will be given. The illustration of flameless oxidation will cover the explanation of the basic principle, the presentation of calc ulated and measured data and the introduction of some application exam ples. The results are encouraging the assumption that NO-emissions fro m a wide range of combustion sources could be largely eliminated in th e future. Use of burners, operated in flameless oxidation mode in cont inuous industrial furnaces have proven to be reliable and well accepte d for the very uniform product quality by furnace people. (C) 1997 Els evier Science Ltd.