NOx Control for Conventional Gas Burners

Reexamining conventional gas burner design may lead to NOx compliance for less than $3/kW. Extensive computational fluid dynamic parametric studies of the conventional burners on a 105 MW unit resulted in a new concept for using burner dynamics to induce inert gas NOx control effects within the burner/furnace interface. Modeling indicates potential NOx reductions up to 75% without external flue-gas recirculation or overfire air. The paper contains computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling and preliminary field performance test results. Simple changes to the gas injection dynamics and a new flame stabilizer were the only mechanical changes made to the burners. This unit is the first of two utility units to be adapted to the low NOx firing concept.