GRI's Industry Combustion R&D Preparing Industry for the Challenges of the Clean Air Act

The 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments explicitly identify nitrogen oxides (NO and NO2, or NOx) as precursors to ozone in the lower atmosphere. As a consequence, NOx emissions are being controlled in an effort to reduce ozone and smog formation in areas that do not meet air quality standards. This means that, even though natural gas is a clean-burning fuel, future gas combustion systems will have to be designed to further minimize NOx emissions. Although many manufacturers have started to introduce low-NOx burners, even more advanced technology will be needed to meet increasingly stringent requirements. New burner technology will enable natural gas users to meet environmental requirements cost-effectively while preserving the high efficiency and productivity associated with natural gas. This paper presents GRI's efforts to meet this need for new, lower polluting industrial gas combustion equipment.