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Show Efficient Use of Natural Gas in Furnaces, Boilers and Other Heating Application Jeff Rhine, BG Technology, United Kingdom American Flame Research Committee's International Conference, San Francisco, October 1999 Abstract - For many years the UK gas industry has developed and promoted gas technologies for low and high temperature applications, which reduce energy consumption. This issue is still important today, with a commitment by European Union States to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. However, these improvements in efficiency must also be achieved without increasing other controlled emissions, or reducing the output from the installation. This paper presents how B G Technology has solved the problems of improving efficiency in the past, and how it is rising to the challenges of the present and future. Background BG Technology (formally known as British Gas pic Research & Development) has over a period of more than 40 years been the centre of the development and demonstration of gas-fired equipment for industrial heating processes in the U K . These developments have utilised the clean combustion features of natural gas and have focused on four key elements to meet gas customer needs; namely:- • high efficiency • low emissions • increased production • improved product quality In very recent years, particularly in the UK, energy costs have remained comparatively low and this has had an impact on the drive to develop highly efficient systems. Today with the global concern regarding the greenhouse effect and environmental pollution (e.g. C 0 2 & N O x emissions) heating plant will be under increasing pressure to improve efficiency along with minimising emissions. Likewise, the international markets in which our customers now have to operate, has made them refocus on their products and competitive position. Thus, there is renewed efforts to develop and install the best available equipment to meet the challenges of the next millennium. Of particular concern are high temperature processes which, by their very nature, tend to run at low thermal efficiencies and hence offer great scope for energy saving techniques. The low efficiency of this type of plant is a consequence of the need to transfer heat from the combustion products to a heat sink which is at a high temperature. Inevitably this leads to combustion products being discharged from the process at high temperatures. In addition, unnecessary losses from the system due to factors such a poor house keeping, become that more costly in energy terms. In the first section of the paper we will review a number of BG Technology developments, focusing mainly on high temperature processes. Then, in the second part, w e will see'how these technologies have been extended to combine high efficiency with low emissions. |