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Show ~ebr1ad 1995). Over 43 'persons attended this two-day workshop, representing industrial, academic, national a oratory, and corporatIons. Nwnerous inputs from attendees were received and summarized. The research recommendations for each industry are sunullarized in Section 5. 3.0 INDUSTRIAL COMBUSTION C;ombustion is a. process that generates heat from the oxidation of solid, liquid, or gaseous fuels. Inefficiencies occur dunng the con,:,ers~on process, in the transfer of the heat to industrial loads, and through emissions of unwanted byprodu~ts. A ~e~~ctIon m the amount of energy conswned in industrial processes is a major aim of the OIr combustIon actIVItIes. This reduction can occur through improvements in efficiency or through conversion to other fuels such as coal, low Btu gas, or waste products . . The over~ll efficiency in the combustion of fuels and the transfer of the heat generated to industrial processes can be Impro~ed elth~r by modifications to the existing combustion process during retrofits and new installations or through new, InnovatIve processes. In the first case, modifications will result in incremental energy savings. In the second case., the energy savings potential can be greater, but the risks and implementation costs are higher. Potential methods to Improve the energy efficiency of combustion processes and to reduce energy use include the following: • • • Reduced heat loss from the combustion system Increased heat transfer to the load Use of alternate fuels . The OIT combustion programs concentrate on the activities involved in conversion of the chemical energy in the fuel to heat, the transfer of this heat to the load, and the discharge of the products of combustion. Reducing the energy exhausted to the stack (over 40 to 50% of the available heat in some applications) is a key element of the OIr program. This can be accomplished by increasing the energy efficiency of the process (improved heat transfer to the load, reducing heat transferred to walls, operating at optimwn stoichiometry, avoiding overheating the load, etc.). For example, advanced methods of diagnostics is an integral program element because sensors can convey information and allow precise control of the combustion process. Sensors may also provide opportunities to reduce the heat losses noted and may provide an additional benefit of improved product quality. To ensure comprehensive results, the OIT combustion activities target both specific applications and technologies that crosscut several industries. Industry-specific technologies (e.g., recovery boilers used in the forest products industry) require specific research objectives. Other technology research objectives are much broader, for example, burners, refractory materials, diagnostics, and boilers. 4.0 INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH NEEDS ASSESSMENT Following are the results of an assessment to define the combustion-related industrial needs and to list potential research projects that could resolve them. For each of the seven major industries, a status of the industry, an identification of combustion related problems, and a list of selected research opportunities are presented. 4.1 Petroleum Refining Industry The petrolewn refining industry produces transportation fuels and raw materials for industry. It supplies energy to fuel more than 190 million automobiles and other vehicles, plus all aircraft. The number of operating refmeries has declined 340/0 in several decades, from 285 in the 1960s to 187 in 1993. No grassroots refineries have been built in the United States for over a decade. Among the 10 largest refmery capacity owners in the United States, four are foreign companies. Overall, imports of foreign crude and refined oil products supply almost half the U.S. market. Petroleum refining consumes about six quads of energy, more than any other U.S. industry. Over half the industry's energy comes from refinery ga~ prod~c~d in-house .. Energy efficiency ~as decreased 90/0 since 1985, largely because of lower quality crudes that reqUIre addItIonal processmg energy due to hIgher sulfur content and other constituents. An evaluation of research needs for the petrolewn industry was made using several sources. These sources have included past evaluations of industrial research needs (Penner 1994, Chase et al. 1989, Chase et al. 1988). 4 |