Design and process integration of organic Rankine cycle utilizing biomass for power generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ependi, S.; Nur, T. B.

2018-02-01

Indonesia has high potential biomass energy sources from palm oil mill industry activities. The growing interest on Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) application to produce electricity by utilizing biomass energy sources are increasingly due to its successfully used for generating electricity from rejected waste heat to the environment in industrial processes. In this study, the potential of the palm oil empty fruit bunch, and wood chip have been used as fuel for biomass to generate electricity based ORC with combustion processes. The heat from combustion burner was transfer by thermal oil heater to evaporate ORC working fluid in the evaporator unit. The Syltherm-XLT thermal oil was used as the heat carrier from combustion burner, while R245fa was used as the working fluid for ORC unit. Appropriate designs integration from biomass combustion unit to ORC unit have been analyzed and proposed to generate expander shaft-work. Moreover, the effect of recuperator on the total system efficiency has also been investigated. It was observed that the fuel consumption was increased when the ORC unit equipped recuperator operated until certain pressure and decreased when operated at high pressure.

Meta-control of combustion performance with a data mining approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Zhe

Large scale combustion process is complex and proposes challenges of optimizing its performance. Traditional approaches based on thermal dynamics have limitations on finding optimal operational regions due to time-shift nature of the process. Recent advances in information technology enable people collect large volumes of process data easily and continuously. The collected process data contains rich information about the process and, to some extent, represents a digital copy of the process over time. Although large volumes of data exist in industrial combustion processes, they are not fully utilized to the level where the process can be optimized. Data mining is an emerging science which finds patterns or models from large data sets. It has found many successful applications in business marketing, medical and manufacturing domains The focus of this dissertation is on applying data mining to industrial combustion processes, and ultimately optimizing the combustion performance. However the philosophy, methods and frameworks discussed in this research can also be applied to other industrial processes. Optimizing an industrial combustion process has two major challenges. One is the underlying process model changes over time and obtaining an accurate process model is nontrivial. The other is that a process model with high fidelity is usually highly nonlinear, solving the optimization problem needs efficient heuristics. This dissertation is set to solve these two major challenges. The major contribution of this 4-year research is the data-driven solution to optimize the combustion process, where process model or knowledge is identified based on the process data, then optimization is executed by evolutionary algorithms to search for optimal operating regions.

Development and test of combustion chamber for Stirling engine heated by natural gas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Tie; Song, Xiange; Gui, Xiaohong; Tang, Dawei; Li, Zhigang; Cao, Wenyu

2014-04-01

The combustion chamber is an important component for the Stirling engine heated by natural gas. In the paper, we develop a combustion chamber for the Stirling engine which aims to generate 3˜5 kWe electric power. The combustion chamber includes three main components: combustion module, heat exchange cavity and thermal head. Its feature is that the structure can divide "combustion" process and "heat transfer" process into two apparent individual steps and make them happen one by one. Since natural gas can mix with air fully before burning, the combustion process can be easily completed without the second wind. The flame can avoid contacting the thermal head of Stirling engine, and the temperature fields can be easily controlled. The designed combustion chamber is manufactured and its performance is tested by an experiment which includes two steps. The experimental result of the first step proves that the mixture of air and natural gas can be easily ignited and the flame burns stably. In the second step of experiment, the combustion heat flux can reach 20 kW, and the energy utilization efficiency of thermal head has exceeded 0.5. These test results show that the thermal performance of combustion chamber has reached the design goal. The designed combustion chamber can be applied to a real Stirling engine heated by natural gas which is to generate 3˜5 kWe electric power.

Plane flame furnace combustion tests on JPL desulfurized coal

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reuther, J. J.; Kim, H. T.; Lima, J. G. H.

1982-01-01

The combustion characteristics of three raw bituminous (PSOC-282 and 276) and subbituminous (PSOC-230) coals, the raw coals partially desulfurized (ca -60%) by JPL chlorinolysis, and the chlorinated coals more completely desulfurized (ca -75%) by JPL hydrodesulfurization were determined. The extent to which the combustion characteristics of the untreated coals were altered upon JPL sulfur removal was examined. Combustion conditions typical of utility boilers were simulated in the plane flame furnace. Upon decreasing the parent coal voltaile matter generically by 80% and the sulfur by 75% via the JPL desulfurization process, ignition time was delayed 70 fold, burning velocity was retarded 1.5 fold, and burnout time was prolonged 1.4 fold. Total flame residence time increased 2.3 fold. The JPL desulfurization process appears to show significant promise for producing technologically combustible and clean burning (low SO3) fuels.

Combustion Power Unit--400: CPU-400.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Combustion Power Co., Palo Alto, CA.

Aerospace technology may have led to a unique basic unit for processing solid wastes and controlling pollution. The Combustion Power Unit--400 (CPU-400) is designed as a turboelectric generator plant that will use municipal solid wastes as fuel. The baseline configuration is a modular unit that is designed to utilize 400 tons of refuse per day…

IMPACT OF DECISION-MAKING STRATEGIES AND COMMUNICATION PROCESSES ON THE PUBLIC ACCEPTABILITY OF MUNICIPAL WASTE COMBUSTION RESIDUE UTILIZATION IN THE UNITED STATES

EPA Science Inventory

Of the identified current and proposed construction projects in which municipal solid waste combustion residues replace traditionally used materials, approximately half are located on landfills or other property controlled by project sponsors, one third are in publicly accessible...

Thermally efficient melting for glass making

DOEpatents

Chen, Michael S. K.; Painter, Corning F.; Pastore, Steven P.; Roth, Gary; Winchester, David C.

1991-01-01

The present invention is an integrated process for the production of glass utilizing combustion heat to melt glassmaking materials in a glassmaking furnace. The fuel combusted to produce heat sufficient to melt the glassmaking materials is combusted with oxygen-enriched oxidant to reduce heat losses from the offgas of the glassmaking furnace. The process further reduces heat losses by quenching hot offgas from the glassmaking furnace with a process stream to retain the heat recovered from quench in the glassmaking process with subsequent additional heat recovery by heat exchange of the fuel to the glassmaking furnace, as well as the glassmaking materials, such as batch and cullet. The process includes recovery of a commercially pure carbon dioxide product by separatory means from the cooled, residual offgas from the glassmaking furnace.

Environmentally and economically efficient utilization of coal processing waste.

PubMed

Dmitrienko, Margarita A; Strizhak, Pavel A

2017-11-15

High concentrations of hazardous anthropogenic emissions (sulfur, nitrogen and carbon oxides) from solid fuel combustion in coal burning plants cause environmental problems that have been especially pressing over the last 20-30 years. A promising solution to these problems is a switch from conventional pulverized coal combustion to coal-water slurry fuel. In this paper, we pay special attention to the environmental indicators characterizing the combustion of different coal ranks (gas, flame, coking, low-caking, and nonbaking coals) and coal-water slurry fuels based on the coal processing waste - filter cakes. There have been no consistent data so far on the acceptable intervals for the anthropogenic emissions of sulfur (SO x ), nitrogen (NO x ) and carbon (CO, CO 2 ) oxides. Using a specialized combustion chamber and gas analyzing system, we have measured the concentrations of typical coal and filter-cake-based CWS combustion products. We have also calculated the typical combustion heat of the fuels under study and measured the ratio between environmental and energy attributes. The research findings show that the use of filter cakes in the form of CWS is even better than coals in terms of environment and economy. Wide utilization of filter cakes solves many environmental problems: the areas of contaminated sites shrink, anthropogenic emissions decrease, and there is no need to develop new coal mines anymore. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kevin C. Galbreath; Donald L. Toman; Christopher J. Zygarlicke

Petroleum coke, a byproduct of the petroleum-refining process, is an attractive primary or supplemental fuel for power production primarily because of a progressive and predictable increase in the production volumes of petroleum coke (1, 2). Petroleum coke is most commonly blended with coal in proportions suitable to meet sulfur emission compliance. Petroleum coke is generally less reactive than coal; therefore, the cofiring of petroleum coke with coal typically improves ignition, flame stability, and carbon loss relative to the combustion of petroleum coke alone. Although petroleum coke is a desirable fuel for producing relatively inexpensive electrical power, concerns about the effectsmore » of petroleum coke blending on combustion and pollution control processes exist in the coal-fired utility industry (3). The Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) completed a 2-year technical assessment of petroleum coke as a supplemental fuel. A survey questionnaire was sent to seven electric utility companies that are currently cofiring coal and petroleum coke in an effort to solicit specific suggestions on research needs and fuel selections. An example of the letter and survey questionnaire is presented in Appendix A. Interest was expressed by most utilities in evaluating the effects of petroleum coke blending on grindability, combustion reactivity, fouling, slagging, and fly ash emissions control. Unexpectedly, concern over corrosion was not expressed by the utilities contacted. Although all seven utilities responded to the question, only two utilities, Northern States Power Company (NSP) and Ameren, sent fuels to the EERC for evaluation. Both utilities sent subbituminous coals from the Power River Basin and petroleum shot coke samples. Petroleum shot coke is produced unintentionally during operational upsets in the petroleum refining process. This report evaluates the effects of petroleum shot coke blending on grindability, fuel reactivity, fouling/slagging, and electrostatic precipitator (ESP) fly ash collection efficiency.« less

Fluidized bed combustion bottom ash: A better and alternative geo-material resource for construction.

PubMed

Mandal, A K; Paramkusam, Bala Ramudu; Sinha, O P

2018-04-01

Though the majority of research on fly ash has proved its worth as a construction material, the utility of bottom ash is yet questionable due to its generation during the pulverized combustion process. The bottom ash produced during the fluidized bed combustion (FBC) process is attracting more attention due to the novelty of coal combustion technology. But, to establish its suitability as construction material, it is necessary to characterize it thoroughly with respect to the geotechnical as well as mineralogical points of view. For fulfilling these objectives, the present study mainly aims at characterizing the FBC bottom ash and its comparison with pulverized coal combustion (PCC) bottom ash, collected from the same origin of coal. Suitability of FBC bottom ash as a dike filter material in contrast to PCC bottom ash in replacing traditional filter material such as sand was also studied. The suitability criteria for utilization of both bottom ash and river sand as filter material on pond ash as a base material were evaluated, and both river sand and FBC bottom ash were found to be satisfactory. The study shows that FBC bottom ash is a better geo-material than PCC bottom ash, and it could be highly recommended as an alternative suitable filter material for constructing ash dikes in place of conventional sand.

Gas Chromatic Mass Spectrometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wey, Chowen

1995-01-01

Gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer (GC/MS) used to measure and identify combustion species present in trace concentration. Advanced extractive diagnostic method measures to parts per billion (PPB), as well as differentiates between different types of hydrocarbons. Applicable for petrochemical, waste incinerator, diesel transporation, and electric utility companies in accurately monitoring types of hydrocarbon emissions generated by fuel combustion, in order to meet stricter environmental requirements. Other potential applications include manufacturing processes requiring precise detection of toxic gaseous chemicals, biomedical applications requiring precise identification of accumulative gaseous species, and gas utility operations requiring high-sensitivity leak detection.

National Combustion Code, a Multidisciplinary Combustor Design System, Will Be Transferred to the Commercial Sector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steele, Gynelle C.

1999-01-01

The NASA Lewis Research Center and Flow Parametrics will enter into an agreement to commercialize the National Combustion Code (NCC). This multidisciplinary combustor design system utilizes computer-aided design (CAD) tools for geometry creation, advanced mesh generators for creating solid model representations, a common framework for fluid flow and structural analyses, modern postprocessing tools, and parallel processing. This integrated system can facilitate and enhance various phases of the design and analysis process.

System for utilizing oil shale fines

DOEpatents

Harak, Arnold E.

1982-01-01

A system is provided for utilizing fines of carbonaceous materials such as particles or pieces of oil shale of about one-half inch or less diameter which are rejected for use in some conventional or prior surface retorting process, which obtains maximum utilization of the energy content of the fines and which produces a waste which is relatively inert and of a size to facilitate disposal. The system includes a cyclone retort (20) which pyrolyzes the fines in the presence of heated gaseous combustion products, the cyclone retort having a first outlet (30) through which vapors can exit that can be cooled to provide oil, and having a second outlet (32) through which spent shale fines are removed. A burner (36) connected to the spent shale outlet of the cyclone retort, burns the spent shale with air, to provide hot combustion products (24) that are carried back to the cyclone retort to supply gaseous combustion products utilized therein. The burner heats the spent shale to a temperature which forms a molten slag, and the molten slag is removed from the burner into a quencher (48) that suddenly cools the molten slag to form granules that are relatively inert and of a size that is convenient to handle for disposal in the ground or in industrial processes.

Modeling complex chemical effects in turbulent nonpremixed combustion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Nigel S. A.

1995-01-01

Virtually all of the energy derived from the consumption of combustibles occurs in systems which utilize turbulent fluid motion. Since combustion is largely related to the mixing of fluids and mixing processes are orders of magnitude more rapid when enhanced by turbulent motion, efficiency criteria dictate that chemically powered devices necessarily involve fluid turbulence. Where combustion occurs concurrently with mixing at an interface between two reactive fluid bodies, this mode of combustion is called nonpremixed combustion. This is distinct from premixed combustion where flame-fronts propagate into a homogeneous mixture of reactants. These two modes are limiting cases in the range of temporal lag between mixing of reactants and the onset of reaction. Nonpremixed combustion occurs where this lag tends to zero, while premixed combustion occurs where this lag tends to infinity. Many combustion processes are hybrids of these two extremes with finite non-zero lag times. Turbulent nonpremixed combustion is important from a practical standpoint because it occurs in gas fired boilers, furnaces, waste incinerators, diesel engines, gas turbine combustors, and afterburners etc. To a large extent, past development of these practical systems involved an empirical methodology. Presently, efficiency standards and emission regulations are being further tightened (Correa 1993), and empiricism has had to give way to more fundamental research in order to understand and effectively model practical combustion processes (Pope 1991). A key element in effective modeling of turbulent combustion is making use of a sufficiently detailed chemical kinetic mechanism. The prediction of pollutant emission such as oxides of nitrogen (NO(x)) and sulphur (SO(x)) unburned hydrocarbons, and particulates demands the use of detailed chemical mechanisms. It is essential that practical models for turbulent nonpremixed combustion are capable of handling large numbers of 'stiff' chemical species equations.

Turbulent transport measurements in a model of GT-combustor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chikishev, L. M.; Gobyzov, O. A.; Sharaborin, D. K.; Lobasov, A. S.; Dulin, V. M.; Markovich, D. M.; Tsatiashvili, V. V.

2016-10-01

To reduce NOx formation modern industrial power gas-turbines utilizes lean premixed combustion of natural gas. The uniform distribution of local fuel/air ratio in the combustion chamber plays one of the key roles in the field of lean combustion to prevent thermo-acoustic pulsations. Present paper reports on simultaneous Particle Image Velocimetry and acetone Planar Laser Induced Fluorescence measurements in a cold model of GT-combustor to investigate mixing processes which are relevant to the organization of lean premixed combustion. Velocity and passive admixture pulsations correlations were measured to verify gradient closer model, which is often used in Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) simulation of turbulent mixing.

Flue gas desulfurization

DOEpatents

Im, K.H.; Ahluwalia, R.K.

1984-05-01

The invention involves a combustion process in which combustion gas containing sulfur oxide is directed past a series of heat exchangers to a stack and in which a sodium compound is added to the combustion gas in a temparature zone of above about 1400 K to form Na/sub 2/SO/sub 4/. Preferably, the temperature is above about 1800 K and the sodium compound is present as a vapor to provide a gas-gas reaction to form Na/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ as a liquid. Since liquid Na/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ may cause fouling of heat exchanger surfaces downstream from the combustion zone, the process advantageously includes the step of injecting a cooling gas downstream of the injection of the sodium compound yet upstream of one or more heat exchangers to cool the combustion gas to below about 1150 K and form solid Na/sub 2/SO/sub 4/. The cooling gas is preferably a portion of the combustion gas downstream which may be recycled for cooling. It is further advantageous to utilize an electrostatic precipitator downstream of the heat exchangers to recover the Na/sub 2/SO/sub 4/. It is also advantageous in the process to remove a portion of the combustion gas cleaned in the electrostatic precipitator and recycle that portion upstream to use as the cooling gas. 3 figures.

Coal Combustion Science quarterly progress report, April--June 1992

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hardesty, D.R.; Hurt, R.H.; Baxter, L.L.

1992-09-01

The objective of this work is to support the Office of Fossil Energy in executing research on coal combustion science. This project consists of basic research on coal combustion that supports both the Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center (PETC) Direct Utilization Advanced Research and Technology Development Program, and the International Energy Agency (IEA) Coal Combustion Science Project. Specific tasks include: The characterization of the physical and chemical processes that constitute the early devolatilization phase of coal combustion: Characterization of the combustion behavior of selected coals under conditions relevant to industria pulverized coal-fired furnaces; and to establish a quantitative understanding of themore » mechanisms and rates of transformation, fragmentation, and deposition of mineral matter in coal combustion environments as a function of coal type, particle size and temperature, the initial forms and distributions of mineral species in the unreacted coal, and the local gas temperature and composition.« less

Synthesis of refractory materials

DOEpatents

Holt, Joseph B.

1984-01-01

Refractory metal nitrides are synthesized during a self-propagating combustion process utilizing a solid source of nitrogren. For this purpose, a metal azide is employed, preferably NaN.sub.3. The azide is combusted with Mg or Ca, and a metal oxide is selected from Groups III-A, IV-A, III-B, IV-B, or a rare earth metal oxide. The mixture of azide, Ca or Mg and metal oxide is heated to the mixture's ignition temperature. At that temperature the mixture is ignited and undergoes self-sustaining combustion until the starter materials are exhausted, producing the metal nitride.

Synthesis of refractory materials

DOEpatents

Holt, J.B.

1983-08-16

Refractory metal nitrides are synthesized during a self-propagating combustion process utilizing a solid source of nitrogen. For this purpose, a metal azide is employed, preferably NaN/sub 3/. The azide is combusted with Mg or Ca, and a metal oxide is selected from Groups III-A, IV-A, III-B, IV-B, or a rare earth metal oxide. The mixture of azide, Ca or Mg and metal oxide is heated to the mixture's ignition temperature. At that temperature the mixture is ignited and undergoes self-sustaining combustion until the starter materials are exhausted, producing the metal nitride.

2011 Laser Diagnostics in Combustion Gordon Research Conference, (August 14-19, 2011, Waterville Valley Resort, Waterville Valley, NH)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thomas Settersten

2011-08-19

The vast majority of the world's energy needs are met by combustion of fossil fuels. Optimum utilization of limited resources and control of emissions of pollutants and greenhouse gases demand sustained improvement of combustion technology. This task can be satisfied only by detailed knowledge of the underlying physical and chemical processes. Non-intrusive laser diagnostics continuously contribute to our growing understanding of these complex and coupled multi-scale processes. The GRC on Laser Diagnostics in Combustion focuses on the most recent scientific advances and brings together scientists and engineers working at the leading edge of combustion research. Major tasks of the communitymore » are developing and applying methods for precise and accurate measurements of fluid motion and temperatures; chemical compositions; multi-phase phenomena appearing near walls, in spray and sooting combustion; improving sensitivities, precision, spatial resolution and tracking transients in their spatio-temporal development. The properties and behaviour of novel laser sources, detectors, optical systems that lead to new diagnostic capabilities are also part of the conference program.« less

Fuel-rich catalytic combustion of Jet-A fuel-equivalence ratios 5.0 to 8.0

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brabbs, Theodore A.; Gracia-Salcedo, Carmen M.

1989-01-01

Fuel-rich catalytic combustion (E.R. greater than 5.0) is a unique technique for preheating a hydrocarbon fuel to temperatures much higher than those obtained by conventional heat exchangers. In addition to producing very reactive molecules, the process upgrades the structure of the fuel by the formation of hydrogen and smaller hydrocarbons and produces a cleaner burning fuel by removing some of the fuel carbon from the soot formation chain. With fuel-rich catalytic combustion as the first stage of a two stage combustion system, enhanced fuel properties can be utilized by both high speed engines, where time for ignition and complete combustion is limited, and engines where emission of thermal NO sub x is critical. Two-stage combustion (rich-lean) has been shown to be effective for NO sub x reduction in stationary burners where residence times are long enough to burn-up the soot formed in the first stage. Such residence times are not available in aircraft engines. Thus, the soot-free nature of the present process is critical for high speed engines. The successful application of fuel-rich catalytic combustion to Jet-A, a multicomponent fuel used in gas turbine combustors, is discusssed.

Coal Combustion Science quarterly progress report, April--June 1992. Task 1, Coal devolatilization: Task 2, Coal char combustion; Task 3, Fate of mineral matter

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hardesty, D.R.; Hurt, R.H.; Baxter, L.L.

1992-09-01

The objective of this work is to support the Office of Fossil Energy in executing research on coal combustion science. This project consists of basic research on coal combustion that supports both the Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center (PETC) Direct Utilization Advanced Research and Technology Development Program, and the International Energy Agency (IEA) Coal Combustion Science Project. Specific tasks include: The characterization of the physical and chemical processes that constitute the early devolatilization phase of coal combustion: Characterization of the combustion behavior of selected coals under conditions relevant to industria pulverized coal-fired furnaces; and to establish a quantitative understanding of themore » mechanisms and rates of transformation, fragmentation, and deposition of mineral matter in coal combustion environments as a function of coal type, particle size and temperature, the initial forms and distributions of mineral species in the unreacted coal, and the local gas temperature and composition.« less

A numerical investigation of premixed combustion in wave rotors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nalim, M. Razi; Paxson, Daniel E.

1996-01-01

Wave rotor cycles which utilize premixed combustion processes within the passages are examined numerically using a one-dimensional CFD-based simulation. Internal-combustion wave rotors are envisioned for use as pressure-gain combustors in gas turbine engines. The simulation methodology is described, including a presentation of the assumed governing equations for the flow and reaction in the channels, the numerical integration method used, and the modeling of external components such as recirculation ducts. A number of cycle simulations are then presented which illustrate both turbulent-deflagration and detonation modes of combustion. Estimates of performance and rotor wall temperatures for the various cycles are made, and the advantages and disadvantages of each are discussed.

Apparatus and method for removing particulate deposits from high temperature filters

DOEpatents

Nakaishi, Curtis V.; Holcombe, Norman T.; Micheli, Paul L.

1992-01-01

A combustion of a fuel-air mixture is used to provide a high-temperature and high-pressure pulse of gaseous combustion products for the back-flush cleaning of ceramic filter elements contained in a barrier filter system and utilized to separate particulates from particulate-laden process gases at high temperature and high pressure. The volume of gaseous combustion products provided by the combustion of the fuel-air mixture is preferably divided into a plurality of streams each passing through a sonic orifice and conveyed to the open end of each filter element as a high pressure pulse which passes through the filter elements and dislodges dust cake supported on a surface of the filter element.

[The utility boiler low NOx combustion optimization based on ANN and simulated annealing algorithm].

PubMed

Zhou, Hao; Qian, Xinping; Zheng, Ligang; Weng, Anxin; Cen, Kefa

2003-11-01

With the developing restrict environmental protection demand, more attention was paid on the low NOx combustion optimizing technology for its cheap and easy property. In this work, field experiments on the NOx emissions characteristics of a 600 MW coal-fired boiler were carried out, on the base of the artificial neural network (ANN) modeling, the simulated annealing (SA) algorithm was employed to optimize the boiler combustion to achieve a low NOx emissions concentration, and the combustion scheme was obtained. Two sets of SA parameters were adopted to find a better SA scheme, the result show that the parameters of T0 = 50 K, alpha = 0.6 can lead to a better optimizing process. This work can give the foundation of the boiler low NOx combustion on-line control technology.

Staged, High-Pressure Oxy-Combustion Technology: Development and Scale-Up

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Axelbaum, Richard; Xia, Fei; Gopan, Akshay

Washington University in St. Louis and its project partners are developing a unique pressurized oxy-combustion process that aims to improve efficiency and costs by reducing the recycling of flue gas to near zero. Normally, in the absence of recycled flue gas or another inert gas, combustion of fuel and oxygen results in a dramatic increase in temperature of the combustion products and radiant energy, as compared to combustion in air. High heat flux to the boiler tubes may result in a tube surface temperatures that exceed safe operating limits. In the Staged Pressurized Oxy-Combustion (SPOC) process, this problem is addressedmore » by staging the delivery of fuel and by novel combustion design that allows control of heat flux. In addition, the main mode of heat transfer to the steam cycle is by radiation, as opposed to convection. Therefore, the requirement for recycling large amounts of flue gas, for temperature control or to improve convective heat transfer, is eliminated, resulting in a reduction in auxiliary loads. The following report contains a detailed summary of scientific findings and accomplishments for the period of Oct. 1, 2013 to Sept 30, 2014. Results of ASPEN process and CFD modelling activities aimed at improving the SPOC process and boiler design are presented. The effects of combustion pressure and fuel moisture on the plant efficiency are discussed. Combustor pressure is found to have only a minor impact beyond 16 bar. For fuels with moisture content greater than approx 30%, e.g. coal/water slurries, the amount of latent heat of condensation exceeds that which can be utilized in the steam cycle and plant efficiency is reduced significantly. An improved boiler design is presented that achieves a more uniform heat flux profile. In addition, a fundamental study of radiation in high-temperature, high-pressure, particle-laden flows is summarized which provides a more complete understanding of heat transfer in these unusual conditions and to allow for optimization. The results reveal that for the SPOC design, absorption and emission due to particles is the dominant factor for determining the wall heat flux. The mechanism of “radiative trapping” of energy within the high-temperature flame region and the approach to utilizing this mechanism to control wall heat flux are described. This control arises, by design, from the highly non-uniform (non-premixed) combustion characteristics within the SPOC boiler, and the resulting gradients in temperature and particle concentration. Finally, a simple method for estimating the wall heat flux in pressurized combustion systems is presented.« less

Pulsed atmospheric fluidized bed combustor apparatus

DOEpatents

Mansour, Momtaz N.

1993-10-26

A pulsed atmospheric fluidized bed reactor system is disclosed and claimed along with a process for utilization of same for the combustion of, e.g. high sulfur content coal. The system affords a economical, ecologically acceptable alternative to oil and gas fired combustors. The apparatus may also be employed for endothermic reaction, combustion of waste products, e.g., organic and medical waste, drying materials, heating air, calcining and the like.

NASA Microgravity Combustion Science Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

King, Merrill K.

1997-01-01

Combustion is a key element of many critical technologies used by contemporary society. For example, electric power production, home heating, surface and air transportation, space propulsion, and materials synthesis all utilize combustion as a source of energy. Yet, although combustion technology is vital to our standard of living, it poses great challenges to maintaining a habitable environment. For example, pollutants, atmospheric change and global warming, unwanted fires and explosions, and the incineration of hazardous wastes are major problem areas which would benefit from improved understanding of combustion. Effects of gravitational forces impede combustion studies more than most other areas of science since combustion involves production of high-temperature gases whose low density results in buoyant motion, vastly complicating the execution and interpretation of experiments. Effects of buoyancy are so ubiquitous that their enormous negative impact on the rational development of combustion science is generally not recognized. Buoyant motion also triggers the onset of turbulence, yielding complicating unsteady effects. Finally, gravity forces cause particles and drops to settle, inhibiting deconvoluted studies of heterogeneous flames important to furnace, incineration and power generation technologies. Thus, effects of buoyancy have seriously limited our capabilities to carry out 'clean' experiments needed for fundamental understanding of flame phenomena. Combustion scientists can use microgravity to simplify the study of many combustion processes, allowing fresh insights into important problems via a deeper understanding of elemental phenomena also found in Earth-based combustion processes and to additionally provide valuable information concerning how fires behave in microgravity and how fire safety on spacecraft can be enhanced.

Two-stage coal gasification and desulfurization apparatus

DOEpatents

Bissett, Larry A.; Strickland, Larry D.

1991-01-01

The present invention is directed to a system which effectively integrates a two-stage, fixed-bed coal gasification arrangement with hot fuel gas desulfurization of a first stream of fuel gas from a lower stage of the two-stage gasifier and the removal of sulfur from the sulfur sorbent regeneration gas utilized in the fuel-gas desulfurization process by burning a second stream of fuel gas from the upper stage of the gasifier in a combustion device in the presence of calcium-containing material. The second stream of fuel gas is taken from above the fixed bed in the coal gasifier and is laden with ammonia, tar and sulfur values. This second stream of fuel gas is burned in the presence of excess air to provide heat energy sufficient to effect a calcium-sulfur compound forming reaction between the calcium-containing material and sulfur values carried by the regeneration gas and the second stream of fuel gas. Any ammonia values present in the fuel gas are decomposed during the combustion of the fuel gas in the combustion chamber. The substantially sulfur-free products of combustion may then be combined with the desulfurized fuel gas for providing a combustible fluid utilized for driving a prime mover.

Suitability of aquatic biomass from Lake Toba (North Sumatra, Indonesia) for energy generation by combustion process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brunerová, A.; Roubík, H.; Herák, D.

2017-09-01

Several aquatic plant species were identified as aquatic pollution of Lake Toba, North Sumatra (Indonesia); specifically, water hyacinth Eichhornia crassipes and aquatic weeds Hydrilla verticillata and Myriophyllum spicatum due to their high biomass yield which causes impenetrable mats at the bottom and surface of the lake. That complicates other vegetation growth and utilization of water areas for fishing or recreation. In attempt to clean the lake and prevent plants expansion, great amount of plants populations are removed from water but subsequent efficient utilization of such aquatic biomass is not ensured. Present research investigated energy potential of aquatic biomass originated from mentioned aquatic plants from Lake Toba and its possible utilization for energy production by direct combustion. Performed chemical analysis contained from determination of moisture, ash and volatile matter contents and calorific values. Evaluation of results proved highest suitability and energy potential of Eichhornia crassipes with gross calorific value (GCV) 16.31 MJ·kg-1, followed by Hydrilla verticillata with GCV 15.24 MJ·kg-1. Samples of Myriophyllum spicatum exhibited unsatisfactory results due to its low GCV (11.27 MJ·kg-1) in combination with high ash content (36.99%) which indicates complications during combustion, thus, low energy production efficiency and overall unsuitability for combustion purposes.

An energy- and resource-saving technology for utilizing the sludge from thermal power station water treatment facilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nikolaeva, L. A.; Khusaenova, A. Z.

2014-05-01

A method for utilizing production wastes is considered, and a process circuit arrangement is proposed for utilizing a mixture of activated silt and sludge from chemical water treatment by incinerating it with possible heat recovery. The sorption capacity of the products from combusting a mixture of activated silt and sludge with respect to gaseous emissions is experimentally determined. A periodic-duty adsorber charged with a fixed bed of sludge is calculated, and the heat-recovery boiler efficiency is estimated together with the technical-economic indicators of the proposed utilization process circuit arrangement.

Particle sizing in rocket motor studies utilizing hologram image processing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Netzer, David; Powers, John

1987-01-01

A technique of obtaining particle size information from holograms of combustion products is described. The holograms are obtained with a pulsed ruby laser through windows in a combustion chamber. The reconstruction is done with a krypton laser with the real image being viewed through a microscope. The particle size information is measured with a Quantimet 720 image processing system which can discriminate various features and perform measurements of the portions of interest in the image. Various problems that arise in the technique are discussed, especially those that are a consequence of the speckle due to the diffuse illumination used in the recording process.

Transformations of inorganic coal constituents in combustion systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Helble, J.J.; Srinivasachar, S.; Wilemski, G.

1992-11-01

The inorganic constituents or ash contained in pulverized coal significantly increase the environmental and economic costs of coal utilization. For example, ash particles produced during combustion may deposit on heat transfer surfaces, decreasing heat transfer rates and increasing maintenance costs. The minimization of particulate emissions often requires the installation of cleanup devices such as electrostatic precipitators, also adding to the expense of coal utilization. Despite these costly problems, a comprehensive assessment of the ash formation and had never been attempted. At the start of this program, it was hypothesized that ash deposition and ash particle emissions both depended upon themore » size and chemical composition of individual ash particles. Questions such as: What determines the size of individual ash particles What determines their composition Whether or not particles deposit How combustion conditions, including reactor size, affect these processes remained to be answered. In this 6-year multidisciplinary study, these issues were addressed in detail. The ambitious overall goal was the development of a comprehensive model to predict the size and chemical composition distributions of ash produced during pulverized coal combustion. Results are described.« less

Economic Assessment of Supercritical CO2 Extraction of Waxes as Part of a Maize Stover Biorefinery.

PubMed

Attard, Thomas M; McElroy, Con Robert; Hunt, Andrew J

2015-07-31

To date limited work has focused on assessing the economic viability of scCO2 extraction to obtain waxes as part of a biorefinery. This work estimates the economic costs for wax extraction from maize stover. The cost of manufacture (COM) for maize stover wax extraction was found to be € 88.89 per kg of wax, with the fixed capital investment (FCI) and utility costs (CUT) contributing significantly to the COM. However, this value is based solely on scCO2 extraction of waxes and does not take into account the downstream processing of the biomass following extraction. The cost of extracting wax from maize stover can be reduced by utilizing pelletized leaves and combusting the residual biomass to generate electricity. This would lead to an overall cost of € 10.87 per kg of wax (based on 27% combustion efficiency for electricity generation) and €4.56 per kg of wax (based on 43% combustion efficiency for electricity generation). A sensitivity analysis study showed that utility costs (cost of electricity) had the greatest effect on the COM.

Economic Assessment of Supercritical CO2 Extraction of Waxes as Part of a Maize Stover Biorefinery

PubMed Central

Attard, Thomas M.; McElroy, Con Robert; Hunt, Andrew J.

2015-01-01

To date limited work has focused on assessing the economic viability of scCO2 extraction to obtain waxes as part of a biorefinery. This work estimates the economic costs for wax extraction from maize stover. The cost of manufacture (COM) for maize stover wax extraction was found to be €88.89 per kg of wax, with the fixed capital investment (FCI) and utility costs (CUT) contributing significantly to the COM. However, this value is based solely on scCO2 extraction of waxes and does not take into account the downstream processing of the biomass following extraction. The cost of extracting wax from maize stover can be reduced by utilizing pelletized leaves and combusting the residual biomass to generate electricity. This would lead to an overall cost of €10.87 per kg of wax (based on 27% combustion efficiency for electricity generation) and €4.56 per kg of wax (based on 43% combustion efficiency for electricity generation). A sensitivity analysis study showed that utility costs (cost of electricity) had the greatest effect on the COM. PMID:26263976

Fuel-rich, catalytic reaction experimental results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rollbuhler, R. James

1991-01-01

Future aeropropulsion gas turbine combustion requirements call for operating at very high inlet temperatures, pressures, and large temperature rises. At the same time, the combustion process is to have minimum pollution effects on the environment. Aircraft gas turbine engines utilize liquid hydrocarbon fuels which are difficult to uniformly atomize and mix with combustion air. An approach for minimizing fuel related problems is to transform the liquid fuel into gaseous form prior to the completion of the combustion process. Experimentally obtained results are presented for vaporizing and partially oxidizing a liquid hydrocarbon fuel into burnable gaseous components. The presented experimental data show that 1200 to 1300 K reaction product gas, rich in hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and light-end hydrocarbons, is formed when flowing 0.3 to 0.6 fuel to air mixes through a catalyst reactor. The reaction temperatures are kept low enough that nitrogen oxides and carbon particles (soot) do not form. Results are reported for tests using different catalyst types and configurations, mass flowrates, input temperatures, and fuel to air ratios.

Gaseous emissions from sewage sludge combustion in a moving bed combustor.

PubMed

Batistella, Luciane; Silva, Valdemar; Suzin, Renato C; Virmond, Elaine; Althoff, Chrtistine A; Moreira, Regina F P M; José, Humberto J

2015-12-01

Substantial increase in sewage sludge generation in recent years requires suitable destination for this residue. This study evaluated the gaseous emissions generated during combustion of an aerobic sewage sludge in a pilot scale moving bed reactor. To utilize the heat generated during combustion, the exhaust gas was applied to the raw sludge drying process. The gaseous emissions were analyzed both after the combustion and drying steps. The results of the sewage sludge characterization showed the energy potential of this residue (LHV equal to 14.5 MJ kg(-1), db) and low concentration of metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDF). The concentration of CO, NOx, BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes) emitted from the sludge combustion process were lower than the legal limits. The overall sludge combustion and drying process showed low emissions of PCDD/PCDF (0.42 ng I-TEQ N m(-3)). BTEX and PAH emissions were not detected. Even with the high nitrogen concentration in the raw feed (5.88% db), the sludge combustion process presented NOx emissions below the legal limit, which results from the combination of appropriate feed rate (A/F ratio), excess air, and mainly the low temperature kept inside the combustion chamber. It was found that the level of CO emissions from the overall sludge process depends on the dryer operating conditions, such as the oxygen content and the drying temperature, which have to be controlled throughout the process in order to achieve low CO levels. The aerobic sewage sludge combustion process generated high SO2 concentration due to the high sulfur content (0.67 wt%, db) and low calcium concentration (22.99 g kg(-1)) found in the sludge. The high concentration of SO2 in the flue gas (4776.77 mg N m(-3)) is the main factor inhibiting PCDD/PCDF formation. Further changes are needed in the pilot plant scheme to reduce SO2 and particulate matter emissions, such as the installation of exhaust gas-cleaning systems. According to previous studies, the efficient operation of such cleaning systems is also effective for metals emission control, which makes the combustion of sewage sludge a feasible treatment method from both energetic and environmental perspectives. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Monitoring of sulfur dioxide emission resulting from biogas utilization on commercial pig farms in Taiwan.

PubMed

Su, Jung-Jeng; Chen, Yen-Jung

2015-01-01

The objective of this work tends to promote methane content in biogas and evaluate sulfur dioxide emission from direct biogas combustion without desulfurization. Analytical results of biogas combustion showed that combustion of un-desulfurized biogas exhausted more than 92% of SO₂ (P < 0.01). In the meantime, more than 90% of hydrogen sulfide was removed during the combustion process using un-desulfurized biogas (P < 0.01). Those disappeared hydrogen sulfide may deposit on the surfaces of power generator's engines or burner heads of boilers. Some of them (4.6-9.1% of H₂S) were converted to SO₂ in exhaust gas. Considering the impacts to human health and living environment, it is better to desulfurize biogas before any applications.

Steam generator on-line efficiency monitor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnson, R.K.; Kaya, A.; Keyes, M.A. IV

1987-08-04

This patent describes a system for automatically and continuously determining the efficiency of a combustion process in a fossil-fuel fired vapor generator for utilization by an automatic load control system that controls the distribution of a system load among a plurality of vapor generators, comprising: a first function generator, connected to an oxygen transducer for sensing the level of excess air in the flue gas, for generating a first signal indicative of the total air supplied for combustion in percent by weight; a second function generator, connected to a combustibles transducer for sensing the level of combustibles in the fluemore » gas, for generating a second signal indicative of the percent combustibles present in the flue gas; means for correcting the first signal, connected to the first and second function generators, when the oxygen transducer is of a type that operates at a temperature level sufficient to cause the unburned combustibles to react with the oxygen present in the flue gas; an ambient air temperature transducer for generating a third signal indicative of the temperature of the ambient air supplied to the vapor generator for combustion.« less

Combustion Dynamics and Control for Ultra Low Emissions in Aircraft Gas-Turbine Engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeLaat, John C.

2011-01-01

Future aircraft engines must provide ultra-low emissions and high efficiency at low cost while maintaining the reliability and operability of present day engines. The demands for increased performance and decreased emissions have resulted in advanced combustor designs that are critically dependent on efficient fuel/air mixing and lean operation. However, all combustors, but most notably lean-burning low-emissions combustors, are susceptible to combustion instabilities. These instabilities are typically caused by the interaction of the fluctuating heat release of the combustion process with naturally occurring acoustic resonances. These interactions can produce large pressure oscillations within the combustor and can reduce component life and potentially lead to premature mechanical failures. Active Combustion Control which consists of feedback-based control of the fuel-air mixing process can provide an approach to achieving acceptable combustor dynamic behavior while minimizing emissions, and thus can provide flexibility during the combustor design process. The NASA Glenn Active Combustion Control Technology activity aims to demonstrate active control in a realistic environment relevant to aircraft engines by providing experiments tied to aircraft gas turbine combustors. The intent is to allow the technology maturity of active combustion control to advance to eventual demonstration in an engine environment. Work at NASA Glenn has shown that active combustion control, utilizing advanced algorithms working through high frequency fuel actuation, can effectively suppress instabilities in a combustor which emulates the instabilities found in an aircraft gas turbine engine. Current efforts are aimed at extending these active control technologies to advanced ultra-low-emissions combustors such as those employing multi-point lean direct injection.

Transformations of inorganic coal constituents in combustion systems. Volume 1, sections 1--5: Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Helble, J.J.; Srinivasachar, S.; Wilemski, G.

1992-11-01

The inorganic constituents or ash contained in pulverized coal significantly increase the environmental and economic costs of coal utilization. For example, ash particles produced during combustion may deposit on heat transfer surfaces, decreasing heat transfer rates and increasing maintenance costs. The minimization of particulate emissions often requires the installation of cleanup devices such as electrostatic precipitators, also adding to the expense of coal utilization. Despite these costly problems, a comprehensive assessment of the ash formation and had never been attempted. At the start of this program, it was hypothesized that ash deposition and ash particle emissions both depended upon themore » size and chemical composition of individual ash particles. Questions such as: What determines the size of individual ash particles? What determines their composition? Whether or not particles deposit? How combustion conditions, including reactor size, affect these processes? remained to be answered. In this 6-year multidisciplinary study, these issues were addressed in detail. The ambitious overall goal was the development of a comprehensive model to predict the size and chemical composition distributions of ash produced during pulverized coal combustion. Results are described.« less

Apparatus and method for solid fuel chemical looping combustion

DOEpatents

Siriwardane, Ranjani V; Weber, Justin M

2015-04-14

The disclosure provides an apparatus and method utilizing fuel reactor comprised of a fuel section, an oxygen carrier section, and a porous divider separating the fuel section and the oxygen carrier section. The porous divider allows fluid communication between the fuel section and the oxygen carrier section while preventing the migration of solids of a particular size. Maintaining particle segregation between the oxygen carrier section and the fuel section during solid fuel gasification and combustion processes allows gases generated in either section to participate in necessary reactions while greatly mitigating issues associated with mixture of the oxygen carrier with char or ash products. The apparatus and method may be utilized with an oxygen uncoupling oxygen carrier such as CuO, Mn.sub.3O.sub.4, or Co.sub.3O.sub.4, or utilized with a CO/H.sub.2 reducing oxygen carrier such as Fe.sub.2O.sub.3.

Fundamental phenomena on fuel decomposition and boundary layer combustion processes with applications to hybrid rocket motors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kuo, Kenneth K.; Lu, Y. C.; Chiaverini, Martin J.; Harting, George C.

1994-01-01

An experimental study on the fundamental processes involved in fuel decomposition and boundary layer combustion in hybrid rocket motors is being conducted at the High Pressure Combustion Laboratory of the Pennsylvania State University. This research should provide an engineering technology base for development of large scale hybrid rocket motors as well as a fundamental understanding of the complex processes involved in hybrid propulsion. A high pressure slab motor has been designed for conducting experimental investigations. Oxidizer (LOX or GOX) is injected through the head-end over a solid fuel (HTPB) surface. Experiments using fuels supplied by NASA designated industrial companies will also be conducted. The study focuses on the following areas: measurement and observation of solid fuel burning with LOX or GOX, correlation of solid fuel regression rate with operating conditions, measurement of flame temperature and radical species concentrations, determination of the solid fuel subsurface temperature profile, and utilization of experimental data for validation of a companion theoretical study also being conducted at PSU.

Analysis of Combustion Process of Sewage Sludge in Reference to Coals and Biomass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Środa, Katarzyna; Kijo-Kleczkowska, Agnieszka

2016-06-01

Production of sewage sludge is an inseparable part of the treatment process. The chemical and sanitary composition of sewage sludge flowing into the treatment plant is a very important factor determining the further use of the final product obtained in these plants. The sewage sludge is characterized by heterogeneity and multi-components properties, because they have characteristics of the classical and fertilizer wastes and energetic fuels. The thermal utilization of sewage sludge is necessary due to the unfavorable sanitary characteristics and the addition of the industrial sewage. This method ensures use of sewage sludge energy and return of expenditure incurred for the treatment of these wastes and their disposal. Sewage sludge should be analyzed in relation to conventional fuels (coals and biomass). They must comply with the applicable requirements, for example by an appropriate degree of dehydration, which guarantee the stable and efficient combustion. This paper takes the issue of the combustion process of the different sewage sludge and their comparison of the coal and biomass fuels.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sargent, S.A.

Apple pomace or presscake, was evaluated for suitability as a boiler feedstock for Michigan firms processing apple juice. Based upon the physical and chemical characteristics of pomace, handling/direct combustion systems were selected to conform with operating parameters typical of the industry. Fresh pomace flow rates of 29,030 and 88,998 kg/day (64,000 and 194,000 lb/day) were considered as representative of small and large processors, respectively, and the material was assumed to be dried to 15% moisture content (wet basis) prior to storage and combustion. Boilers utilizing pile-burning, fluidized-bed-combustion, and suspension-firing technologies were sized for each flow rate, resulting in energy productionmore » of 2930 and 8790 kW (10 and 30 million Btu/h), respectively. A life-cycle cost analysis was performed giving Average Annual Costs for the three handling/combustion system combinations (based on the Uniform Capital Recovery factor). An investment loan at 16% interest with a 5-year payback period was assumed. The break-even period for annual costs was calculated by anticipated savings incurred through reduction of fossil-fuel costs during a 5-month processing season. Large processors, producing more than 88,998 kg pomace/day, could economically convert to a suspension-fired system substituting for fuel oil, with break-even occurring after 4 months of operation of pomace per year. Small processors, producing less than 29,030 kg/day, could not currently convert to pomace combustion systems given these economic circumstances. A doubling of electrical-utility costs and changes in interest rates from 10 to 20% per year had only slight effects on the recovery of Average Annual Costs. Increases in fossil-fuel prices and the necessity to pay for pomace disposal reduced the cost-recovery period for all systems, making some systems feasible for small processors. 39 references, 13 figures, 10 tables.« less

Simulation on an optimal combustion control strategy for 3-D temperature distributions in tangentially pc-fired utility boiler furnaces.

PubMed

Wang, Xi-fen; Zhou, Huai-chun

2005-01-01

The control of 3-D temperature distribution in a utility boiler furnace is essential for the safe, economic and clean operation of pc-fired furnace with multi-burner system. The development of the visualization of 3-D temperature distributions in pc-fired furnaces makes it possible for a new combustion control strategy directly with the furnace temperature as its goal to improve the control quality for the combustion processes. Studied in this paper is such a new strategy that the whole furnace is divided into several parts in the vertical direction, and the average temperature and its bias from the center in every cross section can be extracted from the visualization results of the 3-D temperature distributions. In the simulation stage, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code served to calculate the 3-D temperature distributions in a furnace, then a linear model was set up to relate the features of the temperature distributions with the input of the combustion processes, such as the flow rates of fuel and air fed into the furnaces through all the burners. The adaptive genetic algorithm was adopted to find the optimal combination of the whole input parameters which ensure to form an optimal 3-D temperature field in the furnace desired for the operation of boiler. Simulation results showed that the strategy could soon find the factors making the temperature distribution apart from the optimal state and give correct adjusting suggestions.

A Study of Cavitation-Ignition Bubble Combustion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, Quang-Viet; Jacqmin, David A.

2005-01-01

We present the results of an experimental and computational study of the physics and chemistry of cavitation-ignition bubble combustion (CIBC), a process that occurs when combustible gaseous mixtures are ignited by the high temperatures found inside a rapidly collapsing bubble. The CIBC process was modeled using a time-dependent compressible fluid-dynamics code that includes finite-rate chemistry. The model predicts that gas-phase reactions within the bubble produce CO and other gaseous by-products of combustion. In addition, heat and mechanical energy release through a bubble volume-expansion phase are also predicted by the model. We experimentally demonstrate the CIBC process using an ultrasonically excited cavitation flow reactor with various hydrocarbon-air mixtures in liquid water. Low concentrations (< 160 ppm) of carbon monoxide (CO) emissions from the ultrasonic reactor were measured, and found to be proportional to the acoustic excitation power. The results of the model were consistent with the measured experimental results. Based on the experimental findings, the computational model, and previous reports of the "micro-diesel effect" in industrial hydraulic systems, we conclude that CIBC is indeed possible and exists in ultrasonically- and hydrodynamically-induced cavitation. Finally, estimates of the utility of CIBC process as a means of powering an idealized heat engine are also presented.

A Preliminary Study on Rock Bed Heat Storage from Biomass Combustion for Rice Drying

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelwan, L. O.; Wulandani, D.; Subrata, I. D. M.

2018-05-01

One of the main constraints of biomass fuel utilization in a small scale rice drying system is the operating difficulties related to the adjustment of combustion/feeding rate. Use of thermal storage may reduce the problem since combustion operation can be accomplished in a much shorter time and then the use of heat can be regulated by simply adjusting the air flow. An integrated biomass furnace-rock bed thermal storage with a storage volume of 540 L was designed and tested. There were four experiments conducted in this study. Charging was performed within 1-2 hours with a combustion rate of 11.5-15.5 kg/h. In discharging process, the mixing of air passing through the rock bed and ambient air were regulated by valves. Without adjusting the valve during the discharging process, air temperature increased up to 80°C, which is not suitable for rice batch drying process. Charging with sufficiently high combustion rate (14 kg/h) within 1 hour continued by adjusting the valve during discharging process below 60°C increased the discharge-charge time ratio (DCTR) up to 5.33 at average air temperature of 49°C and ambient temperature of 33°C.The efficiency of heat discharging was ranged from 34.5 to 45.8%. From the simulation, as much as 156.8-268.8 kg of rice was able to be dried by the discharging conditions.

Stagnation point reverse flow combustor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zinn, Ben T. (Inventor); Neumeier, Yedidia (Inventor); Seitzman, Jerry M. (Inventor); Jagoda, Jechiel (Inventor); Weksler, Yoav (Inventor)

2008-01-01

A method for combusting a combustible fuel includes providing a vessel having an opening near a proximate end and a closed distal end defining a combustion chamber. A combustible reactants mixture is presented into the combustion chamber. The combustible reactants mixture is ignited creating a flame and combustion products. The closed end of the combustion chamber is utilized for directing combustion products toward the opening of the combustion chamber creating a reverse flow of combustion products within the combustion chamber. The reverse flow of combustion products is intermixed with combustible reactants mixture to maintain the flame.

Proceedings of Office of Surface Mining Coal Combustion By-product Government/Regulatory Panel: University of Kentucky international ash utilization symposium

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vories, K.C.

2003-07-01

Short papers are given on: the Coal Combustion Program (C2P2) (J. Glenn); regional environmental concerns with disposal of coal combustion wastes at mines (T. FitzGerald); power plant waste mine filling - an environmental perspective (L.G. Evans); utility industry perspective regarding coal combustion product management and regulation (J. Roewer); coal combustion products opportunities for beneficial use (D.C. Goss); state perspective on mine placement of coal combustion by-products (G.E. Conrad); Texas regulations provide for beneficial use of coal combustion ash (S.S. Ferguson); and the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act - a response to concerns about placement of CCBs at coal minemore » sites (K.C. Vories). The questions and answers are also included.« less

Fundamental phenomena on fuel decomposition and boundary-layer combustion processes with applications to hybrid rocket motors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kuo, Kenneth K.; Lu, Yeu-Cherng; Chiaverini, Martin J.; Harting, George C.; Johnson, David K.; Serin, Nadir

1995-01-01

The experimental study on the fundamental processes involved in fuel decomposition and boundary-layer combustion in hybrid rocket motors is continuously being conducted at the High Pressure Combustion Laboratory of The Pennsylvania State University. This research will provide a useful engineering technology base in the development of hybrid rocket motors as well as a fundamental understanding of the complex processes involved in hybrid propulsion. A high-pressure, 2-D slab motor has been designed, manufactured, and utilized for conducting seven test firings using HTPB fuel processed at PSU. A total of 20 fuel slabs have been received from the Mcdonnell Douglas Aerospace Corporation. Ten of these fuel slabs contain an array of fine-wire thermocouples for measuring solid fuel surface and subsurface temperatures. Diagnostic instrumentation used in the test include high-frequency pressure transducers for measuring static and dynamic motor pressures and fine-wire thermocouples for measuring solid fuel surface and subsurface temperatures. The ultrasonic pulse-echo technique as well as a real-time x-ray radiography system have been used to obtain independent measurements of instantaneous solid fuel regression rates.

Particle Generation and Evolution in Silane/Acetylene Flames in Microgravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keil, D. G.

2001-01-01

The objective of this new experimental program is to advance the understanding of the formation of particles from gas phase combustion processes. The work will utilize the unique SiH4/C2H2 combustion system which generates particulate products ranging from high purity, white SiC to carbonaceous soot depending on equivalence ratio. A key goal of this work is to identify gas phase or particle formation processes that provide the enthalpy release necessary to drive the combustion wave, and to locate the parts of the particle formation process that determine SiC stoichiometry and crystallinity. In a real sense, these SiH4/C2H2 flames act like "highly sooty" hydrocarbon flames, but with simpler chemistry. This simplification is expected to allow them to be used as surrogates to advance understanding of soot formation in such rich hydrocarbon flames. It is also expected that this improved understanding of SiC particle generation and evolution in these self-sustaining flames will advance the commercial potential of the flame process for the generation of high purity SiC powders.

Particle Generation And Evolution In Silane (SiH4)/Acetylene (C2H2) Flames In Microgravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keil, D. G.

2003-01-01

The objective of this experimental program is to advance the understanding of the coupling of particle formation with gas phase combustion processes. The work utilizes the unique SiH4/C2H2 combustion system which generates particulate products ranging from high purity, white SiC to carbonaceous soot depending on equivalence ratio (Ref. 1). A goal of this work is to identify gas phase or particle formation processes that provide the enthalpy release needed to drive the combustion wave, and to locate the steps of the particle formation process that determine SiC stoichiometry and crystallinity. In a real sense, these SiH4/C2H2 flames act like highly sooty hydrocarbon flames, but with simpler chemistry. This simplification is expected to allow them to be used as surrogates to advance understanding of soot formation in such rich hydrocarbon flames. It is also expected that this improved understanding of SiC particle generation and evolution in these self-sustaining flames will advance the commercial potential of the flame process for the generation of high purity SiC powders.

Fundamental phenomena on fuel decomposition and boundary-layer combustion processes with applications to hybrid rocket motors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuo, Kenneth K.; Lu, Yeu-Cherng; Chiaverini, Martin J.; Harting, George C.; Johnson, David K.; Serin, Nadir

The experimental study on the fundamental processes involved in fuel decomposition and boundary-layer combustion in hybrid rocket motors is continuously being conducted at the High Pressure Combustion Laboratory of The Pennsylvania State University. This research will provide a useful engineering technology base in the development of hybrid rocket motors as well as a fundamental understanding of the complex processes involved in hybrid propulsion. A high-pressure, 2-D slab motor has been designed, manufactured, and utilized for conducting seven test firings using HTPB fuel processed at PSU. A total of 20 fuel slabs have been received from the Mcdonnell Douglas Aerospace Corporation. Ten of these fuel slabs contain an array of fine-wire thermocouples for measuring solid fuel surface and subsurface temperatures. Diagnostic instrumentation used in the test include high-frequency pressure transducers for measuring static and dynamic motor pressures and fine-wire thermocouples for measuring solid fuel surface and subsurface temperatures. The ultrasonic pulse-echo technique as well as a real-time x-ray radiography system have been used to obtain independent measurements of instantaneous solid fuel regression rates.

Active Control of Mixing and Combustion, from Mechanisms to Implementation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghoniem, Ahmed F.

2001-11-01

Implementation of active control in complex processes, of the type encountered in high Reynolds number mixing and combustion, is predicated upon the identification of the underlying mechanisms and the construction of reduced order models that capture their essential characteristics. The mechanisms of interest must be shown to be amenable to external actuations, allowing optimal control strategies to exploit the delicate interactions that lead to the desired outcome. Reduced order models are utilized in defining the form and requisite attributes of actuation, its relationship to the monitoring system and the relevant control algorithms embedded in a feedforward or a feedback loop. The talk will review recent work on active control of mixing in combustion devices in which strong shear zones concur with mixing, combustion stabilization and flame anchoring. The underlying mechanisms, e.g., stability of shear flows, formation/evolution of large vortical structures in separating and swirling flows, their mutual interactions with acoustic fields, flame fronts and chemical kinetics, etc., are discussed in light of their key roles in mixing, burning enhancement/suppression, and combustion instability. Subtle attributes of combustion mechanisms are used to suggest the requisite control strategies.

Characterization of Oxy-combustion Impacts in Existing Coal-fired Boilers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Adams, Bradley; Davis, Kevin; Senior, Constance

Reaction Engineering International (REI) managed a team of experts from University of Utah, Siemens Energy, Praxair, Vattenfall AB, Sandia National Laboratories, Brigham Young University (BYU) and Corrosion Management Ltd. to perform multi-scale experiments, coupled with mechanism development, process modeling and CFD modeling, for both applied and fundamental investigations. The primary objective of this program was to acquire data and develop tools to characterize and predict impacts of CO{sub 2} flue gas recycle and burner feed design on flame characteristics (burnout, NO{sub x}, SO{sub x}, mercury and fine particle emissions, heat transfer) and operational concerns (fouling, slagging and corrosion) inherent inmore » the retrofit of existing coal-fired boilers for oxy-coal combustion. Experimental work was conducted at Sandia National Laboratories’ Entrained Flow Reactor, the University of Utah Industrial Combustion Research Facility, and Brigham Young University. Process modeling and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling was performed at REI. Successful completion of the project objectives resulted in the following key deliverables: 1) Multi-scale test data from 0.1 kW bench-scale, 100 kW and 200 kW laboratory-scale, and 1 MW semi-industrial scale combustors that describe differences in flame characteristics, fouling, slagging and corrosion for coal combustion under air-firing and oxygen-firing conditions, including sensitivity to oxy-burner design and flue gas recycle composition. 2) Validated mechanisms developed from test data that describe fouling, slagging, waterwall corrosion, heat transfer, char burnout and sooting under coal oxy-combustion conditions. The mechanisms were presented in a form suitable for inclusion in CFD models or process models. 3) Principles to guide design of pilot-scale and full-scale coal oxy-firing systems and flue gas recycle configurations, such that boiler operational impacts from oxy-combustion retrofits are minimized. 4) Assessment of oxy-combustion impacts in two full-scale coal-fired utility boiler retrofits based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling of air-fired and oxygen-fired operation. This research determined that it is technically feasible to retrofit the combustion system in an air-fired boiler for oxy-fired operation. The impacts of CO{sub 2} flue gas recycle and burner design on flame characteristics (burnout, NO{sub x}, SO{sub x}, mercury and fine particle emissions, heat transfer) and operational concerns (fouling, slagging and corrosion) were minimal, with the exception of high sulfur levels resulting from untreated flue gas recycle with medium and high-sulfur coals. This work focused on combustion in the radiant and convective sections of the boiler and did not address boiler system integration issues, plant efficiencies, impacts on downstream air pollution control devices, or CO{sub 2} capture and compression. The experimental data, oxy-firing system principles and oxy-combustion process mechanisms provided by this work can be used by electric utilities, boiler OEMs, equipment suppliers, design firms, software vendors, consultants and government agencies to assess retrofit applications of oxy-combustion technologies to existing boilers and to guide development of new designs.« less

Managing coal combustion residues in mines

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

2006-07-01

Burning coal in electric utility plants produces, in addition to power, residues that contain constituents which may be harmful to the environment. The management of large volumes of coal combustion residues (CCRs) is a challenge for utilities, because they must either place the CCRs in landfills, surface impoundments, or mines, or find alternative uses for the material. This study focuses on the placement of CCRs in active and abandoned coal mines. The Committee on Mine Placement of Coal Combustion Wastes of the National Research Council believes that placement of CCRs in mines as part of the reclamation process may bemore » a viable option for the disposal of this material as long as the placement is properly planned and carried out in a manner that avoids significant adverse environmental and health impacts. This report discusses a variety of steps that are involved in planning and managing the use of CCRs as minefills, including an integrated process of CCR characterization and site characterization, management and engineering design of placement activities, and design and implementation of monitoring to reduce the risk of contamination moving from the mine site to the ambient environment. Enforceable federal standards are needed for the disposal of CCRs in minefills to ensure that states have adequate, explicit authority and that they implement minimum safeguards. 267 refs., 6 apps.« less

The ISS Fluids and Combustion Facility: Experiment Accommodations Summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Corban, Robert R.; Simons, Stephen N. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The International Space Station's (ISS's) Fluids and Combustion Facility (FCF) is in the process of final design and development activities to accommodate a wide range of experiments in the fields of combustion science and fluid physics. The FCF is being designed to provide potential experiments with well defined interfaces that can meet the experimenters requirements, provide the flexibility for on-orbit reconfiguration, and provide the maximum capability within the ISS resources and constraints. As a multi-disciplined facility, the FCF supports various experiments and scientific objectives, which will be developed in the future and are not completely defined at this time. Since developing experiments to be performed within FCF is a continuous process throughout the FCF's operational lifetime, each individual experiment must determine the best configuration of utilizing facility capabilities and resources with augmentation of specific experiment hardware. Configurations of potential experiments in the FCF has been on-going to better define the FCF interfaces and provide assurances that the FCF design will meet its design requirements. This paper provides a summary of ISS resources and FCF capabilities, which are available for potential ISS FCF users. Also, to better understand the utilization of the FCF a description of a various experiment layouts and associated operations in the FCF are provided.

Investigation of the aerothermodynamics of hypervelocity reacting flows in the ram accelerator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hertzberg, A.; Bruckner, A. P.; Mattick, A. T.; Knowlen, C.

1992-01-01

New diagnostic techniques for measuring the high pressure flow fields associated with high velocity ram accelerator propulsive modes was experimentally investigated. Individual propulsive modes are distinguished by their operating Mach number range and the manner in which the combustion process is initiated and stabilized. Operation of the thermally choked ram accelerator mode begins by injecting the projectile into the accelerator tube at a prescribed entrance velocity by means of a conventional light gas gun. A specially designed obturator, which is used to seal the bore of the gun, plays a key role in the ignition of the propellant gases in the subsonic combustion mode of the ram accelerator. Once ignited, the combustion process travels with the projectile and releases enough heat to thermally choke the flow within several tube diameters behind it, thereby stabilizing a high pressure zone on the rear of the projectile. When the accelerating projectile approaches the Chapman-Jouguet detonation speed of the propellant mixture, the combustion region is observed to move up onto the afterbody of the projectile as the pressure field evolves to a distinctively different form that implies the presence of supersonic combustion processes. Eventually, a high enough Mach number is reached that the ram effect is sufficient to cause the combustion process to occur entirely on the body. Propulsive cycles utilizing on-body heat release can be established either by continuously accelerating the projectile in a single propellant mixture from low initial in-tube Mach numbers (M less than 4) or by injecting the projectile at a speed above the propellant's Chapman-Jouguet detonation speed. The results of experimental and theoretical explorations of ram accelerator gas dynamic phenomena and the effectiveness of the new diagnostic techniques are presented in this report.

[Inventory and environmental impact of VOCs emission from the typical anthropogenic sources in Sichuan province].

PubMed

Han, Li; Wang, Xing-Rui; He, Min; Guo, Wei-Guang

2013-12-01

Based on Sichuan province environmental statistical survey data and other relevant activity data, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emissions from typical anthropogenic sources in Sichuan province were calculated for the year of 2011 by applying the emission factor method. Besides, ozone and secondary organic aerosol formation potentials of these typical anthropogenic sources were discussed. The total VOC emission from these sources was about 482 kt in Sichuan province, biomass burning, solvent utilization, industrial processes, storage and distribution of fuel, and fossil fuel combustion contributed 174 kt, 153 kt, 121 kt, 21 kt and 13 kt, respectively; architecture wall painting, furniture coating, wood decoration painting and artificial board were the major emission sectors of the solvent utilization; while for the industrial processes, 19.4% of VOCs emission was from the wine industry. Chengdu was the largest contributor compared to the other cities in Sichuan, whose VOCs emission from these typical anthropogenic sources in 2011 was 112 kt. OFP of these sources was 1,930 kt altogether. Solvent utilization contributed 50.5% of the total SOA formation potentials, biomass burning and industrial processes both contributed about 23% , with storage and distribution of fuel and fossil fuel combustion accounting for 1% and 1.4%, respectively.

Development of Tripropellant CFD Design Code

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farmer, Richard C.; Cheng, Gary C.; Anderson, Peter G.

1998-01-01

A tripropellant, such as GO2/H2/RP-1, CFD design code has been developed to predict the local mixing of multiple propellant streams as they are injected into a rocket motor. The code utilizes real fluid properties to account for the mixing and finite-rate combustion processes which occur near an injector faceplate, thus the analysis serves as a multi-phase homogeneous spray combustion model. Proper accounting of the combustion allows accurate gas-side temperature predictions which are essential for accurate wall heating analyses. The complex secondary flows which are predicted to occur near a faceplate cannot be quantitatively predicted by less accurate methodology. Test cases have been simulated to describe an axisymmetric tripropellant coaxial injector and a 3-dimensional RP-1/LO2 impinger injector system. The analysis has been shown to realistically describe such injector combustion flowfields. The code is also valuable to design meaningful future experiments by determining the critical location and type of measurements needed.

Treatment of power utilities exhaust

DOEpatents

Koermer, Gerald [Basking Ridge, NJ

2012-05-15

Provided is a process for treating nitrogen oxide-containing exhaust produced by a stationary combustion source by the catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxide in the presence of a reductant comprising hydrogen, followed by ammonia selective catalytic reduction to further reduce the nitrogen oxide level in the exhaust.

Facile Preparation of Highly Conductive Metal Oxides by Self-Combustion for Solution-Processed Thermoelectric Generators.

PubMed

Kang, Young Hun; Jang, Kwang-Suk; Lee, Changjin; Cho, Song Yun

2016-03-02

Highly conductive indium zinc oxide (IZO) thin films were successfully fabricated via a self-combustion reaction for application in solution-processed thermoelectric devices. Self-combustion efficiently facilitates the conversion of soluble precursors into metal oxides by lowering the required annealing temperature of oxide films, which leads to considerable enhancement of the electrical conductivity of IZO thin films. Such enhanced electrical conductivity induced by exothermic heat from a combustion reaction consequently yields high performance IZO thermoelectric films. In addition, the effect of the composition ratio of In to Zn precursors on the electrical and thermoelectric properties of the IZO thin films was investigated. IZO thin films with a composition ratio of In:Zn = 6:2 at the low annealing temperature of 350 °C showed an enhanced electrical conductivity, Seebeck coefficient, and power factor of 327 S cm(-1), 50.6 μV K(-1), and 83.8 μW m(-1) K(-2), respectively. Moreover, the IZO thin film prepared at an even lower temperature of 300 °C retained a large power factor of 78.7 μW m(-1) K(-2) with an electrical conductivity of 168 S cm(-1). Using the combustive IZO precursor, a thermoelectric generator consisting of 15 legs was fabricated by a printing process. The thermoelectric array generated a thermoelectric voltage of 4.95 mV at a low temperature difference (5 °C). We suggest that the highly conductive IZO thin films by self-combustion may be utilized for fabricating n-type flexible printed thermoelectric devices.

Catalytic ignitor for regenerative propellant gun

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Voecks, Gerald E. (Inventor); Ferraro, Ned W. (Inventor)

1994-01-01

An ignitor initiates combustion of liquid propellant in a gun by utilizing a heated catalyst onto which the liquid propellant is sprayed in a manner which mitigates the occurrence of undesirable combustion chamber oscillations. The heater heats the catalyst sufficiently to provide the activation necessary to initiate combustion of the liquid propellant sprayed thereonto. Two embodiments of the ignitor and three alternative mountings thereof within the combustion chamber are disclosed. The ignitor may also be utilized to dispose of contaminated, excess, or waste liquid propellant in a safe, controlled, simple, and reliable manner.

Catalytic Ignitor for Regenerative Propellant Gun

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Voecks, Gerald E. (Inventor); Ferraro, Ned W. (Inventor)

1997-01-01

An ignitor initiates combustion of liquid propellant in a gun by utilizing a heated catalyst onto which the liquid propellant is sprayed in a manner which mitigates the occurrence of undesirable combustion chamber oscillations. The heater heats the catalyst sufficiently to provide the activation necessary to initiate combustion of the liquid propellant sprayed thereonto. Two embodiments of the igniter and three alternative mountings thereof within the combustion chamber are disclosed. The ignitor may also be utilized to dispose of contaminated, excess, or waste liquid propellant in a safe, controlled, simple, and reliable manner.

Materials processing in space bibliography, 1983, revised

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pentecost, E. (Compiler)

1983-01-01

Flight experiments utilizing a low gravity environment to elucidate and control various processes, or ground based activities that provide supporting research are compiled. Six major categories: crystal growth; solidification of metals, alloys, and composites; fluids, transports, and chemical processes; glasses and ceramics; ultrahigh vacuum and containerless processing technologies; and combustion are included. A list of patents and appendices providing a compilation of anonymously authored collections and reports and a cross reference index are included.

Improving combustion characteristics and NO(x) emissions of a down-fired 350 MW(e) utility boiler with multiple injection and multiple staging.

PubMed

Kuang, Min; Li, Zhengqi; Xu, Shantian; Zhu, Qunyi

2011-04-15

Within a Mitsui Babcock Energy Limited down-fired pulverized-coal 350 MW(e) utility boiler, in situ experiments were performed, with measurements taken of gas temperatures in the burner and near the right-wall regions, and of gas concentrations (O(2) and NO) from the near-wall region. Large combustion differences between zones near the front and rear walls and particularly high NO(x) emissions were found in the boiler. With focus on minimizing these problems, a new technology based on multiple-injection and multiple-staging has been developed. Combustion improvements and NO(x) reductions were validated by investigating three aspects. First, numerical simulations of the pulverized-coal combustion process and NO(x) emissions were compared in both the original and new technologies. Good agreement was found between simulations and in situ measurements with the original technology. Second, with the new technology, gas temperature and concentration distributions were found to be symmetric near the front and rear walls. A relatively low-temperature and high-oxygen-concentration zone formed in the near-wall region that helps mitigate slagging in the lower furnace. Third, NO(x) emissions were found to have decreased by as much as 50%, yielding a slight decrease in the levels of unburnt carbon in the fly ash.

Plasma gasification of municipal solid waste

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Carter, G.W.; Tsangaris, A.V.

1995-12-31

Resorption Canada Limited (RCL) has conducted extensive operational testing with plasma technology in their plasma facility near Ottawa, Ontario, Canada to develop an environmentally friendly waste disposal process. Plasma technology, when utilized in a reactor vessel with the exclusion of oxygen, provides for the complete gasification of all combustibles in source materials with non-combustibles being converted to a non-hazardous slag. The energy and environmental characteristics of the plasma gasification of carbonaceous waste materials were studied over a period of eight years during which RCL completed extensive experimentation with MSW. A plasma processing system capable of processing 200--400 lbs/hr of MSWmore » was designed and built. The experimentation on MSW concentrated on establishing the optimum operating parameters and determining the energy and environmental characteristics at these operating parameters.« less

The Reduction of NOx Using Pulsed Electron Beams

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-12-30

flue gas (SFG) is described. The SFG is a simulant for exhaust flue gas from a coal combustion power plant. The technology utilizes a pulsed electron...a surrogate flue gas (SFG) is described. The SFG simulates exhaust flue gas from a coal combustion power plant. The technology utilizes a pulsed...temperature combustion in air-breathing engines and coal power plants. The gases are also produced in nature during thunderstorms by lightning

Development of an Advanced Flameless Combustion Heat Source Utilizing Methanol

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-07-01

effect until the fuel can receive energy from the flameless combustion elements, either by radiant or exhaust heat. Figure 22 and Figure 23 show one...fragments of dirt and debris reducing its effectiveness . This first prototype allowed useful engineering data to be generated but lacked some of the...DEVELOPMENT OF AN ADVANCED FLAMELESS COMBUSTION HEAT SOURCE UTILIZING METHANOL by Clifford G. Welles Catalytic Devices International, LLC

Fossil energy program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McNeese, L. E.

1981-12-01

The progress made during the period from July 1 through September 30 for the Oak Ridge National Laboratory research and development projects in support of the increased utilization of coal and other fossil fuels as sources of clean energy is reported. The following topics are discussed: coal conversion development, chemical research and development, materials technology, fossil energy materials program, liquefaction projects, component development, process analysis, environmental control technology, atmospheric fluidized bed combustion, underground coal gasification, coal preparation and waste utilization.

Disposal options for polluted plants grown on heavy metal contaminated brownfield lands - A review.

PubMed

Kovacs, Helga; Szemmelveisz, Katalin

2017-01-01

Reducing or preventing damage caused by environmental pollution is a significant goal nowadays. Phytoextraction, as remediation technique is widely used, but during the process, the heavy metal content of the biomass grown on these sites special treatment and disposal techniques are required, for example liquid extraction, direct disposal, composting, and combustion. These processes are discussed in this review in economical and environmental aspects. The following main properties are analyzed: form and harmful element content of remains, utilization of the main and byproducts, affect to the environment during the treatment and disposal. The thermal treatment (combustion, gasification) of contaminated biomass provides a promising alternative disposal option, because the energy production affects the rate of return, and the harmful elements are riched in a small amount of solid remains depending on the ash content of the plant (1-2%). The biomass combustion technology is a wildely used energy production process in residential and industrial scale, but the ordinary biomass firing systems are not suited to burn this type of fuel without environmental risk. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterization of Rare Earth Element Minerals in Coal Utilization Byproducts

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Montross, Scott N.; Verba, Circe A.; Collins, Keith

The United States currently produces over 100 million tons of coal utilization byproducts (CUB) per year in the form of fly ash, bottom ash, slag, and flue gas (American Coal Ash Association (ACCA), 2015). But this “waste material” also contains potentially useful levels of rare earth elements (REE). Rare earth elements are crucial for many existing and emerging technologies, but the U.S. lacks a domestic, sustainable REE source. Our project explored the possibility of developing a supply of REEs for U.S. technologies by extracting REEs from CUBs. This work offers the potential to reduce our dependence on other countries formore » supply of these critical elements (NETL, REE 2016 Project Portfolio). Geologic and diagenetic history, industrial preparation methods, and the specific combustion process all play major roles in the composition of CUB. During combustion, inorganic mineral phases of coal particles are fluidized at temperatures higher than 1400oC, so inorganic mineral materials are oxidized, fused, disintegrated, or agglomerated into larger spherical and amorphous (non-crystalline) particles. The original mineralogy of the coal-containing rock and heating/cooling of the material significantly affects the composition and morphology of the particles in the combustion byproduct (Kutchko and Kim, 2006). Thus, different types of coal/refuse/ash must be characterized to better understand mineral evolution during the combustion process. Our research focused on developing a working model to address how REE minerals behave during the combustion process: this research should help determine the most effective engineering methods for extracting REEs from CUBs. We used multimodal imaging and image processing techniques to characterize six rock and ash samples from different coal power plants with respect to morphology, grain size, presence of mineral phases, and elemental composition. The results of these characterization activities provided thresholds for realizing the occurrence of REE mineral phases in CUB and allowed us to calculate structural and volumetric estimates of REE. Collectively, the rock and coal ash samples contained minerals such as quartz, kaolinite, muscovite/illite, iron oxide (as hematite or magnetite), mullite, and clinochlore. Trace minerals included pyrite, zircon, siderite, rutile, diopside, foresterite, gypsum, and barite. We identified REE phosphate minerals monazite (Ce,La,Nd,Th)(PO 4,SiO 4), xenotime (YPO 4,SiO 4), and apatite (Ca 5(PO 4) 3(F,Cl,OH) via SEM and electron microprobe analysis: these materials generally occurred as 1-10 μm-long crystals in the rock and ash samples. As has been shown in other studies, amorphous material-aluminosilicate glass or iron oxyhydroxide-are the major components of coal fly and bottom ash. Trace amounts of amorphous calcium oxide and mixed element (e.g., Al-Si-Ca-Fe) slag are also present. Quartz, mullite, hematite, and magnetite are the crystalline phases present. We found that REEs are present as monomineralic grains dispersed within the ash, as well as fused to or encapsulated by amorphous aluminosilicate glass particles. Monazite and xenotime have relatively high melting points (>1800 °C) compared to typical combustion temperatures; our observations indicate that the REE-phosphates, which presumably contribute a large percentage of REE to the bulk ash REE pool, as measured by mass spectroscopy, are largely unaltered by the combustion. Our study shows that conventional coal combustion processes sequester REE minerals into aluminosilicate glass phases, which presents a new engineering challenge for extracting REE from coal ash. The characterization work summarized in this report provides a semi-quantitative assessments of REE in coal-containing rock and CUB. The data we obtained from 2- and 3-D imaging, elemental mapping, volumetric estimates, and advanced high-resolution pixel classification successfully identified the different mineral phases present in CUB. Further, our characterization results can guide techniques for extracting REEs from CUB, or other geologic and engineered materials. Whilst, interpretations will inform future REE separation and extraction techniques and technologies practical for commercial utilization of combustion byproducts generated by power plants.« less

A Course in Fundamentals of Coal Utilization and Conversion Processes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Radovic, Ljubisa R.

1985-01-01

Describes the content, objectives, and requirements for a one-semester (30 20-hour sessions) graduate engineering course at the University of Concepcion, Chile. Major course topics include: structure and properties of coal; coal pyrolysis and carbonization; coal liquefaction; coal combustion and gasification; and economic and environmental…

Application of a Novel Liquid Nitrogen Control Technique for Heat Stress and Fire Prevention in Underground Mines.

PubMed

Shi, Bobo; Ma, Lingjun; Dong, Wei; Zhou, Fubao

2015-01-01

With the continually increasing mining depths, heat stress and spontaneous combustion hazards in high-temperature mines are becoming increasingly severe. Mining production risks from natural hazards and exposures to hot and humid environments can cause occupational diseases and other work-related injuries. Liquid nitrogen injection, an engineering control developed to reduce heat stress and spontaneous combustion hazards in mines, was successfully utilized for environmental cooling and combustion prevention in an underground mining site named "Y120205 Working Face" (Y120205 mine) of Yangchangwan colliery. Both localized humidities and temperatures within the Y120205 mine decreased significantly with liquid nitrogen injection. The maximum percentage drop in temperature and humidity of the Y120205 mine were 21.9% and 10.8%, respectively. The liquid nitrogen injection system has the advantages of economical price, process simplicity, energy savings and emission reduction. The optimized heat exchanger used in the liquid nitrogen injection process achieved superior air-cooling results, resulting in considerable economic benefits.

Detonation Jet Engine. Part 1--Thermodynamic Cycle

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bulat, Pavel V.; Volkov, Konstantin N.

2016-01-01

We present the most relevant works on jet engine design that utilize thermodynamic cycle of detonative combustion. The efficiency advantages of thermodynamic detonative combustion cycle over Humphrey combustion cycle at constant volume and Brayton combustion cycle at constant pressure were demonstrated. An ideal Ficket-Jacobs detonation cycle, and…

Experimental and numerical studies of rotating drum grate furnace

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basista, Grzegorz; Szubel, Mateusz; Filipowicz, Mariusz; Tomczyk, Bartosz; Krakowiak, Joanna

Waste material from the meat industry can be taken into account as a biofuel. Studies confirm, that calorific value is higher and ash content is lower comparing to some conventional fuels. EU directives regulate details of thermal disposal of the waste material from the meat industry - especially in range of the process temperature and time of the particle presence in area of the combustion zone. The paper describes design of the rotating drum grate stove, dedicated to thermal disposal of the meat wastes as well as solid biomass (pellet, small bricket, wood chips) combustion. Device has been developed in frames of cooperation between AGH University of Science and Technology (Krakow, Poland) and producer focused on technologies of energy utilization of biomass in distributed generation. Results of measurements of selected operational parameters performed during startup of the furnace have been presented and discussed. Furthermore, numerical model of the combustion process has been developed to complement experimental results in range of the temperature and oxygen distribution in the area of the combustion chamber. ANSYS CFX solver has been applied to perform simulations including rotational domain related with specifics of operation of the device. Results of numerical modelling and experimental studies have been summarized and compared.

Underwater microwave ignition of hydrophobic thermite powder enabled by the bubble-marble effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meir, Yehuda; Jerby, Eli

2015-08-01

Highly energetic thermite reactions could be useful for a variety of combustion and material-processing applications, but their usability is yet limited by their hard ignition conditions. Furthermore, in virtue of their zero-oxygen balance, exothermic thermite reactions may also occur underwater. However, this feature is also hard to utilize because of the hydrophobic properties of the thermite powder, and its tendency to agglomerate on the water surface rather than to sink into the water. The recently discovered bubble-marble (BM) effect enables the insertion and confinement of a thermite-powder batch into water by a magnetic field. Here, we present a phenomenon of underwater ignition of a thermite-BM by localized microwaves. The thermite combustion underwater is observed in-situ, and its microwave absorption and optical spectral emission are detected. The vapour pressure generated by the thermite reaction is measured and compared to theory. The combustion products are examined ex-situ by X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy which verifies the thermite reaction. Potential applications of this underwater combustion effect are considered, e.g., for detonation, wet welding, thermal drilling, material processing, thrust generation, and composite-material production, also for other oxygen-free environments.

Underwater microwave ignition of hydrophobic thermite powder enabled by the bubble-marble effect

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Meir, Yehuda; Jerby, Eli, E-mail: jerby@eng.tau.ac.il

Highly energetic thermite reactions could be useful for a variety of combustion and material-processing applications, but their usability is yet limited by their hard ignition conditions. Furthermore, in virtue of their zero-oxygen balance, exothermic thermite reactions may also occur underwater. However, this feature is also hard to utilize because of the hydrophobic properties of the thermite powder, and its tendency to agglomerate on the water surface rather than to sink into the water. The recently discovered bubble-marble (BM) effect enables the insertion and confinement of a thermite-powder batch into water by a magnetic field. Here, we present a phenomenon ofmore » underwater ignition of a thermite-BM by localized microwaves. The thermite combustion underwater is observed in-situ, and its microwave absorption and optical spectral emission are detected. The vapour pressure generated by the thermite reaction is measured and compared to theory. The combustion products are examined ex-situ by X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy which verifies the thermite reaction. Potential applications of this underwater combustion effect are considered, e.g., for detonation, wet welding, thermal drilling, material processing, thrust generation, and composite-material production, also for other oxygen-free environments.« less

Visualizing turbulent mixing of gases and particles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ma, Kwan-Liu; Smith, Philip J.; Jain, Sandeep

1995-01-01

A physical model and interactive computer graphics techniques have been developed for the visualization of the basic physical process of stochastic dispersion and mixing from steady-state CFD calculations. The mixing of massless particles and inertial particles is visualized by transforming the vector field from a traditionally Eulerian reference frame into a Lagrangian reference frame. Groups of particles are traced through the vector field for the mean path as well as their statistical dispersion about the mean position by using added scalar information about the root mean square value of the vector field and its Lagrangian time scale. In this way, clouds of particles in a turbulent environment are traced, not just mean paths. In combustion simulations of many industrial processes, good mixing is required to achieve a sufficient degree of combustion efficiency. The ability to visualize this multiphase mixing can not only help identify poor mixing but also explain the mechanism for poor mixing. The information gained from the visualization can be used to improve the overall combustion efficiency in utility boilers or propulsion devices. We have used this technique to visualize steady-state simulations of the combustion performance in several furnace designs.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McCarty, Jon; Berry, Brian; Lundberg, Kare

This final report describes a 2000-2003 program for the development of components and processes to enhance the commercialization of ultra-low emissions catalytic combustion in industrial gas turbines. The range of project tasks includes: development of more durable, lower-cost catalysts and catalytic combustor components; development and design of a catalytic pre-burner and a catalytic pilot burner for gas turbines, and on-site fuel conversion processing for utilization of liquid fuel.

Fact Sheet: 2015 Final Rule on the Disposal of Coal Combustion Residuals Generated by Electric Utilities

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This fact sheet describes the final rule signed on December 19, 2014 establishing a comprehensive set of requirements for the disposal of coal combustion residuals generated by electric utilities in landfills and surface impoundments.

Application of Multivariable Model Predictive Advanced Control for a 2×310T/H CFB Boiler Unit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weijie, Zhao; Zongllao, Dai; Rong, Gou; Wengan, Gong

When a CFB boiler is in automatic control, there are strong interactions between various process variables and inverse response characteristics of bed temperature control target. Conventional Pill control strategy cannot deliver satisfactory control demand. Kalman wave filter technology is used to establish a non-linear combustion model, based on the CFB combustion characteristics of bed fuel inventory, heating values, bed lime inventory and consumption. CFB advanced combustion control utilizes multivariable model predictive control technology to optimize primary and secondary air flow, bed temperature, air flow, fuel flow and heat flux. In addition to providing advanced combustion control to 2×310t/h CFB+1×100MW extraction condensing turbine generator unit, the control also provides load allocation optimization and advanced control for main steam pressure, combustion and temperature. After the successful implementation, under 10% load change, main steam pressure varied less than ±0.07MPa, temperature less than ±1°C, bed temperature less than ±4°C, and air flow (O2) less than ±0.4%.

Fly ashes from coal and petroleum coke combustion: current and innovative potential applications.

PubMed

González, Aixa; Navia, Rodrigo; Moreno, Natalia

2009-12-01

Coal fly ashes (CFA) are generated in large amounts worldwide. Current combustion technologies allow the burning of fuels with high sulfur content such as petroleum coke, generating non-CFA, such as petroleum coke fly ash (PCFA), mainly from fluidized bed combustion processes. The disposal of CFA and PCFA fly ashes can have severe impacts in the environment such as a potential groundwater contamination by the leaching of heavy metals and/or particulate matter emissions; making it necessary to treat or reuse them. At present CFA are utilized in several applications fields such as cement and concrete production, agriculture and soil stabilization. However, their reuse is restricted by the quality parameters of the end-product or requirements defined by the production process. Therefore, secondary material markets can use a limited amount of CFA, which implies the necessity of new markets for the unused CFA. Some potential future utilization options reviewed herein are zeolite synthesis and valuable metals extraction. In comparison to CFA, PCFA are characterized by a high Ca content, suggesting a possible use as neutralizers of acid wastewaters from mining operations, opening a new potential application area for PCFA that could solve contamination problems in emergent and mining countries such as Chile. However, this potential application may be limited by PCFA heavy metals leaching, mainly V and Ni, which are present in PCFA in high concentrations.

Ignition and combustion of bulk metals at normal, elevated and reduced gravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Branch, Melvyn C.; Daily, John W.; Abbud-Madrid, Angel

1995-01-01

Knowledge of the oxidation, ignition, and combustion of bulk metals is important for fire safety in the production, management, and utilization of liquid and gaseous oxygen for ground based and space applications. This proposal outlines studies in continuation of research initiated earlier under NASA support to investigate the ignition and combustion characteristics of bulk metals under varying gravity conditions. Metal ignition and combustion have not been studied previously under these conditions and the results are important not only for improved fire safety but also to increase knowledge of basic ignition and combustion mechanisms. The studies completed to date have led to the development of a clean and reproducible ignition source and diagnostic techniques for combustion measurements and have provided normal, elevated, and reduced gravity combustion data on a variety of different pure metals. The research conducted under this grant will use the apparatus and techniques developed earlier to continue the elevated and low gravity experiments, and to develop the overall modeling of the ignition and combustion process. Metal specimens are to be ignited using a xenon short-arc lamp and measurements are to be made of the ignition energy, surface temperature history, burning rates, spectroscopy of surface and gas products, and surface morphology and chemistry. Elevated gravity will be provided by the University of Colorado Geotechnical Centrifuge and microgravity will be obtained in NASA's DC-9 Reduced Gravity aircraft.

Lignocellulosic Biomass to Ethanol Process Design and Economics Utilizing Co-Current Dilute Acid Prehydrolysis and Enzymatic Hydrolysis for Corn Stover

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-06-01

typical of dewatering equipment used in the utility flue gas desulfurization industry to achieve high gypsum solids concentrations commercially...experience in the flue gas desulfurization industry, 1998. 22 Letter to B. Bunner, Delta-T Corporation, Williamsburg, VA, from A. Bowser, Komline...see Figure 16). Flue gas from the combustor preheats the entering combustion air then enters a baghouse to remove particulates, which are landfilled

NITROUS OXIDE EMISSIONS FROM FOSSIL FUEL COMBUSTION

EPA Science Inventory

The role of coal combustion as a significant global source of nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions was reexamined through on-line emission measurements from six pulverized-coal-fired utility boilers and from laboratory and pilot-scale combustors. The full-scale utility boilers yielded d...

Experimental Investigation of Fuel-Reactivity Controlled Compression Ignition (RCCI) Combustion Mode in a Multi-Cylinder, Light-Duty Diesel Engine

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cho, Kukwon; Curran, Scott; Prikhodko, Vitaly Y

2011-01-01

An experimental study was performed to provide the combustion and emission characteristics resulting from fuel-reactivity controlled compression ignition (RCCI) combustion mode utilizing dual-fuel approach in a light-duty, multi-cylinder diesel engine. In-cylinder fuel blending using port fuel injection of gasoline before intake valve opening (IVO) and early-cycle, direct injection of diesel fuel was used as the charge preparation and fuel blending strategy. In order to achieve the desired auto-ignition quality through the stratification of the fuel-air equivalence ratio ( ), blends of commercially available gasoline and diesel fuel were used. Engine experiments were performed at an engine speed of 2300rpm andmore » an engine load of 4.3bar brake mean effective pressure (BMEP). It was found that significant reduction in both nitrogen oxide (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) was realized successfully through the RCCI combustion mode even without applying exhaust gas recirculation (EGR). However, high carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbon (HC) emissions were observed. The low combustion gas temperature during the expansion and exhaust processes seemed to be the dominant source of high CO emissions in the RCCI combustion mode. The high HC emissions during the RCCI combustion mode could be due to the increased combustion quenching layer thickness as well as the -stratification at the periphery of the combustion chamber. The slightly higher brake thermal efficiency (BTE) of the RCCI combustion mode was observed than the other combustion modes, such as the conventional diesel combustion (CDC) mode, and single-fuel, premixed charge compression ignition (PCCI) combustion mode. The parametric study of the RCCI combustion mode revealed that the combustion phasing and/or the peak cylinder pressure rise rate of the RCCI combustion mode could be controlled by several physical parameters premixed ratio (rp), intake swirl intensity, and start of injection (SOI) timing of directly injected fuel unlike other low temperature combustion (LTC) strategies.« less

Integration Process for Payloads in the Fluids and Combustion Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Free, James M.; Nall, Marsha M.

2001-01-01

The Fluids and Combustion Facility (FCF) is an ISS research facility located in the United States Laboratory (US Lab), Destiny. The FCF is a multi-discipline facility that performs microgravity research primarily in fluids physics science and combustion science. This facility remains on-orbit and provides accommodations to multi-user and Principal investigator (PI) unique hardware. The FCF is designed to accommodate 15 PI's per year. In order to allow for this number of payloads per year, the FCF has developed an end-to-end analytical and physical integration process. The process includes provision of integration tools, products and interface management throughout the life of the payload. The payload is provided with a single point of contact from the facility and works with that interface from PI selection through post flight processing. The process utilizes electronic tools for creation of interface documents/agreements, storage of payload data and rollup for facility submittals to ISS. Additionally, the process provides integration to and testing with flight-like simulators prior to payload delivery to KSC. These simulators allow the payload to test in the flight configuration and perform final facility interface and science verifications. The process also provides for support to the payload from the FCF through the Payload Safety Review Panel (PSRP). Finally, the process includes support in the development of operational products and the operation of the payload on-orbit.

Overview of IEA biomass combustion activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hustad, J. E.

1994-07-01

The objectives of the International Energy Agency (IEA) bioenergy program are: (1) to encourage cooperative research, development and use of energy and the increased utilization of alternatives to oil; and (2) to establish increased program and project cooperation between participants in the whole field of bioenergy. There are four Task Annexes to the Implementing Agreement during the period 1992-1994: Efficient and Environmentally Sound Biomass Production Systems; Harvesting and Supply of Woody Biomass for Energy; Biomass Utilization; and Conversion of Municipal Solid Waste Feedstock to Energy. The report describes the following biomass combustion activities during the period 1992-1994: Round robin test of a wood stove; Emissions from biomass combustion; A pilot project cofiring biomass with oil to reduce SO2 emissions; Small scale biomass chip handling; Energy from contaminated wood waste combustion; Modeling of biomass combustion; Wood chip cogeneration; Combustion of wet biomass feedstocks, ash reinjection and carbon burnout; Oxidation of wet biomass; Catalytic combustion in small wood burning appliances; Characterization of biomass fuels and ashes; Measurement techniques (FTIR).

Combustion Research Aboard the ISS Utilizing the Combustion Integrated Rack and Microgravity Science Glovebox

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sutliff, Thomas J.; Otero, Angel M.; Urban, David L.

2002-01-01

The Physical Sciences Research Program of NASA sponsors a broad suite of peer-reviewed research investigating fundamental combustion phenomena and applied combustion research topics. This research is performed through both ground-based and on-orbit research capabilities. The International Space Station (ISS) and two facilities, the Combustion Integrated Rack and the Microgravity Science Glovebox, are key elements in the execution of microgravity combustion flight research planned for the foreseeable future. This paper reviews the Microgravity Combustion Science research planned for the International Space Station implemented from 2003 through 2012. Examples of selected research topics, expected outcomes, and potential benefits will be provided. This paper also summarizes a multi-user hardware development approach, recapping the progress made in preparing these research hardware systems. Within the description of this approach, an operational strategy is presented that illustrates how utilization of constrained ISS resources may be maximized dynamically to increase science through design decisions made during hardware development.

75 FR 64974 - Notice of Data Availability on Coal Combustion Residual Surface Impoundments

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-21

...-2009-0640; FRL-9216-3] RIN 2050-AE81 Notice of Data Availability on Coal Combustion Residual Surface... rulemaking (75 FR 51434, August 20, 2010) on the Disposal of Coal Combustion Residuals from Electric... Requests that EPA sent to electric utilities on their coal combustion residual surface impoundments as well...

Study of the possibility of thermal utilization of contaminated water in low-power boilers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roslyakov, P. V.; Proskurin, Y. V.; Zaichenko, M. N.

2017-09-01

The utilization of water contaminated with oil products is a topical problem for thermal power plants and boiler houses. It is reasonable to use special water treatment equipment only for large power engineering and industry facilities. Thermal utilization of contaminated water in boiler furnaces is proposed as an alternative version of its utilization. Since there are hot-water fire-tube boilers at many enterprises, it is necessary to study the possibility of thermal utilization of water contaminated with oil products in their furnaces. The object of this study is a KV-GM-2.0 boiler with a heating power of 2 MW. The pressurized burner developed at the Moscow Power Engineering Institute, National Research University, was used as a burner device for supplying liquid fuel. The computational investigations were performed on the basis of the computer simulation of processes of liquid fuel atomization, mixing, ignition, and burnout; in addition, the formation of nitrogen oxides was simulated on the basis of ANSYS Fluent computational dynamics software packages, taking into account radiative and convective heat transfer. Analysis of the results of numerical experiments on the combined supply of crude oil and water contaminated with oil products has shown that the thermal utilization of contaminated water in fire-tube boilers cannot be recommended. The main causes here are the impingement of oil droplets on the walls of the flame tube, as well as the delay in combustion and increased emissions of nitrogen oxides. The thermal utilization of contaminated water combined with diesel fuel can be arranged provided that the water consumption is not more than 3%; however, this increases the emission of nitrogen oxides. The further increase in contaminated water consumption will lead to the reduction of the reliability of the combustion process.

Pilot-Scale Demonstration of Pefi's Oxygenated Transportation Fuels Production Technology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

Coal-cleaning processes have been utilized to increase the heating value of coal by extracting ash-forming minerals in the coal. These processes involve the crushing or grinding of raw coal followed by physical separation processes, taking advantage of the density difference between carbonaceous particles and mineral particles. In addition to the desired increase in the heating value of coal, a significant reduction of the sulfur content of the coal fed to a combustion unit is effected by the removal of pyrite and other sulfides found in the mineral matter. WRI is assisting PulseWave to develop an alternate, more efficient method ofmore » liberating and separating the undesirable mineral matter from the carbonaceous matter in coal. The approach is based on PulseWave's patented resonance disintegration technology that reduces that particle size of materials by application of destructive resonance, shock waves, and vortex generating forces. Illinois No.5 coal, a Wyodak coal, and a Pittsburgh No.8 coal were processed using the resonance disintegration apparatus then subjected to conventional density separations. Initial microscopic results indicate that up to 90% of the pyrite could be liberated from the coal in the machine, but limitations in the density separations reduced overall effectiveness of contaminant removal. Approximately 30-80% of the pyritic sulfur and 30-50% of the mercury was removed from the coal. The three coals (both with and without the pyritic phase separated out) were tested in WRI's 250,000 Btu/hr Combustion Test Facility, designed to replicate a coal-fired utility boiler. The flue gases were characterized for elemental, particle bound, and total mercury in addition to sulfur. The results indicated that pre-combustion cleaning could reduce a large fraction of the mercury emissions.« less

Compressed air energy storage system

DOEpatents

Ahrens, Frederick W.; Kartsounes, George T.

1981-01-01

An internal combustion reciprocating engine is operable as a compressor during slack demand periods utilizing excess power from a power grid to charge air into an air storage reservoir and as an expander during peak demand periods to feed power into the power grid utilizing air obtained from the air storage reservoir together with combustible fuel. Preferably the internal combustion reciprocating engine is operated at high pressure and a low pressure turbine and compressor are also employed for air compression and power generation.

Assessment of thermal efficiency of heat recovery coke making

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tiwari, H. P.; Saxena, V. K.; Haldar, S. K.; Sriramoju, S. K.

2017-08-01

The heat recovery stamp charge coke making process is quite complicated due to the evolved volatile matter during coking, is partially combusted in oven crown and sole flue in a controlled manner to provide heat for producing metallurgical coke. Therefore, the control and efficient utilization of heat in the oven crown, and sole flue is difficult, which directly affects the operational efficiency. Considering the complexity and importance of thermal efficiency, evolution of different gases, combustion of gasses in oven crown and sole flue, and heating process of coke oven has been studied. A nonlinear regression methodology was used to predict temperature profile of different depth of coal cake during the coking. It was observed that the predicted temperature profile is in good agreement with the actual temperature profile (R2 = 0.98) and is validated with the actual temperature profile of other ovens. A complete study is being done to calculate the material balance, heat balance, and heat losses. This gives an overall understanding of heat flow which affects the heat penetration into the coal cake. The study confirms that 60% heat was utilized during coking.

Utilization of rapeseed pellet from fatty acid methyl esters production as an energy source.

PubMed

Ciunel, Krzysztof; Klugmann-Radziemska, Ewa

2014-01-01

Rapeseed pellet - crushed seed residue from oil extraction is a by-product of fatty acid methyl esters production process. As other types of biomass, it can either be burned directly in furnaces or processed to increase its energetic value. Biomass is renewable, abundant and has domestic usage; the sources ofbiomass can help the world reduce its dependence on petroleum products, fossil coal and natural gas. Energetically effective utilization of rapeseed pellet could substantially improve the economic balance of an individual household in which biodiesel for fulfilling the producer's own energetic demand is obtained. In this article, the experimental results of combusting rapeseed pellet in a calorimeter, combustion in a boiler heater and the analysis of the emissions level of different pollutants in exhaust fumes during different stages of biomass boiler operation are presented. It has been proved that the pellet, a by-product of biodiesel production, is not only a valuable substitute of animal fodder, but also an excellent renewable and environmentally friendly energy source, viable for use in household tap water heating installations.

Method and device for diagnosing and controlling combustion instabilities in internal combustion engines operating in or transitioning to homogeneous charge combustion ignition mode

DOEpatents

Wagner, Robert M [Knoxville, TN; Daw, Charles S [Knoxville, TN; Green, Johney B [Knoxville, TN; Edwards, Kevin D [Knoxville, TN

2008-10-07

This invention is a method of achieving stable, optimal mixtures of HCCI and SI in practical gasoline internal combustion engines comprising the steps of: characterizing the combustion process based on combustion process measurements, determining the ratio of conventional and HCCI combustion, determining the trajectory (sequence) of states for consecutive combustion processes, and determining subsequent combustion process modifications using said information to steer the engine combustion toward desired behavior.

Utilization of municipal solid and liquid wastes for bioenergy and bioproducts production.

PubMed

Chen, Paul; Xie, Qinglong; Addy, Min; Zhou, Wenguang; Liu, Yuhuan; Wang, Yunpu; Cheng, Yanling; Li, Kun; Ruan, Roger

2016-09-01

Municipal wastes, be it solid or liquid, are rising due to the global population growth and rapid urbanization and industrialization. Conventional management practice involving recycling, combustion, and treatment/disposal is deemed unsustainable. Solutions must be sought to not only increase the capacity but also improve the sustainability of waste management. Research has demonstrated that the non-recyclable waste materials and bio-solids can be converted into useable heat, electricity, or fuel and chemical through a variety of processes, including gasification, pyrolysis, anaerobic digestion, and landfill gas in addition to combustion, and wastewater streams have the potential to support algae growth and provide other energy recovery options. The present review is intended to assess and analyze the current state of knowledge in the municipal solid wastes and wastewater treatment and utilization technologies and recommend practical solution options and future research and development needs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Influence of Unsteadiness on the Analysis of Pressure Gain Combustion Devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paxson, Daniel E.; Kaemming, Tom

2013-01-01

Pressure gain combustion (PGC) has been the object of scientific study for over a century due to its promise of improved thermodynamic efficiency. In many recent application concepts PGC is utilized as a component in an otherwise continuous, normally steady flow system, such as a gas turbine or ram jet engine. However, PGC is inherently unsteady. Failure to account for the effects of this periodic unsteadiness can lead to misunderstanding and errors in performance calculations. This paper seeks to provide some clarity by presenting a consistent method of thermodynamic cycle analysis for a device utilizing PGC technology. The incorporation of the unsteady PGC process into the conservation equations for a continuous flow device is presented. Most importantly, the appropriate method for computing the conservation of momentum is presented. It will be shown that proper, consistent analysis of cyclic conservation principles produces representative performance predictions.

Optimal utilization of waste-to-energy in an LCA perspective.

PubMed

Fruergaard, T; Astrup, T

2011-03-01

Energy production from two types of municipal solid waste was evaluated using life cycle assessment (LCA): (1) mixed high calorific waste suitable for production of solid recovered fuels (SRF) and (2) source separated organic waste. For SRF, co-combustion was compared with mass burn incineration. For organic waste, anaerobic digestion (AD) was compared with mass burn incineration. In the case of mass burn incineration, incineration with and without energy recovery was modelled. Biogas produced from anaerobic digestion was evaluated for use both as transportation fuel and for heat and power production. All relevant consequences for energy and resource consumptions, emissions to air, water and soil, upstream processes and downstream processes were included in the LCA. Energy substitutions were considered with respect to two different energy systems: a present-day Danish system based on fossil fuels and a potential future system based on 100% renewable energy. It was found that mass burn incineration of SRF with energy recovery provided savings in all impact categories, but co-combustion was better with respect to Global Warming (GW). If all heat from incineration could be utilized, however, the two alternatives were comparable for SRF. For organic waste, mass burn incineration with energy recovery was preferable over anaerobic digestion in most impact categories. Waste composition and flue gas cleaning at co-combustion plants were critical for the environmental performance of SRF treatment, while the impacts related to utilization of the digestate were significant for the outcome of organic waste treatment. The conclusions were robust in a present-day as well as in a future energy system. This indicated that mass burn incineration with efficient energy recovery is a very environmentally competitive solution overall. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exergy analysis of biomass organic Rankine cycle for power generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nur, T. B.; Sunoto

2018-02-01

The study examines proposed small biomass-fed Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) power plant through exergy analysis. The system consists of combustion burner unit to utilize biomass as fuel, and organic Rankine cycle unit to produce power from the expander. The heat from combustion burner was transfered by thermal oil heater to evaporate ORC working fluid in the evaporator part. The effects of adding recuperator into exergy destruction were investigated. Furthermore, the results of the variations of system configurations with different operating parameters, such as the evaporating pressures, ambient temperatures, and expander pressures were analyzed. It was found that the largest exergy destruction occurs during processes are at combustion part, followed by evaporator, condenser, expander, and pump. The ORC system equipped with a recuperator unit exhibited good operational characteristics under wide range conditions compared to the one without recuperator.

Integrated process and apparatus for control of pollutants in coal-fired boilers

DOEpatents

Hunt, Terry G.; Offen, George R.

1992-01-01

A method and apparatus for reducing SO.sub.x and NO.sub.x levels in flue gases generated by the combustion of coal in a boiler in which low NO.sub.x burners and air staging ports are utilized to inhibit the amount of NO.sub.x initially produced in the combustion of the coal, a selected concentration of urea is introduced downstream of the combustion zone after the temperature has been reduced to the range of 1300.degree. F. to 2000.degree. F., and a sodium-based reagent is introduced into the flue gas stream after further reducing the temperature of the stream to the range of 200.degree. F. to 900.degree. F. Under certain conditions, calcium injection may be employed along with humidification of the flue gas stream for selective reduction of the pollutants.

Integrated process and apparatus for control of pollutants in coal-fired boilers

DOEpatents

Hunt, T.G.; Offen, G.R.

1992-11-24

A method and apparatus are described for reducing SO[sub x] and NO[sub x] levels in flue gases generated by the combustion of coal in a boiler in which low NO[sub x] burners and air staging ports are utilized to inhibit the amount of NO[sub x] initially produced in the combustion of the coal. A selected concentration of urea is introduced downstream of the combustion zone after the temperature has been reduced to the range of 1300 F to 2000 F, and a sodium-based reagent is introduced into the flue gas stream after further reducing the temperature of the stream to the range of 200 F to 900 F. Under certain conditions, calcium injection may be employed along with humidification of the flue gas stream for selective reduction of the pollutants. 7 figs.

Numerical investigation of the staged gasification of wet wood

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Donskoi, I. G.; Kozlov, A. N.; Svishchev, D. A.; Shamanskii, V. A.

2017-04-01

Gasification of wooden biomass makes it possible to utilize forestry wastes and agricultural residues for generation of heat and power in isolated small-scale power systems. In spite of the availability of a huge amount of cheap biomass, the implementation of the gasification process is impeded by formation of tar products and poor thermal stability of the process. These factors reduce the competitiveness of gasification as compared with alternative technologies. The use of staged technologies enables certain disadvantages of conventional processes to be avoided. One of the previously proposed staged processes is investigated in this paper. For this purpose, mathematical models were developed for individual stages of the process, such as pyrolysis, pyrolysis gas combustion, and semicoke gasification. The effect of controlling parameters on the efficiency of fuel conversion into combustible gases is studied numerically using these models. For the controlling parameter are selected heat inputted into a pyrolysis reactor, the excess of oxidizer during gas combustion, and the wood moisture content. The process efficiency criterion is the gasification chemical efficiency accounting for the input of external heat (used for fuel drying and pyrolysis). The generated regime diagrams represent the gasification efficiency as a function of controlling parameters. Modeling results demonstrate that an increase in the fraction of heat supplied from an external source can result in an adequate efficiency of the wood gasification through the use of steam generated during drying. There are regions where it is feasible to perform incomplete combustion of the pyrolysis gas prior to the gasification. The calculated chemical efficiency of the staged gasification is as high as 80-85%, which is 10-20% higher that in conventional single-stage processes.

Solid Fuel - Oxygen Fired Combustion for Production of Nodular Reduced Iron to Reduce CO2 Emissions and Improve Energy Efficiencies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Donald R. Fosnacht; Richard F. Kiesel; David W. Hendrickson

2011-12-22

The current trend in the steel industry is an increase in iron and steel produced in electric arc furnaces (EAF) and a gradual decline in conventional steelmaking from taconite pellets in blast furnaces. In order to expand the opportunities for the existing iron ore mines beyond their blast furnace customer base, a new material is needed to satisfy the market demands of the emerging steel industry while utilizing the existing infrastructure and materials handling capabilities. This demand creates opportunity to convert iron ore or other iron bearing materials to Nodular Reduced Iron (NRI) in a recently designed Linear Hearth Furnacemore » (LHF). NRI is a metallized iron product containing 98.5 to 96.0% iron and 2.5 to 4% C. It is essentially a scrap substitute with little impurity that can be utilized in a variety of steelmaking processes, especially the electric arc furnace. The objective of this project was to focus on reducing the greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) through reducing the energy intensity using specialized combustion systems, increasing production and the use of biomass derived carbon sources in this process. This research examined the use of a solid fuel-oxygen fired combustion system and compared the results from this system with both oxygen-fuel and air-fuel combustion systems. The solid pulverized fuels tested included various coals and a bio-coal produced from woody biomass in a specially constructed pilot scale torrefaction reactor at the Coleraine Minerals Research Laboratory (CMRL). In addition to combustion, the application of bio-coal was also tested as a means to produce a reducing atmosphere during key points in the fusion process, and as a reducing agent for ore conversion to metallic iron to capture the advantage of its inherent reduced carbon footprint. The results from this study indicate that the approaches taken can reduce both greenhouse gas emissions and the associated energy intensity with the Linear Hearth Furnace process for converting iron ore to metallic iron nodules. Various types of coals including a bio-coal produced though torrefaction can result in production of NRI at reduced GHG levels. The process results coupled with earlier already reported developments indicate that this process technique should be evaluated at the next level in order to develop parameter information for full scale process design. Implementation of the process to full commercialization will require a full cost production analysis and comparison to other reduction technologies and iron production alternatives. The technical results verify that high quality NRI can be produced under various operating conditions at the pilot level.« less

1990 Fuel oil utilization workshop

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McDonald, B.L.; Lange, H.B.; Miller, M.N.

1992-01-01

Following a 1983 EPRI-sponsored workshop on utility boiler problems (EPRI report AP-3753), the Institute has responded to the need for better information on fuel utilization by sponsoring annual utility-focused workshops. This workshop is the sixth in a series of annual events designed to address this need. The objective was to provide utility personnel with an opportunity to exchange information on residual oil use in fossil steam plants. Participants at the 1990 workshop, held in Arlington, Virginia, October 31-November 1, 1990, included 37 representatives from 19 electric utilities, including representatives from Mexico, Canada, and Spain, as well as the Institute demore » Investigaciones Electricas in Mexico. The workshop comprised formal presentations followed by question-and-answer sessions and three 2-hour discussion group sessions. Topics included a water/oil emulsion test summary, a NO{sub x} reduction program, particulate and unburned carbon emissions reductions from oil-fired boilers using combustion promoters, a utility perspective on oil spills, and size distribution and opacity of particulate matter emissions from combustion of residual fuel oils. In addition, participants discussed the development of a coke formation index, instability and compatibility of residual fuel oils, the clean combustion of heavy liquid fuels, toxic air emissions from the combustion of residual fuel oils, H{sub 2}S release from residual fuel oils, and increased reliability of superheater and reheater tubes and headers by optimization of steam-side and gas-side temperatures.« less

Comparative study of thermochemical processes for hydrogen production from biomass fuels.

PubMed

Biagini, Enrico; Masoni, Lorenzo; Tognotti, Leonardo

2010-08-01

Different thermochemical configurations (gasification, combustion, electrolysis and syngas separation) are studied for producing hydrogen from biomass fuels. The aim is to provide data for the production unit and the following optimization of the "hydrogen chain" (from energy source selection to hydrogen utilization) in the frame of the Italian project "Filiera Idrogeno". The project focuses on a regional scale (Tuscany, Italy), renewable energies and automotive hydrogen. Decentred and small production plants are required to solve the logistic problems of biomass supply and meet the limited hydrogen infrastructures. Different options (gasification with air, oxygen or steam/oxygen mixtures, combustion, electrolysis) and conditions (varying the ratios of biomass and gas input) are studied by developing process models with uniform hypothesis to compare the results. Results obtained in this work concern the operating parameters, process efficiencies, material and energetic needs and are fundamental to optimize the entire hydrogen chain. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Priori Analysis of Flamelet-Based Modeling for a Dual-Mode Scramjet Combustor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Quinlan, Jesse R.; McDaniel, James C.; Drozda, Tomasz G.; Lacaze, Guilhem; Oefelein, Joseph

2014-01-01

An a priori investigation of the applicability of flamelet-based combustion models to dual-mode scramjet combustion was performed utilizing Reynolds-averaged simulations (RAS). For this purpose, the HIFiRE Direct Connect Rig (HDCR) flowpath, fueled with a JP-7 fuel surrogate and operating in dual- and scram-mode was considered. The chemistry of the JP-7 fuel surrogate was modeled using a 22 species, 18-step chemical reaction mechanism. Simulation results were compared to experimentally-obtained, time-averaged, wall pressure measurements to validate the RAS solutions. The analysis of the dual-mode operation of this flowpath showed regions of predominately non-premixed, high-Damkohler number, combustion. Regions of premixed combustion were also present but associated with only a small fraction of the total heat-release in the flow. This is in contrast to the scram-mode operation, where a comparable amount of heat is released from non-premixed and premixed combustion modes. Representative flamelet boundary conditions were estimated by analyzing probability density functions for temperature and pressure for pure fuel and oxidizer conditions. The results of the present study reveal the potential for a flamelet model to accurately model the combustion processes in the HDCR and likely other high-speed flowpaths of engineering interest.

Effect of pulsation on black liquor gasification. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zinn, B.T.; Jagoda, J.; Jeong, H.

1998-12-01

Pyrolysis is an endothermic process. The heat of reaction is provided either by partial combustion of the waste or by heat transfer from an external combustion process. In one proposed system black liquor is pyrolized in a fluidized bed to which heat is added through a series of pulse combustor tail pipes submerged in the bed material. This system appears promising because of the relatively high heat transfer in pulse combustors and in fluidized beds. Other advantages of pulse combustors are discussed elsewhere. The process is, however, only economically viable if a part of the pyrolysis products can be usedmore » to fire the pulse combustors. The overall goals of this study were to determine: (1) which is the limiting heat transfer rate in the process of transferring heat from the hot combustion products to the pipe, through the pipe, from the tail pipe to the bed and through the bed; i.e., whether increased heat transfer within the pulse combustor will significantly increase the overall heat transfer rate; (2) whether the heat transfer benefits of the pulse combustor can be utilized while maintaining the temperature in the bed within the narrow temperature range required by the process without generating hot spots in the bed; and (3) whether the fuel gas produced during the gasification process can be used to efficiently fire the pulse combustor.« less

Chemical-Looping Combustion and Gasification of Coals and Oxygen Carrier Development: A Brief Review

DOE PAGES

Wang, Ping; Means, Nicholas; Shekhawat, Dushyant; ...

2015-09-24

Chemical-looping technology is one of the promising CO 2 capture technologies. It generates a CO 2 enriched flue gas, which will greatly benefit CO 2 capture, utilization or sequestration. Both chemical-looping combustion (CLC) and chemical-looping gasification (CLG) have the potential to be used to generate power, chemicals, and liquid fuels. Chemical-looping is an oxygen transporting process using oxygen carriers. Recently, attention has focused on solid fuels such as coal. Coal chemical-looping reactions are more complicated than gaseous fuels due to coal properties (like mineral matter) and the complex reaction pathways involving solid fuels. The mineral matter/ash and sulfur in coalmore » may affect the activity of oxygen carriers. Oxygen carriers are the key issue in chemical-looping processes. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) has been widely used for the development of oxygen carriers (e.g., oxide reactivity). Two proposed processes for the CLC of solid fuels are in-situ Gasification Chemical-Looping Combustion (iG-CLC) and Chemical-Looping with Oxygen Uncoupling (CLOU). The objectives of this review are to discuss various chemical-looping processes with coal, summarize TGA applications in oxygen carrier development, and outline the major challenges associated with coal chemical-looping in iG-CLC and CLOU.« less

The Multi-User Droplet Combustion Apparatus: the Development and Integration Concept for Droplet Combustion Payloads in the Fluids and Combustion Facility Combustion Integrated Rack

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Myhre, C. A.

2002-01-01

The Multi-user Droplet Combustion Apparatus (MDCA) is a multi-user facility designed to accommodate four different droplet combustion science experiments. The MDCA will conduct experiments using the Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR) of the NASA Glenn Research Center's Fluids and Combustion Facility (FCF). The payload is planned for the International Space Station. The MDCA, in conjunction with the CIR, will allow for cost effective extended access to the microgravity environment, not possible on previous space flights. It is currently in the Engineering Model build phase with a planned flight launch with CIR in 2004. This paper provides an overview of the capabilities and development status of the MDCA. The MDCA contains the hardware and software required to conduct unique droplet combustion experiments in space. It consists of a Chamber Insert Assembly, an Avionics Package, and a multiple array of diagnostics. Its modular approach permits on-orbit changes for accommodating different fuels, fuel flow rates, soot sampling mechanisms, and varying droplet support and translation mechanisms to accommodate multiple investigations. Unique diagnostic measurement capabilities for each investigation are also provided. Additional hardware provided by the CIR facility includes the structural support, a combustion chamber, utilities for the avionics and diagnostic packages, and the fuel mixing capability for PI specific combustion chamber environments. Common diagnostics provided by the CIR will also be utilized by the MDCA. Single combustible fuel droplets of varying sizes, freely deployed or supported by a tether are planned for study using the MDCA. Such research supports how liquid-fuel-droplets ignite, spread, and extinguish under quiescent microgravity conditions. This understanding will help us develop more efficient energy production and propulsion systems on Earth and in space, deal better with combustion generated pollution, and address fire hazards associated with using liquid combustibles on Earth and in space. As a result of the concurrent design process of MDCA and CIR, the MDCA team continues to work closely with the CIR team, developing Integration Agreements and an Interface Control Document during preliminary integration activities. Integrated testing of hardware and software systems will occur at the Engineering Model and Flight Model phases. Because the engineering model is a high fidelity unit, it will be upgraded to a flight equivalent Ground Integration Unit (GIU) when the engineering model phase is completed. The GIU will be available on the ground for troubleshooting of any on-orbit problems. Integrated verification testing will be conducted with the MDCA flight unit and the CIR flight unit. Upon successful testing, the MDCA will be shipped to the Kennedy Space Center for a post-shipment checkout and final turn-over to CIR for final processing and launch to the International Space Station. Once on-orbit, the MDCA is managed from the GRC Telescience Support Center (TSC). The MDCA operations team resides at the TSC. Data is transmitted to the PI's at their home sites by means of TREK workstations, allowing direct interaction between the PI and operations staff to maximum science. Upon completion of a PI's experiment, the MDCA is reconfigured for the next of the three follow-on experiments or ultimately removed from the CIR, placed into stowage, and returned to Earth.

Coal Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1986-01-01

Coal slurries are "clean" pulverized coal mixed with oil or water. Significant fuel savings can be realized when using coal slurries. Advanced Fuels Technology (AFT) utilized a COSMIC program, (Calculation of Complex Chemical Equilibrium Compositions), which provides specific capabilities for determining combustion products. The company has developed a cleaning process that removes much of the mineral sulphur and ash from the coals.

Char binder for fluidized beds

DOEpatents

Borio, Richard W.; Accortt, Joseph I.

1981-01-01

An arrangement that utilizes agglomerating coal as a binder to bond coal fines and recycled char into an agglomerate mass that will have suitable retention time when introduced into a fluidized bed 14 for combustion. The simultaneous use of coal for a primary fuel and as a binder effects significant savings in the elimination of non-essential materials and processing steps.

Potential Occupational Exposures and Health Risks Associated with Biomass-Based Power Generation.

PubMed

Rohr, Annette C; Campleman, Sharan L; Long, Christopher M; Peterson, Michael K; Weatherstone, Susan; Quick, Will; Lewis, Ari

2015-07-22

Biomass is increasingly being used for power generation; however, assessment of potential occupational health and safety (OH&S) concerns related to usage of biomass fuels in combustion-based generation remains limited. We reviewed the available literature on known and potential OH&S issues associated with biomass-based fuel usage for electricity generation at the utility scale. We considered three potential exposure scenarios--pre-combustion exposure to material associated with the fuel, exposure to combustion products, and post-combustion exposure to ash and residues. Testing of dust, fungal and bacterial levels at two power stations was also undertaken. Results indicated that dust concentrations within biomass plants can be extremely variable, with peak levels in some areas exceeding occupational exposure limits for wood dust and general inhalable dust. Fungal spore types, identified as common environmental species, were higher than in outdoor air. Our review suggests that pre-combustion risks, including bioaerosols and biogenic organics, should be considered further. Combustion and post-combustion risks appear similar to current fossil-based combustion. In light of limited available information, additional studies at power plants utilizing a variety of technologies and biomass fuels are recommended.

Potential Occupational Exposures and Health Risks Associated with Biomass-Based Power Generation

PubMed Central

Rohr, Annette C.; Campleman, Sharan L.; Long, Christopher M.; Peterson, Michael K.; Weatherstone, Susan; Quick, Will; Lewis, Ari

2015-01-01

Biomass is increasingly being used for power generation; however, assessment of potential occupational health and safety (OH&S) concerns related to usage of biomass fuels in combustion-based generation remains limited. We reviewed the available literature on known and potential OH&S issues associated with biomass-based fuel usage for electricity generation at the utility scale. We considered three potential exposure scenarios—pre-combustion exposure to material associated with the fuel, exposure to combustion products, and post-combustion exposure to ash and residues. Testing of dust, fungal and bacterial levels at two power stations was also undertaken. Results indicated that dust concentrations within biomass plants can be extremely variable, with peak levels in some areas exceeding occupational exposure limits for wood dust and general inhalable dust. Fungal spore types, identified as common environmental species, were higher than in outdoor air. Our review suggests that pre-combustion risks, including bioaerosols and biogenic organics, should be considered further. Combustion and post-combustion risks appear similar to current fossil-based combustion. In light of limited available information, additional studies at power plants utilizing a variety of technologies and biomass fuels are recommended. PMID:26206568

Study Into Combustion of Sewage Sludge as Energetic Fuel / Badania Spalania OSADÓW ŚCIEKOWYCH Jako Paliwa Energetycznego

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kijo-Kleczkowska, Agnieszka; Środa, Katarzyna; Otwinowski, Henryk

2013-12-01

Along with the development of civilisation, it can be observed that the amount of waste of different type is growing and the preparation process for further usage of the waste or the utilization process differs. What is to be focused on is municipal sewage sludge which, due to its energetic properties, constitutes a valuable fuel. The problem of usage of municipal sewage sludge remains still unsolved, which stems both from the increasing amount of such waste, and from the lack of properly adjusted systems for thermal processing thereof. What is of an additional obstacle are the increasingly stricter legal regulations regarding disposal of sewage sludge after the year 2013; hence, it is necessary to consider various benefits resulting from thermal processing of such waste. This work presents an overview of methods of disposal of sewage sludge, taking into consideration, in particular, thermal methods including the process of combustion and co-combustion as a means of successful utilization. The research section of the work presents the results of study into the mechanism and kinetics of combustion of sewage sludge in various conditions of the process carried out in air flow. Combustion of sewage sludge has been compared against combustion of coal and biomass. Wraz z rozwojem cywilizacji zaobserwować można postępujące powstawanie różnego rodzaju odpadów różniących się, m.in. sposobem przygotowania do dalszego wykorzystania, czy procesem utylizacji. Na szczególną uwagę zasługują komunalne osady ściekowe, które z uwagi na właściwości energetyczne stanowią cenne paliwo. Problem wykorzystania komunalnych osadów ściekowych jest nadal otwarty, a wynika to zarówno z rosnącej produkcji tych odpadów, jak i braku odpowiednio przystosowanych instalacji do termicznego ich przekształcania. Dodatkowym utrudnieniem są zaostrzające się przepisy prawne dotyczące składowania osadów ściekowych po 2013 r. skłaniające tym samym do rozważań nad korzyściami płynącymi z termicznej obróbki tych odpadów. W pracy przedstawiono przegląd sposobów unieszkodliwiania osadów ściekowych ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem metod termicznych, głównie spalania i współspalania jako drogi do ich sukcesywnej utylizacji. W części badawczej pracy zaprezentowano wyniki badań mechanizmu i kinetyki spalania osadów ściekowych w różnych warunkach procesu prowadzonego w strumieniu powietrza. Spalanie osadów ściekowych porównano ze spalaniem węgla oraz biomasy.

Optical diagnostics in gas turbine combustors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woodruff, Steven D.

1999-01-01

Deregulation of the power industry and increasingly tight emission controls are pushing gas turbine manufacturers to develop engines operating at high pressure for efficiency and lean fuel mixtures to control NOx. This combination also gives rise to combustion instabilities which threaten engine integrity through acoustic pressure oscillations and flashback. High speed imaging and OH emission sensors have been demonstrated to be invaluable tools in characterizing and monitoring unstable combustion processes. Asynchronous imaging technique permit detailed viewing of cyclic flame structure in an acoustic environment which may be modeled or utilized in burner design . The response of the flame front to the acoustic pressure cycle may be tracked with an OH emission monitor using a sapphire light pipe for optical access. The OH optical emission can be correlated to pressure sensor data for better understanding of the acoustical coupling of the flame. Active control f the combustion cycle can be implemented using an OH emission sensor for feedback.

Current status and prospect: Coal water mixture technology in Indonesia

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sastrawinata, T.; Suwono, A.

1996-12-31

This paper covers the status of Coal Water Mixture (CWM) technology in Indonesia and also the prospect for implementing this technology. Advantageous use of a pipeline for coal transportation is geographically inconvenient. Characteristics of CWM for Indonesian coal and combustion characteristics of CWM for Indonesian coal are reviewed. The coal reserve estimated in Indonesia is about 36 billions tons with ratio of lignite and higher rank is 60:40. The main problems faced in the coal utilization in Indonesia is the transportation from the mines to the users. Remote, limited infrastructure and the geographic conditions are factors which contribute to themore » problems. The CWM made of Indonesian low rank coal from various origins has been prepared for further study. The CWM of various coal concentration up to 66% with good handling and storage stability was obtained. Rheological measurements of the obtained CWM shows that for high coal concentration (greater than about 40%), in addition to the yield stress, the solution also behaves as the power law model of fluid. Energy Technology Laboratory has just started to investigate the combustion characteristics of CWM. CWM in Indonesia has not been utilized commercially in the industrial boiler, so that needs to be studied comprehensively. The technical aspects in this is stressed on the combustion characteristics in the boiler furnace. LSDE has a state of the art coal combustion facility that includes a chemical analytic laboratory and a boiler simulator equipped with complete data acquisition. The experiments will have several numerical criteria to characterize CWS combustion process, i.e., Maximum Furnace Exit Temperature, firing rate, pressure drop in the test section, deposit strength and deposit weight, swirl flow number.« less

Cold flow simulation of an internal combustion engine with vertical valves using layering approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinas, G.; Cupsa, O. S.; Stan, L. C.; Arsenie, A.

2015-11-01

Complying with emission requirements and fuel consumption efficiency are the points which drive any development of internal combustion engine. Refinement of the process of combustion and mixture formation, together with in-cylinder flow refinement, is a requirement, valves and piston bowl and intake exhaust port design optimization is essential. In order to reduce the time for design optimization cycle it is used Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). Being time consuming and highly costly caring out of experiment using flow bench testing this methods start to become less utilized. Air motion inside the intake manifold is one of the important factors, which govern the engine performance and emission of multi-cylinder diesel engines. Any cold flow study on IC is targeting the process of identifying and improving the fluid flow inside the ports and the combustion chamber. This is only the base for an optimization process targeting to increase the volume of air accessing the combustion space and to increase the turbulence of the air at the end of the compression stage. One of the first conclusions will be that the valve diameter is a fine tradeoff between the need for a bigger diameter involving a greater mass of air filling the cylinder, and the need of a smaller diameter in order to reduce the blind zone. Here there is room for optimization studies. The relative pressure indicates a suction effect coming from the moving piston. The more the shape of the inlet port is smoother and the diameter of the piston is bigger, the aerodynamic resistance of the geometry will be smaller so that the difference of inlet port pressure and the pressure near to piston face will be smaller. Here again there is enough room for more optimization studies.

Mechanistic Studies Of Combustion And Structure Formation During Combustion Synthesis Of Advanced Materials: Phase Separation Mechanism For Bio-Alloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Varma, A.; Lau, C.; Mukasyan, A.

2003-01-01

Among all implant materials, Co-Cr-Mo alloys demonstrate perhaps the most useful balance of resistance to corrosion, fatigue and wear, along with strength and biocompatibility [1]. Currently, these widely used alloys are produced by conventional furnace technology. Owing to high melting points of the main alloy elements (e.g. Tm.p.(Co) 1768 K), high-temperature furnaces and long process times (several hours) are required. Therefore, attempts to develop more efficient and flexible methods for production of such alloys with superior properties are of great interest. The synthesis of materials using combustion phenomena is an advanced approach in powder metallurgy [2]. The process is characterized by unique conditions involving extremely fast heating rates (up to 10(exp 6 K/s), high temperatures (up to 3500 K), and short reaction times (on the order of seconds). As a result, combustion synthesis (CS) offers several attractive advantages over conventional metallurgical processing and alloy development technologies. The foremost is that solely the heat of chemical reaction (instead of an external source) supplies the energy for the synthesis. Also, simple equipment, rather than energy-intensive high-temperature furnaces, is sufficient. This work was devoted to experiments on CS of Co-based alloys by utilizing thermite (metal oxide-reducing metal) reactions, where phase separation subsequently produces materials with tailored compositions and properties. Owing to high reaction exothermicity, the CS process results in a significant increase of temperature (up to 3000 C), which is higher than melting points of all products. Since the products differ in density, phase separation may be a gravitydriven process: the heavy (metallic phase) settles while the light (slag) phase floats. The goal was to determine if buoyancy is indeed the major mechanism that controls phase segregation.

Method and apparatus for advanced staged combustion utilizing forced internal recirculation

DOEpatents

Rabovitser, Iosif K.; Knight, Richard A.; Cygan, David F.; Nester, Serguei; Abbasi, Hamid A.

2003-12-16

A method and apparatus for combustion of a fuel in which a first-stage fuel and a first-stage oxidant are introduced into a combustion chamber and ignited, forming a primary combustion zone. At least about 5% of the total heat output produced by combustion of the first-stage fuel and the first-stage oxidant is removed from the primary combustion zone, forming cooled first-stage combustion products. A portion of the cooled first-stage combustion products from a downstream region of the primary combustion zone is recirculated to an upstream region of primary combustion zone. A second-stage fuel is introduced into the combustion chamber downstream of the primary combustion zone and ignited, forming a secondary combustion zone. At least about 5% of the heat from the secondary combustion zone is removed. In accordance with one embodiment, a third-stage oxidant is introduced into the combustion chamber downstream of the secondary combustion zone, forming a tertiary combustion zone.

Exploring Multiple Constraints of Anthropogenic Pollution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arellano, A. F., Jr.; Tang, W.; Silva, S. J.; Raman, A.

2017-12-01

It is imperative that we provide more accurate and consistent analysis of anthropogenic pollution emissions at scales that is relevant to air quality, energy, and environmental policy. Here, we present three proof-of-concept studies that explore observational constraints from ground, aircraft, and satellite-derived measurements of atmospheric composition on bulk characteristics of anthropogenic combustion in megacities and fire regions. We focus on jointly analyzing co-emitted combustion products such as CO2, NO2, CO, SO2, and aerosols from GOSAT, OCO-2, OMI, MOPITT, and MODIS retrievals, in conjunction with USEPA AQS and NASA field campaigns. Each of these constituents exhibit distinct atmospheric signatures that depend on fuel type, combustion technology, process, practices and regulatory policies. Our results show that distinguishable patterns and relationships between the increases in concentrations across the megacity (or enhancements) due to emissions of these constituents enable us to: a) identify trends in combustion activity and efficiency, and b) reconcile discrepancies between state- to country-based emission inventories and modeled concentrations of these constituents. For example, the trends in enhancement ratios of these species reveal combustion emission pathways for China and United States that are not captured by current emission inventories and chemical reanalysis. Analysis of their joint distributions has considerable potential utility in current and future integrated constituent data assimilation and inverse modeling activities for monitoring, verifying, and reporting emissions, particularly for regions with few observations and limited information on local combustion processes. This work also motivates the need for continuous and preferably collocated satellite measurements of atmospheric composition, including CH4 and CO2, and studies related to improving the applicability and integration of these observations with ground- and aircraft- based measurements.

Water mist injection in oil shale retorting

DOEpatents

Galloway, T.R.; Lyczkowski, R.W.; Burnham, A.K.

1980-07-30

Water mist is utilized to control the maximum temperature in an oil shale retort during processing. A mist of water droplets is generated and entrained in the combustion supporting gas flowing into the retort in order to distribute the liquid water droplets throughout the retort. The water droplets are vaporized in the retort in order to provide an efficient coolant for temperature control.

Quantifying the sources of atmospheric ice nuclei from carbonaceous combustion aerosol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schill, G. P.; Jathar, S.; Galang, A.; Farmer, D.; Friedman, B.; Levin, E. J.; DeMott, P. J.; Kreidenweis, S. M.

2015-12-01

Ice nucleation on particles is a fundamental atmospheric process, which governs precipitation, cloud lifetimes, and climate. Despite being a basic atmospheric process, our current understanding of ice nucleation in the atmosphere is low. One reason for this low understanding is that ice nuclei concentrations are low (only ~1 in 105 particles in the free troposphere nucleate ice), making it challenging to identify both the composition and sources of ambient ice nuclei. Carbonaceous combustion aerosol produced from biomass and fossil fuel combustion are one potential source of these ice nuclei, as they contribute to over one-third of all aerosol in the North American free troposphere. Unfortunately, previous results from field measurements in-cloud, aircraft measurements, and laboratory studies are in conflict, with estimates of the impact of combustion aerosol ranging from no effect to rivaling the well-known atmospheric ice nuclei mineral dust. It is, however, becoming clear that aerosols from combustion processes are more complex than model particles, and their ice activity depends greatly on both fuel type and combustion conditions. Given these dependencies, we propose that sampling from real-world biomass burning and fossil fuel sources would provide the most useful new information on the contribution of carbonaceous combustion aerosols to atmospheric ice nuclei particles. To determine the specific contribution of refractory black carbon (rBC) to ice nuclei concentrations, we have coupled the Single Particle Soot Photometer (SP2) to the Colorado State University Continuous Flow Diffusion Chamber (CFDC). The SP2 utilizes laser-induced incandescence to quantify rBC mass on a particle-by-particle basis; in doing so, it also selectively destroys rBC particles by heating them to their vaporization temperature. Thus, the SP2 can be used as a selective pre-filter for rBC into the CFDC. In this work, we will present recent results looking at contribution of diesel engine exhaust to ice nuclei concentrations. Sampling was done for both diesel and biodiesel on fresh emissions and emissions aged up to 18 days equivalent photochemical aging with a Potential Aerosol Mass chamber. Our results show that, for mixed-phase clouds, both fresh and aged (bio)diesel are not likely a significant source of ice nuclei.

Compressed air production with waste heat utilization in industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nolting, E.

1984-06-01

The centralized power-heat coupling (PHC) technique using block heating power stations, is presented. Compressed air production in PHC technique with internal combustion engine drive achieves a high degree of primary energy utilization. Cost savings of 50% are reached compared to conventional production. The simultaneous utilization of compressed air and heat is especially interesting. A speed regulated drive via an internal combustion motor gives a further saving of 10% to 20% compared to intermittent operation. The high fuel utilization efficiency ( 80%) leads to a pay off after two years for operation times of 3000 hr.

Site-Specific Management of Miscanthus Genotypes for Combustion and Anaerobic Digestion: A Comparison of Energy Yields.

PubMed

Kiesel, Andreas; Nunn, Christopher; Iqbal, Yasir; Van der Weijde, Tim; Wagner, Moritz; Özgüven, Mensure; Tarakanov, Ivan; Kalinina, Olena; Trindade, Luisa M; Clifton-Brown, John; Lewandowski, Iris

2017-01-01

In Europe, the perennial C 4 grass miscanthus is currently mainly cultivated for energy generation via combustion. In recent years, anaerobic digestion has been identified as a promising alternative utilization pathway. Anaerobic digestion produces a higher-value intermediate (biogas), which can be upgraded to biomethane, stored in the existing natural gas infrastructure and further utilized as a transport fuel or in combined heat and power plants. However, the upgrading of the solid biomass into gaseous fuel leads to conversion-related energy losses, the level of which depends on the cultivation parameters genotype, location, and harvest date. Thus, site-specific crop management needs to be adapted to the intended utilization pathway. The objectives of this paper are to quantify (i) the impact of genotype, location and harvest date on energy yields of anaerobic digestion and combustion and (ii) the conversion losses of upgrading solid biomass into biogas. For this purpose, five miscanthus genotypes (OPM 3, 6, 9, 11, 14), three cultivation locations (Adana, Moscow, Stuttgart), and up to six harvest dates (August-March) were assessed. Anaerobic digestion yielded, on average, 35% less energy than combustion. Genotype, location, and harvest date all had significant impacts on the energy yield. For both, this is determined by dry matter yield and ash content and additionally by substrate-specific methane yield for anaerobic digestion and moisture content for combustion. Averaged over all locations and genotypes, an early harvest in August led to 25% and a late harvest to 45% conversion losses. However, each utilization option has its own optimal harvest date, determined by biomass yield, biomass quality, and cutting tolerance. By applying an autumn green harvest for anaerobic digestion and a delayed harvest for combustion, the conversion-related energy loss was reduced to an average of 18%. This clearly shows that the delayed harvest required to maintain biomass quality for combustion is accompanied by high energy losses through yield reduction over winter. The pre-winter harvest applied in the biogas utilization pathway avoids these yield losses and largely compensates for the conversion-related energy losses of anaerobic digestion.

Site-Specific Management of Miscanthus Genotypes for Combustion and Anaerobic Digestion: A Comparison of Energy Yields

PubMed Central

Kiesel, Andreas; Nunn, Christopher; Iqbal, Yasir; Van der Weijde, Tim; Wagner, Moritz; Özgüven, Mensure; Tarakanov, Ivan; Kalinina, Olena; Trindade, Luisa M.; Clifton-Brown, John; Lewandowski, Iris

2017-01-01

In Europe, the perennial C4 grass miscanthus is currently mainly cultivated for energy generation via combustion. In recent years, anaerobic digestion has been identified as a promising alternative utilization pathway. Anaerobic digestion produces a higher-value intermediate (biogas), which can be upgraded to biomethane, stored in the existing natural gas infrastructure and further utilized as a transport fuel or in combined heat and power plants. However, the upgrading of the solid biomass into gaseous fuel leads to conversion-related energy losses, the level of which depends on the cultivation parameters genotype, location, and harvest date. Thus, site-specific crop management needs to be adapted to the intended utilization pathway. The objectives of this paper are to quantify (i) the impact of genotype, location and harvest date on energy yields of anaerobic digestion and combustion and (ii) the conversion losses of upgrading solid biomass into biogas. For this purpose, five miscanthus genotypes (OPM 3, 6, 9, 11, 14), three cultivation locations (Adana, Moscow, Stuttgart), and up to six harvest dates (August–March) were assessed. Anaerobic digestion yielded, on average, 35% less energy than combustion. Genotype, location, and harvest date all had significant impacts on the energy yield. For both, this is determined by dry matter yield and ash content and additionally by substrate-specific methane yield for anaerobic digestion and moisture content for combustion. Averaged over all locations and genotypes, an early harvest in August led to 25% and a late harvest to 45% conversion losses. However, each utilization option has its own optimal harvest date, determined by biomass yield, biomass quality, and cutting tolerance. By applying an autumn green harvest for anaerobic digestion and a delayed harvest for combustion, the conversion-related energy loss was reduced to an average of 18%. This clearly shows that the delayed harvest required to maintain biomass quality for combustion is accompanied by high energy losses through yield reduction over winter. The pre-winter harvest applied in the biogas utilization pathway avoids these yield losses and largely compensates for the conversion-related energy losses of anaerobic digestion. PMID:28367151

Fundamental phenomena on fuel decomposition and boundary layer combustion processes with applications to hybrid rocket motors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kuo, Kenneth K.; Lu, Y. C.; Chiaverini, Martin J.; Harting, George C.

1994-01-01

An experimental study on the fundamental processes involved in fuel decomposition and boundary layer combustion in hybrid rocket motors is being conducted at the High Pressure Combustion Laboratory of the Pennsylvania State University. This research should provide a useful engineering technology base in the development of hybrid rocket motors as well as a fundamental understanding of the complex processes involved in hybrid propulsion. A high pressure slab motor has been designed and manufactured for conducting experimental investigations. Oxidizer (LOX or GOX) supply and control systems have been designed and partly constructed for the head-end injection into the test chamber. Experiments using HTPB fuel, as well as fuels supplied by NASA designated industrial companies will be conducted. Design and construction of fuel casting molds and sample holders have been completed. The portion of these items for industrial company fuel casting will be sent to the McDonnell Douglas Aerospace Corporation in the near future. The study focuses on the following areas: observation of solid fuel burning processes with LOX or GOX, measurement and correlation of solid fuel regression rate with operating conditions, measurement of flame temperature and radical species concentrations, determination of the solid fuel subsurface temperature profile, and utilization of experimental data for validation of a companion theoretical study (Part 2) also being conducted at PSU.

Combuster. [low nitrogen oxide formation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mckay, R. A. (Inventor)

1978-01-01

A combuster is provided for utilizing a combustible mixture containing fuel and air, to heat a load fluid such as water or air, in a manner that minimizes the formation of nitrogen oxide. The combustible mixture passes through a small diameter tube where the mixture is heated to its combustion temperature, while the load fluid flows past the outside of the tube to receive heat. The tube is of a diameter small enough that the combustible mixture cannot form a flame, and yet is not subject to wall quench, so that combustion occurs, but at a temperature less than under free flame conditions. Most of the heat required for heating the combustible mixture to its combustion temperature, is obtained from heat flow through the walls of the pipe to the mixture.

Metals combustion in normal gravity and microgravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steinberg, Theodore A.; Wilson, D. Bruce; Benz, Frank J.

1993-01-01

The study of the combustion characteristics of metallic materials has been an ongoing area of research at the NASA White Sands Test Facility (WSTF). This research has been in support of both government and industrial operations and deals not only with the combustion of specific metallic materials but also with the relative flammabilities of these materials under similar conditions. Since many of the metallic materials that are characterized at WSTF for aerospace applications are to be used in microgravity environments, it was apparent that the testing of these materials needed to proceed in a microgravity environment. It was believed that burning metallic materials in a microgravity environment would allow the evaluation of the validity of applying normal gravity combustion tests to characterize metallic materials to be used in microgravity environments. It was also anticipated that microgravity testing would provide insight into the general combustion process of metallic materials. The availability of the NASA Lewis Research Center's (LeRC) 2.2-second drop tower provided the necessary facility to accomplish the microgravity portion of the testing while the normal gravity testing was conducted at NASA WSTF. The tests, both at LeRC and WSTF, were conducted in the same instrumented system and utilized the standard metal flammability test of upward propagation burning of cylindrical rod samples.

Electric Current Activated Combustion Synthesis and Chemical Ovens Under Terrestrial and Reduced Gravity Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Unuvar, C.; Fredrick, D.; Anselmi-Tamburini, U.; Manerbino, A.; Guigne, J. Y.; Munir, Z. A.; Shaw, B. D.

2004-01-01

Combustion synthesis (CS) generally involves mixing reactants together (e.g., metal powders) and igniting the mixture. Typically, a reaction wave will pass through the sample. In field activated combustion synthesis (FACS), the addition of an electric field has a marked effect on the dynamics of wave propagation and on the nature, composition, and homogeneity of the product as well as capillary flow, mass-transport in porous media, and Marangoni flows, which are influenced by gravity. The objective is to understand the role of an electric field in CS reactions under conditions where gravity-related effects are suppressed or altered. The systems being studied are Ti+Al and Ti+3Al. Two different ignition orientations have been used to observe effects of gravity when one of the reactants becomes molten. This consequentially influences the position and concentration of the electric current, which in turn influences the entire process. Experiments have also been performed in microgravity conditions. This process has been named Microgravity Field Activated Combustion Synthesis (MFACS). Effects of gravity have been demonstrated, where the reaction wave temperature and velocity demonstrate considerable differences besides the changes of combustion mechanisms with the different high currents applied. Also the threshold for the formation of a stable reaction wave is increased under zero gravity conditions. Electric current was also utilized with a chemical oven technique, where inserts of aluminum with minute amounts of tungsten and tantalum were used to allow observation of effects of settling of the higher density solid particles in liquid aluminum at the present temperature profile and wave velocity of the reaction.

Modern technologies of processing municipal solid waste: investing in the future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rumyantseva, A.; Berezyuk, M.; Savchenko, N.; Rumyantseva, E.

2017-06-01

The problem of effective municipal solid waste (MSW) management is known to all the municipal entities of the Russian Federation. The problem is multifaceted and complex. The article analyzes the dynamics of municipal solid waste formation and its utilization within the territory of the EU and Russia. The authors of the paper suggest a project of a plant for processing municipal solid waste into a combustible gas with the help of high temperature pyrolysis. The main indicators of economic efficiency are calculated.

Coal-water slurry fuel internal combustion engine and method for operating same

DOEpatents

McMillian, Michael H.

1992-01-01

An internal combustion engine fueled with a coal-water slurry is described. About 90 percent of the coal-water slurry charge utilized in the power cycle of the engine is directly injected into the main combustion chamber where it is ignited by a hot stream of combustion gases discharged from a pilot combustion chamber of a size less than about 10 percent of the total clearance volume of main combustion chamber with the piston at top dead center. The stream of hot combustion gases is provided by injecting less than about 10 percent of the total coal-water slurry charge into the pilot combustion chamber and using a portion of the air from the main combustion chamber that has been heated by the walls defining the pilot combustion chamber as the ignition source for the coal-water slurry injected into the pilot combustion chamber.

Gasification of carbonaceous solids

DOEpatents

Coates, Ralph L.

1976-10-26

A process and apparatus for converting coal and other carbonaceous solids to an intermediate heating value fuel gas or to a synthesis gas. A stream of entrained pulverized coal is fed into the combustion stage of a three-stage gasifier along with a mixture of oxygen and steam at selected pressure and temperature. The products of the combustion stage pass into the second or quench stage where they are partially cooled and further reacted with water and/or steam. Ash is solidified into small particles and the formation of soot is suppressed by water/steam injections in the quench stage. The design of the quench stage prevents slag from solidifying on the walls. The products from the quench stage pass directly into a heat recovery stage where the products pass through the tube, or tubes, of a single-pass, shell and tube heat exchanger and steam is generated on the shell side and utilized for steam feed requirements of the process.

Geochemical database of feed coal and coal combustion products (CCPs) from five power plants in the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Affolter, Ronald H.; Groves, Steve; Betterton, William J.; William, Benzel; Conrad, Kelly L.; Swanson, Sharon M.; Ruppert, Leslie F.; Clough, James G.; Belkin, Harvey E.; Kolker, Allan; Hower, James C.

2011-01-01

The principal mission of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Energy Resources Program (ERP) is to (1) understand the processes critical to the formation, accumulation, occurrence, and alteration of geologically based energy resources; (2) conduct scientifically robust assessments of those resources; and (3) study the impacts of energy resource occurrence and (or) their production and use on both the environment and human health. The ERP promotes and supports research resulting in original, geology-based, non-biased energy information products for policy and decision makers, land and resource managers, other Federal and State agencies, the domestic energy industry, foreign governments, non-governmental groups, and academia. Investigations include research on the geology of oil, gas, and coal, and the impacts associated with energy resource occurrence, production, quality, and utilization. The ERP's focus on coal is to support investigations into current issues pertaining to coal production, beneficiation and (or) conversion, and the environmental impact of the coal combustion process and coal combustion products (CCPs). To accomplish these studies, the USGS combines its activities with other organizations to address domestic and international issues that relate to the development and use of energy resources.

Production of aluminum-silicon alloy and ferrosilicon and commercial purity aluminum by the direct reduction process. First interim technical report, Phase C for the period 1980 January 1-1980 March 31

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bruno, M.J.

1980-10-01

Pilot reactor VSR-3 was operated with 75 to 120 SCFH O/sub 2/ to supply part of the process heat requirements by combustion of coke. No alloy was made and burden bridging persistently stopped operations. Burning larger coke particles, -3/8 in. +6 mesh, with O/sub 2/ injected through a larger diameter tuyere orifice resulted in oxygen attack on the reactor graphite liner. Updated thermochemical data for Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ significantly changed the calculated reflux loading for a one-atm blast furnace, predicting almost total reflux and no alloy recovery. Based on these calculations and the experimental problems with combustion heated operation, VSR-3more » was modified to study an alternate reduction concept - the blast-arc - which utilizes combustion heat to reduce SiO/sub 2/ to SiC at 1600/sup 0/C, and electrical heat to complete the reduction of Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ and the production of alloy. Design, fabrication, and installation of most of the pilot crystallizer sytem was completed.« less

Evaluation of Innovative Volatile Organic Compound and Hazardous Air Pollutant Control Technologies for U.S. Air Force Paint Spray Booths

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-10-01

adsorption/incineration * Membrane vapor separation/condensation * Supercritical fluid oxidation • UV/ozone destruction * Molten salt combustion process...separation/ separate air stream contaminants 9 Oxygenated solvents condensation * Chlorinated hydrocarbons Supercritical fluid * Technology utilizing high...testing or full-scale unit capacity; they are: * Supercritical fluid oxidation • UV/ozone destruction * Molten salt incineration * Infrared incineration

40 CFR 76.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... combustion of fossil fuel in a utility boiler. Group 1 boiler means a tangentially fired boiler or a dry... (boiler information) of the Department of Energy's Form EIA-767 for 1995. Non-plug-in combustion controls...

40 CFR 76.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... combustion of fossil fuel in a utility boiler. Group 1 boiler means a tangentially fired boiler or a dry... (boiler information) of the Department of Energy's Form EIA-767 for 1995. Non-plug-in combustion controls...

40 CFR 76.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... combustion of fossil fuel in a utility boiler. Group 1 boiler means a tangentially fired boiler or a dry... (boiler information) of the Department of Energy's Form EIA-767 for 1995. Non-plug-in combustion controls...

40 CFR 76.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... combustion of fossil fuel in a utility boiler. Group 1 boiler means a tangentially fired boiler or a dry... (boiler information) of the Department of Energy's Form EIA-767 for 1995. Non-plug-in combustion controls...

40 CFR 76.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... combustion of fossil fuel in a utility boiler. Group 1 boiler means a tangentially fired boiler or a dry... (boiler information) of the Department of Energy's Form EIA-767 for 1995. Non-plug-in combustion controls...

Combustion inorganic transformations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Benson, S.A.; Sweeny, P.G.; Abrahamson, H.B.

1988-04-01

The overall goal of the project is to develop a unified picture of the physical and chemical changes that occur in coal inorganic matter during combustion. The research is centered on two main tasks. Task 3.2A deals with the use of laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy (LIFS) to study the release of sodium from various model compounds and coal during combustion in a flame. The vaporized or released sodium is considered to be an important factor in the formation of ash fouling deposits in full-scale utility boilers. Task 3.2B will study changes in the morphology and chemical associations of inorganic components inmore » coals during combustion in a drop-tube furnace designed to simulate the time-temperature profile of a pulverized coal-fired utility boiler. Results are described. 18 refs., 51 figs., 28 tabs.« less

Steam jacket dynamics in underground coal gasification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Otto, Christopher; Kempka, Thomas

2017-04-01

Underground coal gasification (UCG) has the potential to increase the world-wide hydrocarbon reserves by utilization of deposits not economically mineable by conventional methods. In this context, UCG involves combusting coal in-situ to produce a high-calorific synthesis gas, which can be applied for electricity generation or chemical feedstock production. Apart from high economic potentials, in-situ combustion may cause environmental impacts such as groundwater pollution by by-product leakage. In order to prevent or significantly mitigate these potential environmental concerns, UCG reactors are generally operated below hydrostatic pressure to limit the outflow of UCG process fluids into overburden aquifers. This pressure difference effects groundwater inflow into the reactor and prevents the escape of product gas. In the close reactor vicinity, fluid flow determined by the evolving high reactor temperatures, resulting in the build-up of a steam jacket. Numerical modeling is one of the key components to study coupled processes in in-situ combustion. We employed the thermo-hydraulic numerical simulator MUFITS (BINMIXT module) to address the influence of reactor pressure dynamics as well as hydro-geological coal and caprock parameters on water inflow and steam jacket dynamics. The US field trials Hanna and Hoe Creek (Wyoming) were applied for 3D model validation in terms of water inflow matching, whereby the good agreement between our modeling results and the field data indicates that our model reflects the hydrothermal physics of the process. In summary, our validated model allows a fast prediction of the steam jacket dynamics as well as water in- and outflows, required to avoid aquifer contamination during the entire life cycle of in-situ combustion operations.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Folkedahl, Bruce

Much attention has been focused on renewable energy use in large-scale utilities and very small scale distributed energy systems. However, there is little information available regarding renewable energy options for midscale municipal utilities. The Willmar Municipal Utilities Corn Cob-Coal Co-Combustion Project was initiated to investigate opportunities available for small to midscale municipal utilities to "go green". The overall goal of the Project was to understand the current renewable energy research and energy efficiency projects that are or have been implemented at both larger and smaller scale and determine the applicability to midscale municipal utilities. More specific objectives for Task 2.0more » of this project were to determine the technical feasibility of co-combusting com cobs with coal in the existing WMU boiler, and to identify any regulatory issues that might need to be addressed if WMU were to obtain a significant portion of its heat from such co-combustion. This report addresses the issues as laid out in the study proposal. The study investigated the feasibility of and demonstrated the technical effectiveness of co-combusting corn cobs with coal in the Willmar Municipal Utilities stoker boiler steam generation power plant. The results of the WMU Co-Combustion Project will serve as a model for other midscale utilities who wish to use corn cobs to generate renewable electrical energy. As a result of the Co-Combustion Project, the WMU plans to upgrade their stoker boiler to accept whole corn cobs as well as other types of biomass, while still allowing the fuel delivery system to use 100% coal as needed. Benefits of co-combustion will include: energy security, reduced Hg and CO 2 air emissions, improved ash chemistry, potential future carbon credit sales, an immediate positive effect on the local economy, and positive attention focused on the WMU and the City of Willmar. The first step in the study was to complete a feasibility analysis. The feasibility analysis anticipated only positive results from the combustion of corn cobs with coal in the WMU power plant boiler, and therefore recommended that the project proceed. The study proceeded with a review of the existing WMU Power Plant configuration; cob fuel analyses; an application for an Air Quality Permit from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to conduct the co-combustion test burns; identification of and a site visit to a similar facility in Iowa; an evaluation of cob grinding machines; and agreements with a corn grower, a cob harvester, and the City of Willmar to procure, harvest, and store cobs. The WMU power plant staff constructed a temporary cob feed system whereby the cobs could be injected into the #3 Boiler firebox, at rates up to 40% of the boiler total heat input. Test burns were conducted, during which air emissions were monitored and fuel and ash samples analyzed. The results of the test burns indicated that the monitored flue gas quality improved slightly during the test burns. The WMU was able to determine that modifications to the #3 Boiler fuel feed system to accept com cobs on a permanent basis would be technically feasible and would enable the WMU to generate electricity from renewable fuels on a dispatchable basis.« less

Supplement a to compilation of air pollutant emission factors. Volume 1. Stationary point and area sources. Fifth edition

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1996-02-01

This Supplement to AP-42 addresses pollutant-generating activity from Bituminous and Subbituminous Coal Combustion; Anthracite Coal Combustion; Fuel Oil Combustion; Natural Gas Combustion; Wood Waste Combustion in Boilers; Lignite Combustion; Waste Oil Combustion: Stationary Gas Turbines for Electricity Generation; Heavy-duty Natural Gas-fired Pipeline Compressor Engines; Large Stationary Diesel and all Stationary Dual-fuel engines; Natural Gas Processing; Organic Liquid Storage Tanks; Meat Smokehouses; Meat Rendering Plants; Canned Fruits and Vegetables; Dehydrated Fruits and Vegetables; Pickles, Sauces and Salad Dressing; Grain Elevators and Processes; Cereal Breakfast Foods; Pasta Manufacturing; Vegetable Oil Processing; Wines and Brandy; Coffee Roasting; Charcoal; Coal Cleaning; Frit Manufacturing; Sandmore » and Gravel Processing; Diatomite Processing; Talc Processing; Vermiculite Processing; paved Roads; and Unpaved Roads. Also included is information on Generalized Particle Size Distributions.« less

Chemical composition and physical properties of filter fly ashes from eight grate-fired biomass combustion plants.

PubMed

Lanzerstorfer, Christof

2015-04-01

For the handling, treatment and utilization of fly ash from biomass combustion its chemical composition and physical properties are important. In this study eight filter fly ashes from different grate-fired biomass combustion plants were investigated. In fly ash from straw combustion high concentrations of (K) were found, whereas in the fly ash from wood combustion the concentrations of Ca and Mg were higher. The average concentration of PO4(3-) was similar in both types of fly ashes. In all wood fly ashes some measured heavy metal concentrations were above the limits for utilization. The straw fly ashes were much less contaminated and can be utilized. For wood fly ash most parameters showed little variation, except from one fly ash where the dust pre-separator is in poor condition. The average values were: mass median diameter 4.3±0.8 μm, spread of particle size distribution 19±11, particle density 2620±80 kg/m3 and angle of repose 50°±1°. The density of the straw fly ashes is lower (2260±80 kg/m3) and the spread of the size distribution is higher (72±24). For one straw combustion fly ash the values of the mass median diameter and the angle of repose were similar to the values of wood combustion fly ash, for the other straw fly ash the values differed considerably. While the particle size of this fly ash was much smaller, surprisingly the angle of repose was also lower. This can be attributed to the formation of small agglomerates in this fly ash, which were not disintegrated without a certain stress. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Environmental Impact of Munition and Propellant Disposal (Impact Environnemental de l’Elimination des Munitions et des Combustibles)

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-02-01

Territory of Republic of Bulgaria 2.2.3 Quantity of Conventional Ammunition in the Expired Term 2-3 2.2.4 Technological Possibilities for...Utilization of Life Expired Conventional Ammunition 2-4 2.2.4.1 ‘VMZ’ Co., Sopot 2-4 2.2.4.2 ‘Trema’ Co., Tryavna 2-5 2.2.4.3 ‘Arcus’ Co., Lyaskovetz 2-5...Technology and Process Equipment 2-7 2.2.5 Acts on Environment Preservation in Utilization of Conventional Ammunition in 2-8 the Expired Term 2.2.6

Design, construction, operation, and evaluation of a prototype culm combustion boiler/heater unit

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

D'Aciermo, J.; Richards, H.; Spindler, F.

1983-10-01

A process for utilizing anthracite culm in a fluidized bed combustion system was demonstrated by the design and construction of a prototype steam plant at Shamokin, PA, and operation of the plant for parametric tests and a nine month extended durability test. The parametric tests evaluated turndown capability of the plant and established turndown techniques to be used to achieve best performance. Throughout the test program the fluidized bed boiler durability was excellent, showing very high resistence to corrosion and erosion. A series of 39 parametric tests was performed in order to demonstrate turndown capabilities of the atmospheric fluidized bedmore » boiler burning anthracite culm. Four tests were performed with bituminous coal waste (called gob) which contains 4.8 to 5.5% sulfur. Heating value of both fuels is approximately 3000 Btu/lb and ash content is approximately 70%. Combustion efficiency, boiler efficiency, and emissions of NO/sub x/ and SO/sub 2/ were also determined for the tests.« less

Flame Characterization Using a Tunable Solid-State Laser with Direct UV Pumping

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kamal, Mohammed M.; Dubinskii, Mark A.; Misra, Prabhakar

1996-01-01

Tunable solid-state lasers with direct UV pumping, based on d-f transitions of rare earth ions incorporated in wide band-gap dielectric crystals, are reliable sources of laser radiation that are suitable for excitation of combustion-related free radicals. We have employed such a laser for analytical flame characterization utilizing Laser-Induced Fluorescence (LIF) techniques. LIF spectra of alkane-air flames (used for studying combustion processes under normal and microgravity conditions) excited in the region of the A-X (0,0) OH-absorption band have been recorded and found to be both temperature-sensitive and positionally-sensitive. In addition, also clearly noticeable was the sensitivity of the spectra to the specific wavelength used for data registration. The LiCAF:Ce laser shows good prospects for being able to cover the spectral region between 280 and 340 nm and therefore be used excitation of combustion-intermediates such as the hydroxyl OH, methoxy CH30 and methylthio CH3S radicals.

Diesel Engine With Air Boosted Turbocharger

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-05-26

of the exhaust turbocharger over the entire RPM range of the internal combustion engine . To this end, the...Kriegler, discloses that in order to utilize recycling of exhaust gases at high engine loads in an internal- combustion engine with an exhaust gas...October 29, 2002) to Cook, discloses an apparatus for and method of exhaust gas recirculation in an internal combustion engine that operates

Assessment of the National Combustion Code

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, nan-Suey; Iannetti, Anthony; Shih, Tsan-Hsing

2007-01-01

The advancements made during the last decade in the areas of combustion modeling, numerical simulation, and computing platform have greatly facilitated the use of CFD based tools in the development of combustion technology. Further development of verification, validation and uncertainty quantification will have profound impact on the reliability and utility of these CFD based tools. The objectives of the present effort are to establish baseline for the National Combustion Code (NCC) and experimental data, as well as to document current capabilities and identify gaps for further improvements.

Priorities for Microgravity Combustion Research and Goals for Workshop Discussions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Faeth, Gerard M.

1993-01-01

Several concerns motivate fundamental research: combustion-generated pollutants are re-emerging as a major problem, new combustion technologies are needed for effective energy utilization, municipal and hazardous waste incineration are needed to replace landfills and storage, new combustion technologies are needed for advanced aircraft and spacecraft propulsion systems, and current understanding of fires and explosion hazards is limited - particularly for space-craft environments. Thus, it is of interest to determine how experimentation using microgravity facilities can advance research relevant to these problems.

Compressed air energy storage system

DOEpatents

Ahrens, F.W.; Kartsounes, G.T.

An internal combustion reciprocating engine is operable as a compressor during slack demand periods utilizing excess power from a power grid to charge air into an air storage reservoir and as an expander during peak demand periods to feed power into the power grid utilizing air obtained from the air storage reservoir together with combustion reciprocating engine is operated at high pressure and a low pressure turbine and compressor are also employed for air compression and power generation.

Apparatus and method for operating internal combustion engines from variable mixtures of gaseous fuels

DOEpatents

Heffel, James W [Lake Matthews, CA; Scott, Paul B [Northridge, CA; Park, Chan Seung [Yorba Linda, CA

2011-11-01

An apparatus and method for utilizing any arbitrary mixture ratio of multiple fuel gases having differing combustion characteristics, such as natural gas and hydrogen gas, within an internal combustion engine. The gaseous fuel composition ratio is first sensed, such as by thermal conductivity, infrared signature, sound propagation speed, or equivalent mixture differentiation mechanisms and combinations thereof which are utilized as input(s) to a "multiple map" engine control module which modulates selected operating parameters of the engine, such as fuel injection and ignition timing, in response to the proportions of fuel gases available so that the engine operates correctly and at high efficiency irrespective of the gas mixture ratio being utilized. As a result, an engine configured according to the teachings of the present invention may be fueled from at least two different fuel sources without admixing constraints.

Apparatus and method for operating internal combustion engines from variable mixtures of gaseous fuels

DOEpatents

Heffel, James W.; Scott, Paul B.

2003-09-02

An apparatus and method for utilizing any arbitrary mixture ratio of multiple fuel gases having differing combustion characteristics, such as natural gas and hydrogen gas, within an internal combustion engine. The gaseous fuel composition ratio is first sensed, such as by thermal conductivity, infrared signature, sound propagation speed, or equivalent mixture differentiation mechanisms and combinations thereof which are utilized as input(s) to a "multiple map" engine control module which modulates selected operating parameters of the engine, such as fuel injection and ignition timing, in response to the proportions of fuel gases available so that the engine operates correctly and at high efficiency irrespective of the gas mixture ratio being utilized. As a result, an engine configured according to the teachings of the present invention may be fueled from at least two different fuel sources without admixing constraints.

Dual phase high-temperature membranes for CO2 separation - performance assessment in post- and pre-combustion processes.

PubMed

Anantharaman, Rahul; Peters, Thijs; Xing, Wen; Fontaine, Marie-Laure; Bredesen, Rune

2016-10-20

Dual phase membranes are highly CO 2 -selective membranes with an operating temperature above 400 °C. The focus of this work is to quantify the potential of dual phase membranes in pre- and post-combustion CO 2 capture processes. The process evaluations show that the dual phase membranes integrated with an NGCC power plant for CO 2 capture are not competitive with the MEA process for post-combustion capture. However, dual phase membrane concepts outperform the reference Selexol technology for pre-combustion CO 2 capture in an IGCC process. The two processes evaluated in this work, post-combustion NGCC and pre-combustion IGCC, represent extremes in CO 2 partial pressure fed to the separation unit. Based on the evaluations it is expected that dual phase membranes could be competitive for post-combustion capture from a pulverized coal fired power plant (PCC) and pre-combustion capture from an Integrated Reforming Cycle (IRCC).

COSTS FOR ADVANCED COAL COMBUSTION TECHNOLOGIES

EPA Science Inventory

The report gives results of an evaluation of the development status of advanced coal combustion technologies and discusses the preparation of performance and economic models for their application to electric utility plants. he technologies addressed were atmospheric fluidized bed...

Utilization of ventilation air methane as a supplementary fuel at a circulating fluidized bed combustion boiler.

PubMed

You, Changfu; Xu, Xuchang

2008-04-01

Ventilation air methane (VAM) accounts for 60-80% of the total emissions from coal mining activities in China, which is of serious greenhouse gas concerns as well as a waste of valuable fuel sources. This contribution evaluates the use of the VAM utilization methods as a supplementary fuel at a circulating fluidized bed combustion boiler. The paper describes the system design and discusses some potential technical challenges such as methane oxidation rate, corrosion, and efficiency. Laboratory experimentation has shown that the VAM can be burnt completely in circulated fluidized bed furnaces, and the VAM oxidation does not obviously affect the boiler operation when the methane concentration is less than 0.6%. The VAM decreased the incomplete combustion loss for the circulating fluidized bed combustion furnace. The economic benefit from the coal saving insures that the proposed system is more economically feasible.

Torrefaction of empty fruit bunches under biomass combustion gas atmosphere.

PubMed

Uemura, Yoshimitsu; Sellappah, Varsheta; Trinh, Thanh Hoai; Hassan, Suhaimi; Tanoue, Ken-Ichiro

2017-11-01

Torrefaction of oil palm empty fruit bunches (EFB) under combustion gas atmosphere was conducted in a batch reactor at 473, 523 and 573K in order to investigate the effect of real combustion gas on torrefaction behavior. The solid mass yield of torrefaction in combustion gas was smaller than that of torrefaction in nitrogen. This may be attributed to the decomposition enhancement effect by oxygen and carbon dioxide in combustion gas. Under combustion gas atmosphere, the solid yield for torrefaction of EFB became smaller as the temperature increased. The representative products of combustion gas torrefaction were carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide (gas phase) and water, phenol and acetic acid (liquid phase). By comparing torrefaction in combustion gas with torrefaction in nitrogen gas, it was found that combustion gas can be utilized as torrefaction gas to save energy and inert gas. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Review of problems in application of supersonic combustion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ferri, A.

1977-01-01

The problem of air-breathing engines capable of flying at very high Mach numbers is described briefly. Possible performance of supersonic combustion ramjets is outlined briefly and the supersonic combustion process is described. Two mechanisms of combustion are outlined: one is supersonic combustion controlled by convection process, and the second is controlled by diffusion. The parameters related to the combustion process are discussed in detail. Data and analyses of reaction rates and mixing phenomena are represented; the flame mechanism is discussed, and experimental results are presented.

Compressor Stability and Control: Review and Practical Implications

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-06-01

and control technology is being built. 1. INTRODUCTION The concept of a ’smart engine ’, which utilizes augmented sensing, actuation, and computational...research mix. Concentration has been primarily on combustion control, and on stability and control of compressors and compression systems. The latter...at least a functional description of the processes at work during stall inception can effective control Paper presented at the RTO A VT Symposium on

How should greenhouse gas emissions be taken into account in the decision making of municipal solid waste management procurements? A case study of the South Karelia region, Finland

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hupponen, M., E-mail: mari.hupponen@lut.fi; Grönman, K.; Horttanainen, M.

Highlights: • Environmental criteria for the MSW incineration location procurements are needed. • Focus should be placed on annual energy efficiency and on substitute fuels. • In SRF combustion it is crucial to know the share and the treatment of rejects. • The GWP of transportation is a small part of the total emissions. - Abstract: The ongoing trend in the public sector is to make more sustainable procurements by taking into account the impacts throughout the entire life cycle of the procurement. Despite the trend, the only deciding factor can still be the total costs. This article answers themore » question of how greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions should be taken into account in municipal solid waste (MSW) management when selecting an incineration plant for source separated mixed MSW. The aim is to guide the decision making of MSW management towards more environmentally friendly procurements. The study was carried out by calculating the global warming potentials (GWPs) and costs of mixed MSW management by using the waste composition from a case area in Finland. Scenarios of landfilling and combustion in three actual waste incineration plants were used to recognise the main processes that affect the results. GWP results show that the combustion of mixed MSW is a better alternative than landfilling the waste. The GHG results from combustion are greatly affected by emissions from the combustion and substituted energy production. The significance of collection and transportation is higher from the costs’ perspective than from the point of view of GHG emissions. The main costs, in addition to collection and transportation costs, result from the energy utilization or landfilling of mixed MSW. When tenders are invited for the incineration location of mixed MSW, the main focus should be: What are the annual electricity and heat recovery efficiencies and which are the substituted fuels in the area? In addition, in the case of a fluidized bed combustor it is crucial to know the combusted share of mixed MSW after preparing solid recovered fuel (SRF) and the treatment of rejects. The environmental criteria for the waste incineration plant procurements should be made in order to obtain clear instructions for the procurement units. The results can also be utilized more widely. The substituted fuels in the area and the effect of the plant location on the utilization of the produced energy can already be identified when planning an appropriate site for the waste incineration plant.« less

Robust Low Cost Liquid Rocket Combustion Chamber by Advanced Vacuum Plasma Process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holmes, Richard; Elam, Sandra; Ellis, David L.; McKechnie, Timothy; Hickman, Robert; Rose, M. Franklin (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Next-generation, regeneratively cooled rocket engines will require materials that can withstand high temperatures while retaining high thermal conductivity. Fabrication techniques must be cost efficient so that engine components can be manufactured within the constraints of shrinking budgets. Three technologies have been combined to produce an advanced liquid rocket engine combustion chamber at NASA-Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) using relatively low-cost, vacuum-plasma-spray (VPS) techniques. Copper alloy NARloy-Z was replaced with a new high performance Cu-8Cr-4Nb alloy developed by NASA-Glenn Research Center (GRC), which possesses excellent high-temperature strength, creep resistance, and low cycle fatigue behavior combined with exceptional thermal stability. Functional gradient technology, developed building composite cartridges for space furnaces was incorporated to add oxidation resistant and thermal barrier coatings as an integral part of the hot wall of the liner during the VPS process. NiCrAlY, utilized to produce durable protective coating for the space shuttle high pressure fuel turbopump (BPFTP) turbine blades, was used as the functional gradient material coating (FGM). The FGM not only serves as a protection from oxidation or blanching, the main cause of engine failure, but also serves as a thermal barrier because of its lower thermal conductivity, reducing the temperature of the combustion liner 200 F, from 1000 F to 800 F producing longer life. The objective of this program was to develop and demonstrate the technology to fabricate high-performance, robust, inexpensive combustion chambers for advanced propulsion systems (such as Lockheed-Martin's VentureStar and NASA's Reusable Launch Vehicle, RLV) using the low-cost VPS process. VPS formed combustion chamber test articles have been formed with the FGM hot wall built in and hot fire tested, demonstrating for the first time a coating that will remain intact through the hot firing test, and with no apparent wear. Material physical properties and the hot firing tests are reviewed.

Chemical composition and properties of ashes from combustion plants using Miscanthus as fuel.

PubMed

Lanzerstorfer, Christof

2017-04-01

Miscanthus giganteus is one of the energy crops considered to show potential for a substantial contribution to sustainable energy production. In the literature there is little data available about the chemical composition of ashes from the combustion of Miscanthus and practically no data about their physical properties. However, for handling, treatment and utilization of the ashes this information is important. In this study ashes from two biomass combustion plants using Miscanthus as fuel were investigated. The density of the ashes was 2230±35kg/m 3 , which was similar to the density of ashes from straw combustion. Also the bulk densities were close to those reported for straw ashes. The flowability of the ashes was a little worse than the flowability of ashes from wood combustion. The measured heavy metal concentrations were below the usual limits for utilization of the ashes as soil conditioner. The concentrations in the bottom ash were similar to those reported for ash from forest residue combustion plants. In comparison with cyclone fly ashes from forest residue combustion the measured heavy metal concentrations in the cyclone fly ash were considerably lower. Cl - , S and Zn were enriched in the cyclone fly ash which is also known for ashes from wood combustion. In comparison with literature data obtained from Miscanthus plant material the concentrations of K, Cl - and S were lower. This can be attributed to the fact that the finest fly ash is not collected by the cyclone de-dusting system of the Miscanthus combustion plants. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Combustion and Flammability Characteristics of Solids at Microgravity in very Small Velocity Flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sanchez-Tarifa, C.; Rodriguez, M.

1999-01-01

Fires still remain as one of the most important safety risks in manned spacecraft. This problem will become even more important in long endurance non orbital flights in which maintenance will be non existing or very difficult. The basic process of a fire is the combustion of a solid at microgravity conditions in O2/N2 mixtures. Although a large number of research programs have been carried out on this problem, especially on flame spreading, several aspects of these processes are not yet well understood. It may be mentioned, for example, the temperature and characteristic of low emissivity flames in the visual range that take place in some conditions at microgravity; and there exists a lack of knowledge on the influence of key parameters, such as convective flow velocities of the order of magnitude of typical oxygen diffusion velocities. The "Departamento de Motopropulsion y Termofluidodinamica" of the "Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Escuela Tecnica Superior de Ingenieros Aeronauticos" is conducting a research program on the combustion of solids at reduced gravity conditions within O2/N2 mixtures. The material utilized has been polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) in the form of rectangular slabs and hollow cylinders. The main parameters of the process have been small convective flow velocities (including velocity angle with the direction of the spreading flame) and oxygen concentration. Some results have also been obtained on the influence of material thickness and gas pressure.

Experimental study of combustion characteristics of nanoscale metal and metal oxide additives in biofuel (ethanol)

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

An experimental investigation of the combustion behavior of nano-aluminum (n-Al) and nano-aluminum oxide (n-Al2O3) particles stably suspended in biofuel (ethanol) as a secondary energy carrier was conducted. The heat of combustion (HoC) was studied using a modified static bomb calorimeter system. Combustion element composition and surface morphology were evaluated using a SEM/EDS system. N-Al and n-Al2O3 particles of 50- and 36-nm diameters, respectively, were utilized in this investigation. Combustion experiments were performed with volume fractions of 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10% for n-Al, and 0.5, 1, 3, and 5% for n-Al2O3. The results indicate that the amount of heat released from ethanol combustion increases almost linearly with n-Al concentration. N-Al volume fractions of 1 and 3% did not show enhancement in the average volumetric HoC, but higher volume fractions of 5, 7, and 10% increased the volumetric HoC by 5.82, 8.65, and 15.31%, respectively. N-Al2O3 and heavily passivated n-Al additives did not participate in combustion reactively, and there was no contribution from Al2O3 to the HoC in the tests. A combustion model that utilized Chemical Equilibrium with Applications was conducted as well and was shown to be in good agreement with the experimental results. PMID:21711760

COMO: a numerical model for predicting furnace performance in axisymmetric geometries. Volume 1. Technical summary. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fiveland, W.A.; Oberjohn, W.J.; Cornelius, D.K.

1985-12-01

This report summarizes the work conducted during a 30-month contract with the United States Department of Energy (DOE) Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center (PETC). The general objective is to develop and verify a computer code capable of modeling the major aspects of pulverized coal combustion. Achieving this objective will lead to design methods applicable to industrial and utility furnaces. The combustion model (COMO) is based mainly on an existing Babcock and Wilcox (B and W) computer program. The model consists of a number of relatively independent modules that represent the major processes involved in pulverized coal combustion: flow, heterogeneous and homogeneousmore » chemical reaction, and heat transfer. As models are improved or as new ones are developed, this modular structure allows portions of the COMO model to be updated with minimal impact on the remainder of the program. The report consists of two volumes. This volume (Volume 1) contains a technical summary of the COMO model, results of predictions for gas phase combustion, pulverized coal combustion, and a detailed description of the COMO model. Volume 2 is the Users Guide for COMO and contains detailed instructions for preparing the input data and a description of the program output. Several example cases have been included to aid the user in usage of the computer program for pulverized coal applications. 66 refs., 41 figs., 21 tabs.« less

Advances in rapid compression machine studies of low- and intermediate-temperature autoignition phenomena

DOE PAGES

Goldsborough, S. Scott; Hochgreb, Simone; Vanhove, Guillaume; ...

2017-07-10

Rapid compression machines (RCMs) are widely-used to acquire experimental insights into fuel autoignition and pollutant formation chemistry, especially at conditions relevant to current and future combustion technologies. RCM studies emphasize important experimental regimes, characterized by low- to intermediate-temperatures (600–1200 K) and moderate to high pressures (5–80 bar). At these conditions, which are directly relevant to modern combustion schemes including low temperature combustion (LTC) for internal combustion engines and dry low emissions (DLE) for gas turbine engines, combustion chemistry exhibits complex and experimentally challenging behaviors such as the chemistry attributed to cool flame behavior and the negative temperature coefficient regime. Challengesmore » for studying this regime include that experimental observations can be more sensitive to coupled physical-chemical processes leading to phenomena such as mixed deflagrative/autoignitive combustion. Experimental strategies which leverage the strengths of RCMs have been developed in recent years to make RCMs particularly well suited for elucidating LTC and DLE chemistry, as well as convolved physical-chemical processes. Specifically, this work presents a review of experimental and computational efforts applying RCMs to study autoignition phenomena, and the insights gained through these efforts. A brief history of RCM development is presented towards the steady improvement in design, characterization, instrumentation and data analysis. Novel experimental approaches and measurement techniques, coordinated with computational methods are described which have expanded the utility of RCMs beyond empirical studies of explosion limits to increasingly detailed understanding of autoignition chemistry and the role of physical-chemical interactions. Fundamental insight into the autoignition chemistry of specific fuels is described, demonstrating the extent of knowledge of low-temperature chemistry derived from RCM studies, from simple hydrocarbons to multi-component blends and full-boiling range fuels. In conclusion, emerging needs and further opportunities are suggested, including investigations of under-explored fuels and the implementation of increasingly higher fidelity diagnostics.« less

Advances in rapid compression machine studies of low- and intermediate-temperature autoignition phenomena

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goldsborough, S. Scott; Hochgreb, Simone; Vanhove, Guillaume

Rapid compression machines (RCMs) are widely-used to acquire experimental insights into fuel autoignition and pollutant formation chemistry, especially at conditions relevant to current and future combustion technologies. RCM studies emphasize important experimental regimes, characterized by low- to intermediate-temperatures (600–1200 K) and moderate to high pressures (5–80 bar). At these conditions, which are directly relevant to modern combustion schemes including low temperature combustion (LTC) for internal combustion engines and dry low emissions (DLE) for gas turbine engines, combustion chemistry exhibits complex and experimentally challenging behaviors such as the chemistry attributed to cool flame behavior and the negative temperature coefficient regime. Challengesmore » for studying this regime include that experimental observations can be more sensitive to coupled physical-chemical processes leading to phenomena such as mixed deflagrative/autoignitive combustion. Experimental strategies which leverage the strengths of RCMs have been developed in recent years to make RCMs particularly well suited for elucidating LTC and DLE chemistry, as well as convolved physical-chemical processes. Specifically, this work presents a review of experimental and computational efforts applying RCMs to study autoignition phenomena, and the insights gained through these efforts. A brief history of RCM development is presented towards the steady improvement in design, characterization, instrumentation and data analysis. Novel experimental approaches and measurement techniques, coordinated with computational methods are described which have expanded the utility of RCMs beyond empirical studies of explosion limits to increasingly detailed understanding of autoignition chemistry and the role of physical-chemical interactions. Fundamental insight into the autoignition chemistry of specific fuels is described, demonstrating the extent of knowledge of low-temperature chemistry derived from RCM studies, from simple hydrocarbons to multi-component blends and full-boiling range fuels. In conclusion, emerging needs and further opportunities are suggested, including investigations of under-explored fuels and the implementation of increasingly higher fidelity diagnostics.« less

Proceedings: pellet fuels conference

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1995-12-31

The conference brought together professionals from the process- engineered-fuels (PEF), utility, paper, plastics, and boiler industries. Although the last two decades have produced technical breakthroughs, efforts to advance PEF must now focus on increasing commercial breakthroughs. Successful commercialization will depend on increasing supplier, consumer, and regulator confidence and support by demonstrating the performance and value of PEF products. Speakers provided updates on how PEF technology is evolving with respect to technical, economic, and regulatory challenges. Actions critical toward full commercialization of PEF were then considered. Discussion groups addressed materials sourcing, fuel processing and transportation, combustion, and ash handling.

Space Station Freedom combustion research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Faeth, G. M.

1992-01-01

Extended operations in microgravity, on board spacecraft like Space Station Freedom, provide both unusual opportunities and unusual challenges for combustion science. On the one hand, eliminating the intrusion of buoyancy provides a valuable new perspective for fundamental studies of combustion phenomena. On the other hand, however, the absence of buoyancy creates new hazards of fires and explosions that must be understood to assure safe manned space activities. These considerations - and the relevance of combustion science to problems of pollutants, energy utilization, waste incineration, power and propulsion systems, and fire and explosion hazards, among others - provide strong motivation for microgravity combustion research. The intrusion of buoyancy is a greater impediment to fundamental combustion studies than to most other areas of science. Combustion intrinsically heats gases with the resulting buoyant motion at normal gravity either preventing or vastly complicating measurements. Perversely, this limitation is most evident for fundamental laboratory experiments; few practical combustion phenomena are significantly affected by buoyancy. Thus, we have never observed the most fundamental combustion phenomena - laminar premixed and diffusion flames, heterogeneous flames of particles and surfaces, low-speed turbulent flames, etc. - without substantial buoyant disturbances. This precludes rational merging of theory, where buoyancy is of little interest, and experiments, that always are contaminated by buoyancy, which is the traditional path for developing most areas of science. The current microgravity combustion program seeks to rectify this deficiency using both ground-based and space-based facilities, with experiments involving space-based facilities including: laminar premixed flames, soot processes in laminar jet diffusion flames, structure of laminar and turbulent jet diffusion flames, solid surface combustion, one-dimensional smoldering, ignition and flame spread of liquids, drop combustion, and quenching of panicle-air flames. Unfortunately, the same features that make microgravity attractive for fundamental combustion experiments, introduce new fire and explosion hazards that have no counterpart on earth. For example, microgravity can cause broader flammability limits, novel regimes of flame spread, enhanced effects of flame radiation, slower fire detector response, and enhanced combustion upon injecting fire extinguishing agents, among others. On the other hand, spacecraft provide an opportunity to use 'fire-safe' atmospheres due to their controlled environment. Investigation of these problems is just beginning, with specific fire safety experiments supplementing the space based fundamental experiments listed earlier; thus, much remains to be done to develop an adequate technology base for fire and explosion safety considerations for spacecraft.

Experimental investigation and modeling of an aircraft Otto engine operating with gasoline and heavier fuels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saldivar Olague, Jose

A Continental "O-200" aircraft Otto-cycle engine has been modified to burn diesel fuel. Algebraic models of the different processes of the cycle were developed from basic principles applied to a real engine, and utilized in an algorithm for the simulation of engine performance. The simulation provides a means to investigate the performance of the modified version of the Continental engine for a wide range of operating parameters. The main goals of this study are to increase the range of a particular aircraft by reducing the specific fuel consumption of the engine, and to show that such an engine can burn heavier fuels (such as diesel, kerosene, and jet fuel) instead of gasoline. Such heavier fuels are much less flammable during handling operations making them safer than aviation gasoline and very attractive for use in flight operations from naval vessels. The cycle uses an electric spark to ignite the heavier fuel at low to moderate compression ratios, The stratified charge combustion process is utilized in a pre-chamber where the spray injection of the fuel occurs at a moderate pressure of 1200 psi (8.3 MPa). One advantage of fuel injection into the combustion chamber instead of into the intake port, is that the air-to-fuel ratio can be widely varied---in contrast to the narrower limits of the premixed combustion case used in gasoline engines---in order to obtain very lean combustion. Another benefit is that higher compression ratios can be attained in the modified cycle with heavier fuels. The combination of injection into the chamber for lean combustion, and higher compression ratios allow to limit the peak pressure in the cylinder, and to avoid engine damage. Such high-compression ratios are characteristic of Diesel engines and lead to increase in thermal efficiency without pre-ignition problems. In this experimental investigation, operations with diesel fuel have shown that considerable improvements in the fuel efficiency are possible. The results of simulations using performance models show that the engine can deliver up to 178% improvement in fuel efficiency and operating range, and reduce the specific fuel consumption to 58% when compared to gasoline. Directions for future research and other modifications to the proposed spark assisted cycle are also described.

Fuel cells for hospitals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Damberger, Thomas A.

Traditionally, electrical and thermal energy is produced in a conventional combustion process. Coal, fuel oil, and natural gas are common fuels used for electrical generation, while nuclear, hydroelectric, and solar are non-combustion processes. All fossil fuels release their stored energy and air pollution simultaneously when burned in a contemporary combustion process. To reduce or eliminate air pollution, the combustion process must be shifted in some way to another type of process. Extracting pollution-free energy from fossil fuels can be accomplished through the electrochemical reaction of a fuel cell. A non-combustion process is a foundation from which pollution-free energy emerges, fulfilling our incessant need for energy without environmental compromise.

Investigating co-combustion characteristics of bamboo and wood.

PubMed

Liang, Fang; Wang, Ruijuan; Jiang, Changle; Yang, Xiaomeng; Zhang, Tao; Hu, Wanhe; Mi, Bingbing; Liu, Zhijia

2017-11-01

To investigate co-combustion characteristics of bamboo and wood, moso bamboo and masson pine were torrefied and mixed with different blend ratios. The combustion process was examined by thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA). The results showed the combustion process of samples included volatile emission and oxidation combustion as well as char combustion. The main mass loss of biomass blends occurred at volatile emission and oxidation combustion stage, while that of torrefied biomass occurred at char combustion stage. With the increase of bamboo content, characteristic temperatures decreased. Compared with untreated biomass, torrefied biomass had a higher initial and burnout temperature. With the increase of heating rates, combustion process of samples shifted to higher temperatures. Compared with non-isothermal models, activation energy obtained from isothermal model was lower. The result is helpful to promote development of co-combustion of bamboo and masson pine wastes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Production of hydrogen driven from biomass waste to power Remote areas away from the electric grid utilizing fuel cells and internal combustion engines vehicles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tawfik, Hazem

Recent concerns over the security and reliability of the world’s energy supply has caused a flux towards the research and development of renewable sources. A leading renewable source has been found in the biomass gasification of biological materials derived from organic matters such as wood chips, forest debris, and farm waste that are found in abundance in the USA. Accordingly, there is a very strong interest worldwide in the development of new technologies that provide an in-depth understanding of this economically viable energy source. This work aims to allow the coupling of biomass gasification and fuel cell systems as wellmore » as Internal Combustion Engines (ICE) to produce high-energy efficiency, clean environmental performance and near-zero greenhouse gas emissions. Biomass gasification is a process, which produces synthesis gas (syngas) that contains 19% hydrogen and 20% carbon monoxide from inexpensive organic matter waste. This project main goal is to provide cost effective energy to the public utilizing remote farms’ waste and landfill recycling area.« less

How should greenhouse gas emissions be taken into account in the decision making of municipal solid waste management procurements? A case study of the South Karelia region, Finland.

PubMed

Hupponen, M; Grönman, K; Horttanainen, M

2015-08-01

The ongoing trend in the public sector is to make more sustainable procurements by taking into account the impacts throughout the entire life cycle of the procurement. Despite the trend, the only deciding factor can still be the total costs. This article answers the question of how greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions should be taken into account in municipal solid waste (MSW) management when selecting an incineration plant for source separated mixed MSW. The aim is to guide the decision making of MSW management towards more environmentally friendly procurements. The study was carried out by calculating the global warming potentials (GWPs) and costs of mixed MSW management by using the waste composition from a case area in Finland. Scenarios of landfilling and combustion in three actual waste incineration plants were used to recognise the main processes that affect the results. GWP results show that the combustion of mixed MSW is a better alternative than landfilling the waste. The GHG results from combustion are greatly affected by emissions from the combustion and substituted energy production. The significance of collection and transportation is higher from the costs' perspective than from the point of view of GHG emissions. The main costs, in addition to collection and transportation costs, result from the energy utilization or landfilling of mixed MSW. When tenders are invited for the incineration location of mixed MSW, the main focus should be: What are the annual electricity and heat recovery efficiencies and which are the substituted fuels in the area? In addition, in the case of a fluidized bed combustor it is crucial to know the combusted share of mixed MSW after preparing solid recovered fuel (SRF) and the treatment of rejects. The environmental criteria for the waste incineration plant procurements should be made in order to obtain clear instructions for the procurement units. The results can also be utilized more widely. The substituted fuels in the area and the effect of the plant location on the utilization of the produced energy can already be identified when planning an appropriate site for the waste incineration plant. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

REVISED EMISSIONS ESTIMATION METHODOLOGIES FOR INDUSTRIAL, RESIDENTIAL, AND ELECTRIC UTILITY STATIONARY COMBUSTION SOURCES

EPA Science Inventory

The report describes the development of improved and streamlined EPA emission estimation methods for stationary combustion area sources by the Joint Emissions Inventory Oversight Group (JEIOG) research program. These sources include categories traditionally labeled "other statio...

Flame blowout and pollutant emissions in vitiated combustion of conventional and bio-derived fuels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Bhupinder

The widening gap between the demand and supply of fossil fuels has catalyzed the exploration of alternative sources of energy. Interest in the power, water extraction and refrigeration (PoWER) cycle, proposed by the University of Florida, as well as the desirability of using biofuels in distributed generation systems, has motivated the exploration of biofuel vitiated combustion. The PoWER cycle is a novel engine cycle concept that utilizes vitiation of the air stream with externally-cooled recirculated exhaust gases at an intermediate pressure in a semi-closed cycle (SCC) loop, lowering the overall temperature of combustion. It has several advantages including fuel flexibility, reduced air flow, lower flame temperature, compactness, high efficiency at full and part load, and low emissions. Since the core engine air stream is vitiated with the externally cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) stream, there is an inherent reduction in the combustion stability for a PoWER engine. The effect of EGR flow and temperature on combustion blowout stability and emissions during vitiated biofuel combustion has been characterized. The vitiated combustion performance of biofuels methyl butanoate, dimethyl ether, and ethanol have been compared with n-heptane, and varying compositions of syngas with methane fuel. In addition, at high levels of EGR a sharp reduction in the flame luminosity has been observed in our experimental tests, indicating the onset of flameless combustion. This drop in luminosity may be a result of inhibition of processes leading to the formation of radiative soot particles. One of the objectives of this study is finding the effect of EGR on soot formation, with the ultimate objective of being able to predict the boundaries of flameless combustion. Detailed chemical kinetic simulations were performed using a constant-pressure continuously stirred tank reactor (CSTR) network model developed using the Cantera combustion code, implemented in C++. Results have been presented showing comparative trends in pollutant emissions generation, flame blowout stability, and combustion efficiency. (Full text of this dissertation may be available via the University of Florida Libraries web site. Please check http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/etd.html)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rabin, B.H.

This paper reports on a ceramic joining technique that has been developed that utilizes an exothermic combustion reaction to simultaneously synthesize the joint interlayer material and to bond together the ceramic workpieces. The method has been used to join SiC ceramics using Ti-C-Ni powder mixtures that ignite below 1200{degrees} C to form a TiC-Ni joining material. Thin layers of the powder reactants were prepared by tape casting, and joining was accomplished by heating in a hot-press to ignite the combustion reaction. during this process, localized exothermic heating of the joint region resulted in chemical interaction at the interface between themore » TiC-Ni and the SiC ceramic that contributed to bonding. Room-temperature four-point bending strengths of joints produced by this method have exceeded 100 MPa.« less

Terascale direct numerical simulations of turbulent combustion using S3D

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, J. H.; Choudhary, A.; de Supinski, B.; DeVries, M.; Hawkes, E. R.; Klasky, S.; Liao, W. K.; Ma, K. L.; Mellor-Crummey, J.; Podhorszki, N.; Sankaran, R.; Shende, S.; Yoo, C. S.

2009-01-01

Computational science is paramount to the understanding of underlying processes in internal combustion engines of the future that will utilize non-petroleum-based alternative fuels, including carbon-neutral biofuels, and burn in new combustion regimes that will attain high efficiency while minimizing emissions of particulates and nitrogen oxides. Next-generation engines will likely operate at higher pressures, with greater amounts of dilution and utilize alternative fuels that exhibit a wide range of chemical and physical properties. Therefore, there is a significant role for high-fidelity simulations, direct numerical simulations (DNS), specifically designed to capture key turbulence-chemistry interactions in these relatively uncharted combustion regimes, and in particular, that can discriminate the effects of differences in fuel properties. In DNS, all of the relevant turbulence and flame scales are resolved numerically using high-order accurate numerical algorithms. As a consequence terascale DNS are computationally intensive, require massive amounts of computing power and generate tens of terabytes of data. Recent results from terascale DNS of turbulent flames are presented here, illustrating its role in elucidating flame stabilization mechanisms in a lifted turbulent hydrogen/air jet flame in a hot air coflow, and the flame structure of a fuel-lean turbulent premixed jet flame. Computing at this scale requires close collaborations between computer and combustion scientists to provide optimized scaleable algorithms and software for terascale simulations, efficient collective parallel I/O, tools for volume visualization of multiscale, multivariate data and automating the combustion workflow. The enabling computer science, applied to combustion science, is also required in many other terascale physics and engineering simulations. In particular, performance monitoring is used to identify the performance of key kernels in the DNS code, S3D and especially memory intensive loops in the code. Through the careful application of loop transformations, data reuse in cache is exploited thereby reducing memory bandwidth needs, and hence, improving S3D's nodal performance. To enhance collective parallel I/O in S3D, an MPI-I/O caching design is used to construct a two-stage write-behind method for improving the performance of write-only operations. The simulations generate tens of terabytes of data requiring analysis. Interactive exploration of the simulation data is enabled by multivariate time-varying volume visualization. The visualization highlights spatial and temporal correlations between multiple reactive scalar fields using an intuitive user interface based on parallel coordinates and time histogram. Finally, an automated combustion workflow is designed using Kepler to manage large-scale data movement, data morphing, and archival and to provide a graphical display of run-time diagnostics.

Real-time combustion controls and diagnostics sensors (CCADS)

DOEpatents

Thornton, Jimmy D.; Richards, George A.; Dodrill, Keith A.; Nutter, Jr., Roy S.; Straub, Douglas

2005-05-03

The present invention is directed to an apparatus for the monitoring of the combustion process within a combustion system. The apparatus comprises; a combustion system, a means for supplying fuel and an oxidizer, a device for igniting the fuel and oxidizer in order to initiate combustion, and a sensor for determining the current conducted by the combustion process. The combustion system comprises a fuel nozzle and an outer shell attached to the combustion nozzle. The outer shell defines a combustion chamber. Preferably the nozzle is a lean premix fuel nozzle (LPN). Fuel and an oxidizer are provided to the fuel nozzle at separate rates. The fuel and oxidizer are ignited. A sensor positioned within the combustion system comprising at least two electrodes in spaced-apart relationship from one another. At least a portion of the combustion process or flame is between the first and second electrodes. A voltage is applied between the first and second electrodes and the magnitude of resulting current between the first and second electrodes is determined.

Combustion and Heat Transfer Studies Utilizing Advanced Diagnostics: Combustion Studies

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-11-01

Research Zone With Combustion," Turbulent Shear Flows. VoL 5. pp. 337- and Development Center, Aero Propulsion and Power 346, Springer Verlg, New ...200 words) A long-term goal of the Air Force is to develop near-stoichiometric gas turbine combustors that will burn broad-specification fuels, and...laboratory combustors. Two novel methods for CARS slit function were developed ; these made possible precise and unambiguous measurements of flame

Investigation of Ignition and Combustion Processes of Diesel Engines Operating with Turbulence and Air-storage Chambers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Petersen, Hans

1938-01-01

The flame photographs obtained with combustion-chamber models of engines operating respectively, with turbulence chamber and air-storage chambers or cells, provide an insight into the air and fuel movements that take place before and during combustion in the combustion chamber. The relation between air velocity, start of injection, and time of combustion was determined for the combustion process employing a turbulence chamber.

A life cycle assessment of environmental performances of two combustion- and gasification-based waste-to-energy technologies.

PubMed

Arena, Umberto; Ardolino, Filomena; Di Gregorio, Fabrizio

2015-07-01

An attributional life cycle analysis (LCA) was developed to compare the environmental performances of two waste-to-energy (WtE) units, which utilize the predominant technologies among those available for combustion and gasification processes: a moving grate combustor and a vertical shaft gasifier coupled with direct melting. The two units were assumed to be fed with the same unsorted residual municipal waste, having a composition estimated as a European average. Data from several plants in operation were processed by means of mass and energy balances, and on the basis of the flows and stocks of materials and elements inside and throughout the two units, as provided by a specific substance flow analysis. The potential life cycle environmental impacts related to the operations of the two WtE units were estimated by means of the Impact 2002+ methodology. They indicate that both the technologies have sustainable environmental performances, but those of the moving grate combustion unit are better for most of the selected impact categories. The analysis of the contributions from all the stages of each specific technology suggests where improvements in technological solutions and management criteria should be focused to obtain further and remarkable environmental improvements. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Combustion Synthesis Technology Applied to In-situ Resource Utilization

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-06-15

or bond energies. When both the precursor salts and the fuel are water soluble, a good homogenization can be achieved in the solution. In the...metallic compounds, e.g. Ni-Al. Steel processing additives, e.g. ferro-nitrides. Electrodes for electrolysis of corrosive media, e.g. TiN, TiB2...reactants; 4. Spreading of a molten phase; 5. Gasification of volatile impurities and reactants; 6. Chemical reaction with initial product formation; 7

Experimental Methodology for Measuring Combustion and Injection-Coupled Responses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cavitt, Ryan C.; Frederick, Robert A.; Bazarov, Vladimir G.

2006-01-01

A Russian scaling methodology for liquid rocket engines utilizing a single, full scale element is reviewed. The scaling methodology exploits the supercritical phase of the full scale propellants to simplify scaling requirements. Many assumptions are utilized in the derivation of the scaling criteria. A test apparatus design is presented to implement the Russian methodology and consequently verify the assumptions. This test apparatus will allow researchers to assess the usefulness of the scaling procedures and possibly enhance the methodology. A matrix of the apparatus capabilities for a RD-170 injector is also presented. Several methods to enhance the methodology have been generated through the design process.

Improving the operating effectiveness of the shaft kilns of magnesite combine

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Utenkov, A.F.; Sinitsyn, E.A.; Gor'kova, T.V.

1986-11-01

The authors analyze the combustion efficiency of a natural gas-fired tunnel kiln and propose design and performance modifications to the burner and fuel systems to provide for optimum combustion and utilization of the calorific value of the fuel.

Design assessment of a 150 kWt CFBC Test Unit

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Batu, A.; Selcuk, N.; Kulah, G.

2010-04-15

For clean and efficient energy generation from coal, the most suitable technology known to date is 'Fluidized Bed Combustion' technology. Applications of circulating fluidized bed (CFB) combustion technology have been steadily increasing in both capacity and number over the past decade. Designs of these units have been based on the combustion tests carried out in pilot scale facilities to determine the combustion and desulfurization characteristics of coal and limestone reserves in CFB conditions. Similarly, utilization of Turkish lignites in CFB boilers necessitates adaptation of CFB combustion technology to these resources. However, the design of these test units are not basedmore » on firing coals with high ash, volatile matter and sulfur contents like Turkish lignites. For this purpose, a 150 kWt CFB combustor test unit is designed and constructed in Chemical Engineering Department of Middle East Technical University, based on the extensive experience acquired at the existing 0.3 MWt Bubbling Atmospheric Fluidized Bed Combustor (AFBC) Test Rig. Following the commissioning tests, a combustion test is carried out for investigation of combustion characteristics of Can lignite in CFB conditions and for assessment of the design of test unit. Comparison of the design outputs with experimental results reveals that most of the predictions and assumptions have acceptable agreement with the operating conditions. In conclusion, the performance of 150 kWt CFBC Test Unit is found to be satisfactory to be utilized for the long term research studies on combustion and desulfurization characteristics of indigenous lignite reserves in circulating fluidized bed combustors. (author)« less

Energy from Waste--clean, efficient, renewable: transitions in combustion efficiency and NOx control.

PubMed

Waldner, M H; Halter, R; Sigg, A; Brosch, B; Gehrmann, H J; Keunecke, M

2013-02-01

Traditionally EfW (Energy from Waste) plants apply a reciprocating grate to combust waste fuel. An integrated steam generator recovers the heat of combustion and converts it to steam for use in a steam turbine/generator set. This is followed by an array of flue gas cleaning technologies to meet regulatory limitations. Modern combustion applies a two-step method using primary air to fuel the combustion process on the grate. This generates a complex mixture of pyrolysis gases, combustion gases and unused combustion air. The post-combustion step in the first pass of the boiler above the grate is intended to "clean up" this mixture by oxidizing unburned gases with secondary air. This paper describes modifications to the combustion process to minimize exhaust gas volumes and the generation of noxious gases and thus improving the overall thermal efficiency of the EfW plant. The resulting process can be coupled with an innovative SNCR (Selective Non-Catalytic Reduction) technology to form a clean and efficient solid waste combustion system. Measurements immediately above the grate show that gas compositions along the grate vary from 10% CO, 5% H(2) and 0% O(2) to essentially unused "pure" air, in good agreement with results from a mathematical model. Introducing these diverse gas compositions to the post combustion process will overwhelm its ability to process all these gas fractions in an optimal manner. Inserting an intermediate step aimed at homogenizing the mixture above the grate has shown to significantly improve the quality of combustion, allowing for optimized process parameters. These measures also resulted in reduced formation of NO(x) (nitrogenous oxides) due to a lower oxygen level at which the combustion process was run (2.6 vol% O(2,)(wet) instead of 6.0 vol% O(2,)(wet)). This reduction establishes optimal conditions for the DyNOR™ (Dynamic NO(x) Reduction) NO(x) reduction process. This innovative SNCR technology is adapted to situations typically encountered in solid fuel combustion. DyNOR™ measures temperature in small furnace segments and delivers the reducing reagent to the exact location where it is most effective. The DyNOR™ distributor reacts precisely and dynamically to rapid changes in combustion conditions, resulting in very low NO(x) emissions from the stack. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Estimation of low-potential heat recuperation efficiency of smoke fumes in a condensation heat utilizer under various operation conditions of a boiler and a heating system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ionkin, I. L.; Ragutkin, A. V.; Luning, B.; Zaichenko, M. N.

2016-06-01

For enhancement of the natural gas utilization efficiency in boilers, condensation heat utilizers of low-potential heat, which are constructed based on a contact heat exchanger, can be applied. A schematic of the contact heat exchanger with a humidifier for preheating and humidifying of air supplied in the boiler for combustion is given. Additional low-potential heat in this scheme is utilized for heating of the return delivery water supplied from a heating system. Preheating and humidifying of air supplied for combustion make it possible to use the condensation utilizer for heating of a heat-transfer agent to temperature exceeding the dewpoint temperature of water vapors contained in combustion products. The decision to mount the condensation heat utilizer on the boiler was taken based on the preliminary estimation of the additionally obtained heat. The operation efficiency of the condensation heat utilizer is determined by its structure and operation conditions of the boiler and the heating system. The software was developed for the thermal design of the condensation heat utilizer equipped by the humidifier. Computation investigations of its operation are carried out as a function of various operation parameters of the boiler and the heating system (temperature of the return delivery water and smoke fumes, air excess, air temperature at the inlet and outlet of the condensation heat utilizer, heating and humidifying of air in the humidifier, and portion of the circulating water). The heat recuperation efficiency is estimated for various operation conditions of the boiler and the condensation heat utilizer. Recommendations on the most effective application of the condensation heat utilizer are developed.

Development of teaching material to integrate GT-POWER into combustion courses for IC engine simulations.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-02-01

The main objective of this project was to develop instructional engineering projects that utilize the newly-offered PACE software GT-POWER for engine simulations in combustion-related courses at the Missouri University of Science and Technology. Stud...

Method and apparatus for detecting combustion instability in continuous combustion systems

DOEpatents

Benson, Kelly J.; Thornton, Jimmy D.; Richards, George A.; Straub, Douglas L.

2006-08-29

An apparatus and method to sense the onset of combustion stability is presented. An electrode is positioned in a turbine combustion chamber such that the electrode is exposed to gases in the combustion chamber. A control module applies a voltage potential to the electrode and detects a combustion ionization signal and determines if there is an oscillation in the combustion ionization signal indicative of the occurrence of combustion stability or the onset of combustion instability. A second electrode held in a coplanar but spaced apart manner by an insulating member from the electrode provides a combustion ionization signal to the control module when the first electrode fails. The control module broadcasts a notice if the parameters indicate the combustion process is at the onset of combustion instability or broadcasts an alarm signal if the parameters indicate the combustion process is unstable.

Combustion Of Poultry-Derived Fuel in a CFBC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jia, Lufei; Anthony, Edward J.

Poultry farming generates large quantities of waste. Current disposal practice is to spread the poultry wastes onto farmland as fertilizer. However, as the factory farms for poultry grow both in numbers and size, the amount of poultry wastes generated has increased significandy in recent years. In consequence, excessive application of poultry wastes on farmland is resulting in more and more contaminants entering the surface water. One of the options being considered is the use of poultry waste as power plant fuel. Since poultry-derived fuel (PDF) is biomass, its co-firing will have the added advantage of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from power generation. To evaluate the combustion characteristics of co-firing PDF with coal, combustion tests of mixtures of coal and PDF were conducted in CanmetENERGY's pilot-scale CFBC. The goal of the tests was to verify that PDF can be co-fired with coal and, more importantly, that emissions from the combustion process are not adversely affected by the presence of PDF in the fuel feed. The test results were very promising and support the view that co-firing in an existing coal-fired CFBC is an effective method of utilizing this potential fuel, both resolving a potential waste disposal problem and reducing the amount of CO2 released by the boiler.

Non-contact temperature measurements in support of microgravity combustion experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greenberg, Paul S.

1989-01-01

Recent conceptual advances in the understanding of combustion science fundamentals in the context of microgravity processes and phenomenology have resulted in an increased demand for diagnostic systems of greater sophistication. Owing primarily to the severe operational constraints that accompany the space flight environment, measurement systems to date remain fairly primative in nature. Qualitative pictures provided by photographic recording media comprise the majority of the existing data, the remainder consisting of the output of conventional transducers, such as thermocouples, hot wires, and pressure transducers. The absence of the rather strong influence of buoyant convection renders microgravity combustion phenomena more fragile than their 1-G counterparts. The emphasis was placed on nonperturbing optical diagnostics. Other factors such as limited supplies of expendable reactants, and periods of microgravity time of sufficient duration, coupled with more fundamental questions regarding inherent length and time scales and reproducibility have favored multipoint or multidimensional techniques. While the development of optical diagnostics for application to combustion science is an extremely active area at present, the peculiarities of space flight hardware severely restrict the feasibility of implementing the majority of techniques which are being utilized in terrestrial applications. The additional requirements for system reliability and operational simplicity have tended to promote somewhat less commonly emphasized techniques such as refractive index mapping and molecular Rayleigh scattering, which are briefly discussed.

Pollution-free, resource recovery, garbage disposal/fuel burning plant

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nielson, J.P

1989-05-16

A method is described of burning solid combustibles containing potential atmospheric pollutants and of recovering valuable resources from the combustibles while preventing the release of pollutants into the atmosphere, including the steps of introducing the combustibles through an airlock into a furnace substantially sealed against the atmosphere; introducing combustion-supporting fluid into the furnace; burning the combustibles at a temperature high enough to melt at least some of the inorganic components contained therin; removing and recovering solid components from the furnace through a gas lock; removing and recovering molten components from the furnace through a conduit and valve; passing high temperaturegaseousmore » products of combustion from the furnace through heat exchanger means utilizing boiler tubes carrying the gaseous products surrounded by water to generate steam as a useful product.« less

Specifics of phytomass combustion in small experimental device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lenhard, Richard; Mičieta, Jozef; Jandačka, Jozef; Gavlas, Stanislav

2015-05-01

A wood pellet combustion carries out with high efficiency and comfort in modern pellet boilers. These facts help to increase the amount of installed pellet boilers in households. The combustion process quality depends besides the combustion conditions also on the fuel quality. The wood pellets, which don`t contain the bark and branches represent the highest quality. Because of growing pellet demand, an herbal biomass (phytomass), which is usually an agricultural by-product becomes economically attractive for pellet production. Although the phytomass has the net calorific value relatively slightly lower than the wood biomass, it is often significantly worse in view of the combustion process and an emission production. The combustion of phytomass pellets causes various difficulties in small heat sources, mainly due to a sintering of fuel residues. We want to avoid the ash sintering by a lowering of temperature in the combustion chamber below the ash sintering temperature of phytomass via the modification of a burner design. For research of the phytomass combustion process in the small boilers is constructed the experimental combustion device. There will investigate the impact of cooling intensity of the combustion chamber on the combustion process and emissions. Arising specific requirements from the measurement will be the basis for the design of the pellet burner and for the setting of operating parameters to the trouble-free phytomass combustion was guaranteed.

Solids fluidizer-injector

DOEpatents

Bulicz, Tytus R.

1990-01-01

An apparatus and process for fluidizing solid particles by causing rotary motion of the solid particles in a fluidizing chamber by a plurality of rotating projections extending from a rotatable cylinder end wall interacting with a plurality of fixed projections extending from an opposite fixed end wall and passing the solid particles through a radial feed orifice open to the solids fluidizing chamber on one side and a solid particle utilization device on the other side. The apparatus and process are particularly suited for obtaining intermittent feeding with continual solids supply to the fluidizing chamber. The apparatus and process are suitable for injecting solid particles, such as coal, to an internal combustion engine.

Design and testing of high temperature micro-ORC test stand using Siloxane as working fluid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turunen-Saaresti, Teemu; Uusitalo, Antti; Honkatukia, Juha

2017-03-01

Organic Rankine Cycle is a mature technology for many applications e.g. biomass power plants, waste heat recovery and geothermal power for larger power capacity. Recently more attention is paid on an ORC utilizing high temperature heat with relatively low power. One of the attractive applications of such ORCs would be utilization of waste heat of exhaust gas of combustion engines in stationary and mobile applications. In this paper, a design procedure of the ORC process is described and discussed. The analysis of the major components of the process, namely the evaporator, recuperator, and turbogenerator is done. Also preliminary experimental results of an ORC process utilizing high temperature exhaust gas heat and using siloxane MDM as a working fluid are presented and discussed. The turbine type utilized in the turbogenerator is a radial inflow turbine and the turbogenerator consists of the turbine, the electric motor and the feed pump. Based on the results, it was identified that the studied system is capable to generate electricity from the waste heat of exhaust gases and it is shown that high molecular weight and high critical temperature fluids as the working fluids can be utilized in high-temperature small-scale ORC applications. 5.1 kW of electric power was generated by the turbogenerator.

Feature-Based Statistical Analysis of Combustion Simulation Data

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bennett, J; Krishnamoorthy, V; Liu, S

2011-11-18

We present a new framework for feature-based statistical analysis of large-scale scientific data and demonstrate its effectiveness by analyzing features from Direct Numerical Simulations (DNS) of turbulent combustion. Turbulent flows are ubiquitous and account for transport and mixing processes in combustion, astrophysics, fusion, and climate modeling among other disciplines. They are also characterized by coherent structure or organized motion, i.e. nonlocal entities whose geometrical features can directly impact molecular mixing and reactive processes. While traditional multi-point statistics provide correlative information, they lack nonlocal structural information, and hence, fail to provide mechanistic causality information between organized fluid motion and mixing andmore » reactive processes. Hence, it is of great interest to capture and track flow features and their statistics together with their correlation with relevant scalar quantities, e.g. temperature or species concentrations. In our approach we encode the set of all possible flow features by pre-computing merge trees augmented with attributes, such as statistical moments of various scalar fields, e.g. temperature, as well as length-scales computed via spectral analysis. The computation is performed in an efficient streaming manner in a pre-processing step and results in a collection of meta-data that is orders of magnitude smaller than the original simulation data. This meta-data is sufficient to support a fully flexible and interactive analysis of the features, allowing for arbitrary thresholds, providing per-feature statistics, and creating various global diagnostics such as Cumulative Density Functions (CDFs), histograms, or time-series. We combine the analysis with a rendering of the features in a linked-view browser that enables scientists to interactively explore, visualize, and analyze the equivalent of one terabyte of simulation data. We highlight the utility of this new framework for combustion science; however, it is applicable to many other science domains.« less

Dry additives-reduction catalysts for flue waste gases originating from the combustion of solid fuels

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1995-12-31

Hard coal is the basic energy generating raw material in Poland. In 1990, 60% of electricity and thermal energy was totally obtained from it. It means that 100 million tons of coal were burned. The second position is held by lignite - generating 38% of electricity and heat (67.3 million tons). It is to be underlined that coal combustion is particularly noxious to the environment. The coal composition appreciably influences the volume of pollution emitted in the air. The contents of incombustible mineral parts - ashes - oscillates from 2 to 30%; only 0.02 comes from plants that had oncemore » originated coal and cannot be separated in any way. All the rest, viz. the so-called external mineral substance enters the fuel while being won. The most indesirable hard coal ingredient is sulfur whose level depends on coal sorts and its origin. The worse the fuel quality, the more sulfur it contains. In the utilization process of this fuel, its combustible part is burnt: therefore, sulfur dioxide is produced. At the present coal consumption, the SO{sub 2} emission reaches the level of 3.2 million per year. The intensifies the pressure on working out new coal utilization technologies, improving old and developing of pollution limiting methods. Research is also directed towards such an adaptation of technologies in order that individual users may also make use thereof (household furnaces) as their share in the pollution emission is considerable.« less

Sustainable options for the utilization of solid residues from wine production.

PubMed

Zhang, Nansen; Hoadley, Andrew; Patel, Jim; Lim, Seng; Li, Chao'en

2017-02-01

The efficient use of solid organic waste materials is an issue of particular importance for the wine industry. This paper focuses on the valorization of grape marc, the major component of winery organic waste (60-70%). Two methods were designed and compared: combustion to generate electricity, and the pyrolysis for the production of bio-char, bio-oil, and bio-gas. Each of these processes was analysed to determine their economic and environmental viability. The flow-sheeting software, ASPEN PLUS, was used to model the two cases. Data from the simulations was used to inform techno-economic and environmental analyses. Pyrolysis was found to be the superior method of utilizing grape marc from both economic and environmental perspectives. Both pyrolysis and combustion exploit the energy content of the waste, which is not recovered by the traditional treatments, composting or distillation. In addition to the production of energy, pyrolysis yielded 151kg of bio-char and 140kg of bio-oil per tonne of grape marc. These products may be used in place of fossil fuels, resulting in a net reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. However, the potential deleterious effects resulting from the replacement of the traditional treatments was not considered. Investment in either pyrolysis or combustion had a negligible impact on the price of the wine produced for wineries with an annual grape crush larger than 1000 tonnes. Composting has significant economic advantages in wineries with a small grape crush of less than 50 tonnes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

System and method for coproduction of activated carbon and steam/electricity

DOEpatents

Srinivasachar, Srivats [Sturbridge, MA; Benson, Steven [Grand Forks, ND; Crocker, Charlene [Newfolden, MN; Mackenzie, Jill [Carmel, IN

2011-07-19

A system and method for producing activated carbon comprising carbonizing a solid carbonaceous material in a carbonization zone of an activated carbon production apparatus (ACPA) to yield a carbonized product and carbonization product gases, the carbonization zone comprising carbonaceous material inlet, char outlet and carbonization gas outlet; activating the carbonized product via activation with steam in an activation zone of the ACPA to yield activated carbon and activation product gases, the activation zone comprising activated carbon outlet, activation gas outlet, and activation steam inlet; and utilizing process gas comprising at least a portion of the carbonization product gases or a combustion product thereof; at least a portion of the activation product gases or a combustion product thereof; or a combination thereof in a solid fuel boiler system that burns a solid fuel boiler feed with air to produce boiler-produced steam and flue gas, the boiler upstream of an air heater within a steam/electricity generation plant, said boiler comprising a combustion zone, a boiler-produced steam outlet and at least one flue gas outlet.

Radiation-Spray Coupling for Realistic Flow Configurations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

El-Asrag, Hossam; Iannetti, Anthony C.

2011-01-01

Three Large Eddy Simulations (LES) for a lean-direct injection (LDI) combustor are performed and compared. In addition to the cold flow simulation, the effect of radiation coupling with the multi-physics reactive flow is analyzed. The flame let progress variable approach is used as a subgrid combustion model combined with a stochastic subgrid model for spray atomization and an optically thin radiation model. For accurate chemistry modeling, a detailed Jet-A surrogate mechanism is utilized. To achieve realistic inflow, a simple recycling technique is performed at the inflow section upstream of the swirler. Good comparison is shown with the experimental data mean and root mean square profiles. The effect of combustion is found to change the shape and size of the central recirculation zone. Radiation is found to change the spray dynamics and atomization by changing the heat release distribution and the local temperature values impacting the evaporation process. The simulation with radiation modeling shows wider range of droplet size distribution by altering the evaporation rate. The current study proves the importance of radiation modeling for accurate prediction in realistic spray combustion configurations, even for low pressure systems.

On the mechanism of zirconium nitride formation by zirconium, zirconia and yttria burning in air

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malikova, Ekaterina; Pautova, Julia; Gromov, Alexander; Monogarov, Konstantin; Larionov, Kirill; Teipel, Ulrich

2015-10-01

The combustion of Zr and (Zr+ZrO2) powdery mixtures in air was accompanied by major ZrN stabilization. The synthesis of cheap ZrN with the high yield in air was facile and utile. The influence of Y2O3 additive on the content of ZrN the solid combustion products (SCP) was investigated. The reagents and SCP were analyzed by BET, DTA-TGA, XRD, SEM and EDS. Burning temperature was measured by thermal imager. The yield of ZrN in the SCP has been varied by the time regulation of the combustion process. The burning samples were quenched at a certain time to avoid the re-oxidation of the obtained ZrN by oxygen. The quenching of the burned (Zr+ZrO2) samples with the Y2O3 additive was allowed increasing the ZrN yield in SCP up to 66 wt%. The chemical mechanism of ZrN formation in air was discussed and the probable source of ZrN massive formation is suggested.

The environmental consequences of the oil shale utilization in Jordan: The effect of combustion processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Hasan, Tayel

2015-04-01

The geochemical analysis of the upper Cretaceous organic rich oil shale of El-Lajjoun revealed that it contains considerable concentrations of trace element when compared to the average world shale. The aim of this study was to deduce the effect of various combustion processes on the geochemical and mineralogical characteristics of the produced ashes.The oil shale powder samples were burned under Aerobic Combustion Process (ACP) at 700˚C, 850˚C and 1000˚C respectively, beside the anaerobic (pyrolysis) combustion process (PCP) at 600, 650, 700, 750 and 800˚C respectively.The ashes produced from the (ACP) caused almost all major oxides contents to increase with increasing burning temperature, particularly SiO2 and CaO were nearly doubled at temperature 1000 ˚C. Moreover, trace elements showed the same trend where ashes at higher temperatures (i.e. 1000 ˚C) have doubled its contents of trace elements such as Cr, Ni, Zn, Cu and U. This was reflected through enrichment of calcite and quartz beside the anhydrite as the main mineral phases in the ACP ashes. As for the PCP ash show similar trend but relatively with lower concentrations as evident from its lowerEnrichment Factor (EF) values. This might be due to the higher organic matter remained in the PCP ashes compared with ACP ashes. However, PCP is more likely associated with toxic Cd and Asgasses as evident from their lowerconcentrations in the ashes.Moreover, recent results using the synchrotron-based XANES technique confirm that toxic elements are found in higher oxidation state due to ACP. The investigation was concerned on As and Cr. Thechromium in the original shales was in the form of Cr (III) and then it was converted to Cr(VI) in the ashes due of the ACP. Similarly, As (III) the XANES results showed that it was converted into As(V) too. These findingsare alarming and should be taken seriously. Because elements with higher oxidation states became more mobile, thus they can easily leached from the ash tailing into the nearby water resources. The most important species is Cr(VI) because itis easily leachable and very harmful species. It could cause pollution to surface and ground water resources.Therefore, allot of concerns should be paid on the ongoing oil shale utilization enterprises due to its pollution potential.Further investigation regarding the speciation of vanadium and cadmium are on the way.

40 CFR 98.143 - Calculating GHG emissions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Fuel Combustion Sources). (2) Calculate and report the process and combustion CO2 emissions separately... Fuel Combustion Sources) the combustion CO2 emissions in the glass furnace according to the applicable... calculate and report the annual process CO2 emissions from each continuous glass melting furnace using the...

40 CFR 98.193 - Calculating GHG emissions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Stationary Fuel Combustion Sources). (2) Calculate and report process and combustion CO2 emissions separately... Stationary Fuel Combustion Sources) the combustion CO2 emissions from each lime kiln according to the... must calculate and report the annual process CO2 emissions from all lime kilns combined using the...

40 CFR 98.193 - Calculating GHG emissions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Stationary Fuel Combustion Sources). (2) Calculate and report process and combustion CO2 emissions separately... Stationary Fuel Combustion Sources) the combustion CO2 emissions from each lime kiln according to the... must calculate and report the annual process CO2 emissions from all lime kilns combined using the...

40 CFR 98.143 - Calculating GHG emissions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Fuel Combustion Sources). (2) Calculate and report the process and combustion CO2 emissions separately... Fuel Combustion Sources) the combustion CO2 emissions in the glass furnace according to the applicable... calculate and report the annual process CO2 emissions from each continuous glass melting furnace using the...

An atmospheric pressure high-temperature laminar flow reactor for investigation of combustion and related gas phase reaction systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oßwald, Patrick; Köhler, Markus

A new high-temperature flow reactor experiment utilizing the powerful molecular beam mass spectrometry (MBMS) technique for detailed observation of gas phase kinetics in reacting flows is presented. The reactor design provides a consequent extension of the experimental portfolio of validation experiments for combustion reaction kinetics. Temperatures up to 1800 K are applicable by three individually controlled temperature zones with this atmospheric pressure flow reactor. Detailed speciation data are obtained using the sensitive MBMS technique, providing in situ access to almost all chemical species involved in the combustion process, including highly reactive species such as radicals. Strategies for quantifying the experimentalmore » data are presented alongside a careful analysis of the characterization of the experimental boundary conditions to enable precise numeric reproduction of the experimental results. The general capabilities of this new analytical tool for the investigation of reacting flows are demonstrated for a selected range of conditions, fuels, and applications. A detailed dataset for the well-known gaseous fuels, methane and ethylene, is provided and used to verify the experimental approach. Furthermore, application for liquid fuels and fuel components important for technical combustors like gas turbines and engines is demonstrated. Besides the detailed investigation of novel fuels and fuel components, the wide range of operation conditions gives access to extended combustion topics, such as super rich conditions at high temperature important for gasification processes, or the peroxy chemistry governing the low temperature oxidation regime. These demonstrations are accompanied by a first kinetic modeling approach, examining the opportunities for model validation purposes.« less

Internet of Things Based Combustible Ice Safety Monitoring System Framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Enji

2017-05-01

As the development of human society, more energy is requires to meet the need of human daily lives. New energies play a significant role in solving the problems of serious environmental pollution and resources exhaustion in the present world. Combustible ice is essentially frozen natural gas, which can literally be lit on fire bringing a whole new meaning to fire and ice with less pollutant. This paper analysed the advantages and risks on the uses of combustible ice. By compare to other kinds of alternative energies, the advantages of the uses of combustible ice were concluded. The combustible ice basic physical characters and safety risks were analysed. The developments troubles and key utilizations of combustible ice were predicted in the end. A real-time safety monitoring system framework based on the internet of things (IOT) was built to be applied in the future mining, which provide a brand new way to monitoring the combustible ice mining safety.

Concept study of a hydrogen containment process during nuclear thermal engine ground testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Ten-See; Stewart, Eric T.; Canabal, Francisco

A new hydrogen containment process was proposed for ground testing of a nuclear thermal engine. It utilizes two thermophysical steps to contain the hydrogen exhaust. First, the decomposition of hydrogen through oxygen-rich combustion at higher temperature; second, the recombination of remaining hydrogen with radicals at low temperature. This is achieved with two unit operations: an oxygen-rich burner and a tubular heat exchanger. A computational fluid dynamics methodology was used to analyze the entire process on a three-dimensional domain. The computed flammability at the exit of the heat exchanger was less than the lower flammability limit, confirming the hydrogen containment capability of the proposed process.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sublette, K.L.

With the continual increase in the utilization of high sulfur and high nitrogen containing fossil fuels, the release of airborne pollutants into the environment has become a critical problem. The fuel sulfur is converted to SO{sub 2} during combustion. Fuel nitrogen and a fraction of the nitrogen from the combustion air are converted to nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide, NO{sub x}. For the past five years Combustion Engineering (now Asea Brown Boveri or ABB) and, since 1986, the University of Tulsa (TU) have been investigating the oxidation of H{sub 2}S by the facultatively anaerobic and autotrophic bacterium Thiobacillus denitrificans andmore » have developed a process, concept for the microbial removal of H{sub 2}S from a gas stream the simultaneous removal of SO{sub 2} and NO by D. desulfuricans and T. denitrificans co-cultures and cultures-in-series was demonstrated. These systems could not be sustained due to NO inhibition of D. desulfuricans. However, a preliminary economic analysis has shown that microbial reduction of SO{sub 2} to H{sub 2}S with subsequent conversion to elemental sulfur by the Claus process is both technically and economically feasible if a less expensive carbon and/or energy source can be found. It has also been demonstrated that T. denitrificans can be grown anaerobically on NO(g) as a terminal electron acceptor with reduction to elemental nitrogen. Microbial reduction of NO{sub x} is a viable process concept for the disposal of concentrated streams of NO{sub x} as may be produced by certain regenerable processes for the removal of SO{sub 2} and NO{sub x} from flue gas.« less

Advanced methods for processing ceramics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Carter, W.B.

1997-04-01

Combustion chemical vapor deposition (combustion CVD) is being developed for the deposition of high temperature oxide coatings. The process is being evaluated as an alternative to more capital intensive conventional coating processes. The thrusts during this reporting period were the development of the combustion CVD process for depositing lanthanum monazite, the determination of the influence of aerosol size on coating morphology, the incorporation of combustion CVD coatings into thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) and related oxidation research, and continued work on the deposition of zirconia-yttria coatings.

Reducing NOx Emissions for a 600 MWe Down-Fired Pulverized-Coal Utility Boiler by Applying a Novel Combustion System.

PubMed

Ma, Lun; Fang, Qingyan; Lv, Dangzhen; Zhang, Cheng; Chen, Yiping; Chen, Gang; Duan, Xuenong; Wang, Xihuan

2015-11-03

A novel combustion system was applied to a 600 MWe Foster Wheeler (FW) down-fired pulverized-coal utility boiler to solve high NOx emissions, without causing an obvious increase in the carbon content of fly ash. The unit included moving fuel-lean nozzles from the arches to the front/rear walls and rearranging staged air as well as introducing separated overfire air (SOFA). Numerical simulations were carried out under the original and novel combustion systems to evaluate the performance of combustion and NOx emissions in the furnace. The simulated results were found to be in good agreement with the in situ measurements. The novel combustion system enlarged the recirculation zones below the arches, thereby strengthening the combustion stability considerably. The coal/air downward penetration depth was markedly extended, and the pulverized-coal travel path in the lower furnace significantly increased, which contributed to the burnout degree. The introduction of SOFA resulted in a low-oxygen and strong-reducing atmosphere in the lower furnace region to reduce NOx emissions evidently. The industrial measurements showed that NOx emissions at full load decreased significantly by 50%, from 1501 mg/m3 (O2 at 6%) to 751 mg/m3 (O2 at 6%). The carbon content in the fly ash increased only slightly, from 4.13 to 4.30%.

Characterization of Coal Combustion Residues from Electric Utilities--Leaching and Characterization Data

EPA Science Inventory

This report evaluates changes in composition and constituent release by leaching that may occur to fly ash and other coal combustion residues (CCRs) in response to changes in air pollution control technology at coal-fired power plants. The addition of flue-gas desulfurization (FG...

Evaluation of Propane Combustion Traps for the Collection of Phlebotomus papatasi (Scopoli) in Southern Israel

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-03-01

traps for the consumer market , which utilize the combustion of propane to produce carbon dioxide (CO2) and other attractants. While these...Z. Abramsky, B.P. Kotler , R.S. Ostfeld, I.Yarom, and A.Warburg. 2003a. Anthropogenic disturbances enhance occurrence of cutaneous

10 CFR 50.44 - Combustible gas control for nuclear power reactors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Combustible gas control for nuclear power reactors. 50.44 Section 50.44 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION DOMESTIC LICENSING OF PRODUCTION AND UTILIZATION... for nuclear power reactors. (a) Definitions—(1) Inerted atmosphere means a containment atmosphere with...

10 CFR 50.44 - Combustible gas control for nuclear power reactors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Combustible gas control for nuclear power reactors. 50.44 Section 50.44 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION DOMESTIC LICENSING OF PRODUCTION AND UTILIZATION... for nuclear power reactors. (a) Definitions—(1) Inerted atmosphere means a containment atmosphere with...

CHARACTERIZATION OF MERCURY-ENRICHED COAL COMBUSTION RESIDUES FROM ELECTRIC UTILITIES USING ENHANCED SORBENTS FOR MERCURY CONTROL

EPA Science Inventory

Leaching of mercury and other constituents of potential concern during land disposal or beneficial use of coal combustion residues (CCRs) is the environmental impact pathway evaluated in this report. The specific objectives of the research was to: (1) evaluate mercury, arsenic an...

Mechanisms and kinetics of granulated sewage sludge combustion.

PubMed

Kijo-Kleczkowska, Agnieszka; Środa, Katarzyna; Kosowska-Golachowska, Monika; Musiał, Tomasz; Wolski, Krzysztof

2015-12-01

This paper investigates sewage sludge disposal methods with particular emphasis on combustion as the priority disposal method. Sewage sludge incineration is an attractive option because it minimizes odour, significantly reduces the volume of the starting material and thermally destroys organic and toxic components of the off pads. Additionally, it is possible that ashes could be used. Currently, as many as 11 plants use sewage sludge as fuel in Poland; thus, this technology must be further developed in Poland while considering the benefits of co-combustion with other fuels. This paper presents the results of experimental studies aimed at determining the mechanisms (defining the fuel combustion region by studying the effects of process parameters, including the size of the fuel sample, temperature in the combustion chamber and air velocity, on combustion) and kinetics (measurement of fuel temperature and mass changes) of fuel combustion in an air stream under different thermal conditions and flow rates. The combustion of the sludge samples during air flow between temperatures of 800 and 900°C is a kinetic-diffusion process. This process determines the sample size, temperature of its environment, and air velocity. The adopted process parameters, the time and ignition temperature of the fuel by volatiles, combustion time of the volatiles, time to reach the maximum temperature of the fuel surface, maximum temperature of the fuel surface, char combustion time, and the total process time, had significant impacts. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Numerical and experimental studies on effects of moisture content on combustion characteristics of simulated municipal solid wastes in a fixed bed

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sun, Rui, E-mail: Sunsr@hit.edu.cn; Ismail, Tamer M., E-mail: temoil@aucegypt.edu; Ren, Xiaohan

Highlights: • The effects of moisture content on the burning process of MSW are investigated. • A two-dimensional mathematical model was built to simulate the combustion process. • Temperature distributions, process rates, gas species were measured and simulated. • The The conversion ratio of C/CO and N/NO in MSW are inverse to moisture content. - Abstract: In order to reveal the features of the combustion process in the porous bed of a waste incinerator, a two-dimensional unsteady state model and experimental study were employed to investigate the combustion process in a fixed bed of municipal solid waste (MSW) on themore » combustion process in a fixed bed reactor. Conservation equations of the waste bed were implemented to describe the incineration process. The gas phase turbulence was modeled using the k–ε turbulent model and the particle phase was modeled using the kinetic theory of granular flow. The rate of moisture evaporation, devolatilization rate, and char burnout was calculated according to the waste property characters. The simulation results were then compared with experimental data for different moisture content of MSW, which shows that the incineration process of waste in the fixed bed is reasonably simulated. The simulation results of solid temperature, gas species and process rate in the bed are accordant with experimental data. Due to the high moisture content of fuel, moisture evaporation consumes a vast amount of heat, and the evaporation takes up most of the combustion time (about 2/3 of the whole combustion process). The whole bed combustion process reduces greatly as MSW moisture content increases. The experimental and simulation results provide direction for design and optimization of the fixed bed of MSW.« less

Redesign and Test of an SSME Turbopump for the Large Throat Main Combustion Chamber

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lunde, K. J.; Lee, G. A.; Eastland, A. H.; Rojas, L.

1994-01-01

The preburner oxidizer turbopump for the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) was successfully redesigned for use with the Large Throat Main Combustion Chamber (LTMCC) and tested in air utilizing rapid prototyping. The redesign increases the SSME's operating range with the current Main Combustion Chamber (MCC) while achieving full operational range with the LTMCC. The use of rapid prototyping and air testing to validate the redesign demonstrated the ability to design, fabricate and test designs rapidly and at a very low cost.

Microsphere Composites of Nano-Al and Nanothermite: An Approach to Better Utilization of Nanomaterials

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-01-01

2 μm to 16 μm. The combustion behavior is found to be very different from either nanoaluminum or micron aluminum and their corresponding thermite ... thermite mixture with the addition of nanoparticles of copper oxide. In a typical experiment, 180 mg of Al nanoparticles, and 540 mg CuO nanoparticles...combustion performance of thermite samples was evaluated by igniting 25.0 mg of thermite sample in the combustion cell, instrumented with a fast

Impacts of Combustion Conditions and Photochemical Processing on the Light Absorption of Biomass Combustion Aerosol.

PubMed

Martinsson, J; Eriksson, A C; Nielsen, I Elbæk; Malmborg, V Berg; Ahlberg, E; Andersen, C; Lindgren, R; Nyström, R; Nordin, E Z; Brune, W H; Svenningsson, B; Swietlicki, E; Boman, C; Pagels, J H

2015-12-15

The aim was to identify relationships between combustion conditions, particle characteristics, and optical properties of fresh and photochemically processed emissions from biomass combustion. The combustion conditions included nominal and high burn rate operation and individual combustion phases from a conventional wood stove. Low temperature pyrolysis upon fuel addition resulted in "tar-ball" type particles dominated by organic aerosol with an absorption Ångström exponent (AAE) of 2.5-2.7 and estimated Brown Carbon contributions of 50-70% to absorption at the climate relevant aethalometer-wavelength (520 nm). High temperature combustion during the intermediate (flaming) phase was dominated by soot agglomerates with AAE 1.0-1.2 and 85-100% of absorption at 520 nm attributed to Black Carbon. Intense photochemical processing of high burn rate flaming combustion emissions in an oxidation flow reactor led to strong formation of Secondary Organic Aerosol, with no or weak absorption. PM1 mass emission factors (mg/kg) of fresh emissions were about an order of magnitude higher for low temperature pyrolysis compared to high temperature combustion. However, emission factors describing the absorption cross section emitted per kg of fuel consumed (m(2)/kg) were of similar magnitude at 520 nm for the diverse combustion conditions investigated in this study. These results provide a link between biomass combustion conditions, emitted particle types, and their optical properties in fresh and processed plumes which can be of value for source apportionment and balanced mitigation of biomass combustion emissions from a climate and health perspective.

Experimental and theoretical study of combustion jet ignition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, D. Y.; Ghoniem, A. F.; Oppenheim, A. K.

1983-01-01

A combustion jet ignition system was developed to generate turbulent jets of combustion products containing free radicals and to discharge them as ignition sources into a combustible medium. In order to understand the ignition and the inflammation processes caused by combustion jets, the studies of the fluid mechanical properties of turbulent jets with and without combustion were conducted theoretically and experimentally. Experiments using a specially designed igniter, with a prechamber to build up and control the stagnation pressure upstream of the orifice, were conducted to investigate the formation processes of turbulent jets of combustion products. The penetration speed of combustion jets has been found to be constant initially and then decreases monotonically as turbulent jets of combustion products travel closer to the wall. This initial penetration speed to combustion jets is proportional to the initial stagnation pressure upstream of the orifice for the same stoichiometric mixture. Computer simulations by Chorin's Random Vortex Method implemented with the flame propagation algorithm for the theoretical model of turbulent jets with and without combustion were performed to study the turbulent jet flow field. In the formation processes of the turbulent jets, the large-scale eddy structure of turbulence, the so-called coherent structure, dominates the entrainment and mixing processes. The large-scale eddy structure of turbulent jets in this study is constructed by a series of vortex pairs, which are organized in the form of a staggered array of vortex clouds generating local recirculation flow patterns.

Numerical Study on Wake Flow Field Characteristic of the Base-Bleed Unit under Fast Depressurization Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xue, Xiaochun; Yu, Yonggang

2017-04-01

Numerical analyses have been performed to study the influence of fast depressurization on the wake flow field of the base-bleed unit (BBU) with a secondary combustion when the base-bleed projectile is propelled out of the muzzle. Two-dimensional axisymmetric Navier-Stokes equations for a multi-component chemically reactive system is solved by Fortran program to calculate the couplings of the internal flow field and wake flow field with consideration of the combustion of the base-bleed propellant and secondary combustion effect. Based on the comparison with the experiments, the unsteady variation mechanism and secondary combustion characteristic of wake flow field under fast depressurization process is obtained numerically. The results show that in the fast depressurization process, the variation extent of the base pressure of the BBU is larger in first 0.9 ms and then decreases gradually and after 1.5 ms, it remains basically stable. The pressure and temperature of the base-bleed combustion chamber experience the decrease and pickup process. Moreover, after the pressure and temperature decrease to the lowest point, the phenomenon that the external gases are flowing back into the base-bleed combustion chamber appears. Also, with the decrease of the initial pressure, the unsteady process becomes shorter and the temperature gradient in the base-bleed combustion chamber declines under the fast depressurization process, which benefits the combustion of the base-bleed propellant.

Simulation study on combustion of biomass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, M. L.; Liu, X.; Cheng, J. W.; Liu, Y.; Jin, Y. A.

2017-01-01

Biomass combustion is the most common energy conversion technology, offering the advantages of low cost, low risk and high efficiency. In this paper, the transformation and transfer of biomass in the process of combustion are discussed in detail. The process of furnace combustion and gas phase formation was analyzed by numerical simulation. The experimental results not only help to optimize boiler operation and realize the efficient combustion of biomass, but also provide theoretical basis for the improvement of burner technology.

The Fundamental Principles of High-speed Semi-diesel Engines. Part I: a General Discussion of the Subject of Fuel Injection in Diesel Engines and Detailed Descriptions of Many Types of Injection Nozzles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buchner,

1926-01-01

Three questions relating to the technical progress in the utilization of heavy oils are discussed. The first question considers solid injection in high-speed automobile engines, the second concerns the development of the hot-bulb engine, and the third question relates to the need for a more thorough investigation of the processes on which the formatation of combustible, rapidly-burning mixtures depend.

Chapter 6: Thermal properties, combustion, and fire retardancy of wood

Treesearch

Roger M. Rowell; Mark A. Dietenberger

2013-01-01

One of the greatest assets of cellulosic resources is their compatibility with nature, including their combustibility and degradability which allow for constant turnover and regeneration of these natural resources. A fundamental understanding of these properties and possible methods for controlling them is essential for protection and better utilization of these...

40 CFR 63.9983 - Are any EGUs not subject to this subpart?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

..., recirculated flue gases or exhaust gases from other sources (such as stationary gas turbines, internal... subject to this subpart. (a) Any unit designated as a stationary combustion turbine, other than an... utility steam generating unit that is not a coal- or oil-fired EGU and combusts natural gas for more than...

40 CFR 63.9983 - Are any EGUs not subject to this subpart?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

..., recirculated flue gases or exhaust gases from other sources (such as stationary gas turbines, internal... subject to this subpart. (a) Any unit designated as a stationary combustion turbine, other than an... utility steam generating unit that is not a coal- or oil-fired EGU and combusts natural gas for more than...

40 CFR 63.9983 - Are any EGUs not subject to this subpart?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

..., recirculated flue gases or exhaust gases from other sources (such as stationary gas turbines, internal... subject to this subpart. (a) Any unit designated as a stationary combustion turbine, other than an... utility steam generating unit that is not a coal- or oil-fired EGU and combusts natural gas for more than...

Characterization of Coal Combustion Residues from Electric Utilities Using Wet Scrubbers for Multi-Pollutant Control

EPA Science Inventory

This report evaluates changes that may occur to coal combustion residues (CCRs) in response to changes in air pollution control technology at coal-fired power plants, which will reduce emissions from the flue gas stack by transferring pollutants to fly ash and other air pollution...

40 CFR 63.7575 - What definitions apply to this subpart?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... controlled flame combustion and having the primary purpose of recovering thermal energy in the form of steam... on its floor. Electric utility steam generating unit means a fossil fuel-fired combustion unit of more than 25 megawatts that serves a generator that produces electricity for sale. A fossil fuel-fired...

40 CFR 63.7575 - What definitions apply to this subpart?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... controlled flame combustion and having the primary purpose of recovering thermal energy in the form of steam... on its floor. Electric utility steam generating unit means a fossil fuel-fired combustion unit of more than 25 megawatts that serves a generator that produces electricity for sale. A fossil fuel-fired...

THREE STAGE COMBUSTION (REBURNING) TEST RESULTS FROM A 300 MW BOILER IN THE UKRAINE

EPA Science Inventory

The paper gives results of a program to design, install, and test a natural gas three-stage combustion (reburn) system on a 300-MWe, opposed-wall, wetbottom (slagging) coal-fired utility boiler operating in the Ukraine. The U. S. EPA sponsored this-program in support of a working...

Relative Economic Merits of Storage and Combustion Turbines for Meeting Peak Capacity Requirements under Increased Penetration of Solar Photovoltaics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Denholm, Paul; Diakov, Victor; Margolis, Robert

Batteries with several hours of capacity provide an alternative to combustion turbines for meeting peak capacity requirements. Even when compared to state-of-the-art highly flexible combustion turbines, batteries can provide a greater operational value, which is reflected in a lower system-wide production cost. By shifting load and providing operating reserves, batteries can reduce the cost of operating the power system to a traditional electric utility. This added value means that, depending on battery life, batteries can have a higher cost than a combustion turbine of equal capacity and still produce a system with equal or lower overall life-cycle cost. For amore » utility considering investing in new capacity, the cost premium for batteries is highly sensitive to a variety of factors, including lifetime, natural gas costs, PV penetration, and grid generation mix. In addition, as PV penetration increases, the net electricity demand profile changes, which may reduce the amount of battery energy capacity needed to reliably meet peak demand.« less

Evolution of Submicrometer Organic Aerosols during a Complete Residential Coal Combustion Process.

PubMed

Zhou, Wei; Jiang, Jingkun; Duan, Lei; Hao, Jiming

2016-07-19

In the absence of particulate matter (PM) control devices, residential coal combustion contributes significantly to ambient PM pollution. Characterizing PM emissions from residential coal combustion with high time resolution is beneficial for developing control policies and evaluating the environmental impact of PM. This study reports the evolution of submicrometer organic aerosols (OA) during a complete residential coal combustion process, that is, from fire start to fire extinction. Three commonly used coal types (bituminous, anthracite, and semicoke coals) were evaluated in a typical residential stove in China. For all three types of coal, the OA emission exhibited distinct characteristics in the four stages, that is, ignition, fierce combustion, relatively stable combustion, and ember combustion. OA emissions during the ignition stage accounted for 58.2-85.4% of the total OA emission of a complete combustion process. The OA concentration decreased rapidly during the fierce combustion stage and remained low during the relatively stable combustion stage. During these two stages, a significant ion peak of m/z 73 from organic acids were observed. The degree of oxidation of the OA increased from the first stage to the last stage. Implications for ambient OA source-apportionment and residential PM emission characterization and control are discussed.

Tripropellant combustion process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kmiec, T. D.; Carroll, R. G.

1988-01-01

The addition of small amounts of hydrogen to the combustion of LOX/hydrocarbon propellants in large rocket booster engines has the potential to enhance the system stability. Programs being conducted to evaluate the effects of hydrogen on the combustion of LOX/hydrocarbon propellants at supercritical pressures are described. Combustion instability has been a problem during the development of large hydrocarbon fueled rocket engines. At the higher combustion chamber pressures expected for the next generation of booster engines, the effect of unstable combustion could be even more destructive. The tripropellant engine cycle takes advantage of the superior cooling characteristics of hydrogen to cool the combustion chamber and a small amount of the hydrogen coolant can be used in the combustion process to enhance the system stability. Three aspects of work that will be accomplished to evaluate tripropellant combustion are described. The first is laboratory demonstration of the benefits through the evaluation of drop size, ignition delay and burning rate. The second is analytical modeling of the combustion process using the empirical relationship determined in the laboratory. The third is a subscale demonstration in which the system stability will be evaluated. The approach for each aspect is described and the analytical models that will be used are presented.

Process for recovering products from oil shale

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jacobs, H.R.; Udell, K.S.

A process is claimed for recovering hydrocarbon products from a body of fragmented or rubblized oil shale. The process includes initiating a combustion zone adjacent the lower end of a body of oil shale and using the thermal energy therefrom for volatilizing the shale oil from the oil shale above the combustion front. Improved recovery of hydrocarbon products is realized by refluxing the heavier fractions in the volatilized shale oil. The heavier fractions are refluxed by condensing the heavier fractions and allowing the resulting condensate to flow downwardly toward the combustion front. Thermal energy from the combustion zone cracks themore » condensate producing additional lower molecular weight fractions and a carbonaceous residue. The carbonaceous residue is burned in the combustion front to supply the thermal energy. The temperature of the combustion front is maintained by regulating input of oxygen to the combustion zone. The process also includes sweeping the volatilized products from the rubblized oil shale with a noncombustible gas. The flow rate of sweep gas is also controlled to regulate the temperature of the combustion front. The recovered products can be enriched with hydrogen by using water vapor as part of the noncombustible sweep gas and cracking the water vapor with the hot carbon in the combustion front to produce hydrogen and an oxide of carbon.« less

Effect of Electric Field in the Stabilized Premixed Flame on Combustion Process Emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Otto, Krickis

2017-10-01

The effect of the AC and DC electrical field on combustion processes has been investigated by various researchers. The results of these experiments do not always correlate, due to different experiment conditions and experiment equipment variations. The observed effects of the electrical field impact on the combustion process depends on the applied voltage polarity, flame speed and combustion physics. During the experiment was defined that starting from 1000 V the ionic wind takes the effect on emissions in flue gases, flame shape and combustion instabilities. Simulation combustion process in hermetically sealed chamber with excess oxygen amount 3 % in flue gases showed that the positive effect of electrical field on emissions lies in region from 30 to 400 V. In aforementioned voltage range carbon monoxide emissions were reduced by 6 % and at the same time the nitrogen oxide emissions were increased by 3.5 %.

Environmental investigation on co-combustion of sewage sludge and coal gangue: SO2, NOx and trace elements emissions.

PubMed

Yang, Zhenzhou; Zhang, Yingyi; Liu, Lili; Wang, Xidong; Zhang, Zuotai

2016-04-01

To promote the utilization of waste material as alternative fuel, the mono- and co-combustion characteristics of sewage sludge (SS) and coal gangue (CG) were systematically investigated, with emphasis on environmental influences. The emission of SO2, NOx as well as the trace elements during combustion of SS and CG were studied with regard to the effects of their chemistries, structures and interactions. Results showed that co-combustion can be beneficial for ignition performance. A synergic effect on both desulfurization and denitrification can be expected at ca. 800°C. Further, an enhanced retention of trace elements during co-combustion was also observed, especially for Pb and Zn. On the basis of the results, it can be expected that, with proper operation, co-combustion of SS and CG can be a promising method for the disposal of these two wastes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thermochemical recovery of heat contained in flue gases by means of bioethanol conversion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pashchenko, D. I.

2013-06-01

In the present paper consideration is being given to the use of bioethanol in the schemes of thermochemical recovery of heat contained in exit flue gases. Schematic diagrams illustrate the realization of thermochemical heat recovery by implementing ethanol steam conversion and conversion of ethanol by means of products of its complete combustion. The feasibility of attaining a high degree of recovery of heat contained in flue gases at the moderate temperature (up to 450°C) of combustion components is demonstrated in the example of the energy balance of the system for thermochemical heat recovery. The simplified thermodynamic analysis of the process of ethanol steam conversion was carried out in order to determine possible ranges of variation of process variables (temperature, pressure, composition) of a reaction mixture providing the efficient heat utilization. It was found that at the temperature above 600 K the degree of ethanol conversion is near unity. The equilibrium composition of products of reaction of ethanol steam conversion has been identified for different temperatures at which the process occurs at the ratio H2O/EtOH = 1 and at the pressure of 0.1 MPa. The obtained results of calculation agree well with the experimental data.

Lump wood combustion process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kubesa, Petr; Horák, Jiří; Branc, Michal; Krpec, Kamil; Hopan, František; Koloničný, Jan; Ochodek, Tadeáš; Drastichová, Vendula; Martiník, Lubomír; Malcho, Milan

2014-08-01

The article deals with the combustion process for lump wood in low-power fireplaces (units to dozens of kW). Such a combustion process is cyclical in its nature, and what combustion facility users are most interested in is the frequency, at which fuel needs to be stoked to the fireplace. The paper defines the basic terms such as burnout curve and burning rate curve, which are closely related to the stocking frequency. The fuel burning rate is directly dependent on the immediate thermal power of the fireplace. This is also related to the temperature achieved in the fireplace, magnitude of flue gas losses and the ability to generate conditions favouring the full burnout of the fuel's combustible component, which, at once ensures the minimum production of combustible pollutants. Another part of the paper describes experiments conducted in traditional fireplaces with a grate, at which well-dried lump wood was combusted.

Rapid prototype fabrication processes for high-performance thrust cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hunt, K.; Chwiedor, T.; Diab, J.; Williams, R.

1994-01-01

The Thrust Cell Technologies Program (Air Force Phillips Laboratory Contract No. F04611-92-C-0050) is currently being performed by Rocketdyne to demonstrate advanced materials and fabrication technologies which can be utilized to produce low-cost, high-performance thrust cells for launch and space transportation rocket engines. Under Phase 2 of the Thrust Cell Technologies Program (TCTP), rapid prototyping and investment casting techniques are being employed to fabricate a 12,000-lbf thrust class combustion chamber for delivery and hot-fire testing at Phillips Lab. The integrated process of investment casting directly from rapid prototype patterns dramatically reduces design-to-delivery cycle time, and greatly enhances design flexibility over conventionally processed cast or machined parts.

Solids fluidizer-injector

DOEpatents

Bulicz, T.R.

1990-04-17

An apparatus and process are described for fluidizing solid particles by causing rotary motion of the solid particles in a fluidizing chamber by a plurality of rotating projections extending from a rotatable cylinder end wall interacting with a plurality of fixed projections extending from an opposite fixed end wall and passing the solid particles through a radial feed orifice open to the solids fluidizing chamber on one side and a solid particle utilization device on the other side. The apparatus and process are particularly suited for obtaining intermittent feeding with continual solids supply to the fluidizing chamber. The apparatus and process are suitable for injecting solid particles, such as coal, to an internal combustion engine. 3 figs.

Ignition and combustion of bulk metals in a microgravity environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Branch, Melvyn C.; Daily, J. W.; Abbud-Madrid, Angel

1994-01-01

Knowledge of the oxidation, ignition, and combustion of bulk metals is important for fire safety in the production, management, and utilization of liquid and gaseous oxygen for ground based and space applications. This report summarizes research under NASA support to investigate the ignition and combustion characteristics of bulk metals under varying gravity conditions. Metal ignition and combustion have not been studied previously under these conditions and the results are important not only for improved fire safety but also to increase knowledge of basic ignition and combustion mechanisms. The studies completed to date have led to the development of a clean and reproducible ignition source and diagnostic techniques for combustion measurements and have provided normal gravity combustion data on ten different pure metals. Metal specimens were ignited using a xenon short-arc lamp and measurements were made of the radiant energy flux, surface temperature history, spectroscopy of surface and gas products, and surface morphology and chemistry. Elevated gravity was provided by the University of Colorado Geotechnical Centrifuge.

A practical approach in porous medium combustion for domestic application: A review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ismail, A. K.; Ibrahim, N. H.; Shamsuddin, K. A.; Abdullah, M. Z.; Zubair, M.

2018-05-01

Combustion in porous media has been widely studied. Many application involving the combustion of porous media has been reported in various way with most consider on numerical works and industrial application. Besides, recent application of porous medium combustion for domestic is the topic of interest among researchers. In this paper, a review was conducted on the combustion of porous media in term of practical application for domestic consumers. Details on the type of fuel used including bio fuel and their system have been search thoroughly. Most of the system have utilized compressed air system to provide lean combustion in domestic application. Some self-aspirating system of porous medium burner was also reported. The application of new technology such as cogeneration by using thermoelectric cells in tandem with porous medium combustion is also revised according to recent work which have already been published. Besides, the recent advances which include coating of porous material is also considered at the end of this paper.

Method and apparatus for hydrocarbon recovery from tar sands

DOEpatents

Westhoff, J.D.; Harak, A.E.

1988-05-04

A method and apparatus for utilizing tar sands having a broad range of bitumen content is disclosed. More particularly, tar sands are pyrolyzed in a cyclone retort with high temperature gases recycled from the cyclone retort to produce oil and hydrocarbon products. The spent tar sands are then burned at 2000/degree/F in a burner to remove residual char and produce a solid waste that is easily disposable. The process and apparatus have the advantages of being able to utilize tar sands having a broad range of bitumen content and the advantage of producing product gases that are free from combustion gases and thereby have a higher heating value. Another important advantage is rapid pyrolysis of the tar sands in the cyclone so as to effectively utilize smaller sized reactor vessels for reducing capitol and operating costs. 1 fig., 1 tab.

Method and apparatus for hydrocarbon recovery from tar sands

DOEpatents

Westhoff, James D.; Harak, Arnold E.

1989-01-01

A method and apparatus for utilizing tar sands having a broad range of bitumen content is disclosed. More particularly, tar sands are pyrolyzed in a cyclone retort with high temperature gases recycled from the cyclone retort to produce oil and hydrocarbon products. The spent tar sands are then burned at 2000.degree. F. in a burner to remove residual char and produce a solid waste that is easily disposable. The process and apparatus have the advantages of being able to utilize tar sands having a broad range of bitumen content and the advantage of producing product gases that are free from combustion gases and thereby have a higher heating value. Another important advantage is rapid pyrolysis of the tar sands in the cyclone so as to effectively utilize smaller sized reactor vessels for reducing capitol and operating costs.

Application of neural network in the study of combustion rate of natural gas/diesel dual fuel engine.

PubMed

Yan, Zhao-Da; Zhou, Chong-Guang; Su, Shi-Chuan; Liu, Zhen-Tao; Wang, Xi-Zhen

2003-01-01

In order to predict and improve the performance of natural gas/diesel dual fuel engine (DFE), a combustion rate model based on forward neural network was built to study the combustion process of the DFE. The effect of the operating parameters on combustion rate was also studied by means of this model. The study showed that the predicted results were good agreement with the experimental data. It was proved that the developed combustion rate model could be used to successfully predict and optimize the combustion process of dual fuel engine.

40 CFR 98.183 - Calculating GHG emissions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Stationary Fuel Combustion Sources). (2) Calculate and report process and combustion CO2 emissions separately... calculate and report the annual process CO2 emissions from each smelting furnace using the procedure in... § 98.33(b)(4)(ii) or (b)(4)(iii), you must calculate and report combined process and combustion CO2...

40 CFR 98.183 - Calculating GHG emissions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Stationary Fuel Combustion Sources). (2) Calculate and report process and combustion CO2 emissions separately... calculate and report the annual process CO2 emissions from each smelting furnace using the procedure in... § 98.33(b)(4)(ii) or (b)(4)(iii), you must calculate and report combined process and combustion CO2...

40 CFR 98.183 - Calculating GHG emissions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Stationary Fuel Combustion Sources). (2) Calculate and report process and combustion CO2 emissions separately... calculate and report the annual process CO2 emissions from each smelting furnace using the procedure in... § 98.33(b)(4)(ii) or (b)(4)(iii), you must calculate and report combined process and combustion CO2...

40 CFR 98.183 - Calculating GHG emissions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Stationary Fuel Combustion Sources). (2) Calculate and report process and combustion CO2 emissions separately... calculate and report the annual process CO2 emissions from each smelting furnace using the procedure in... § 98.33(b)(4)(ii) or (b)(4)(iii), you must calculate and report combined process and combustion CO2...

40 CFR 63.491 - Batch front-end process vents-recordkeeping requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... (b)(2): (i) For an incinerator or non-combustion control device, the percent reduction of organic HAP... the process vent stream is introduced with combustion air or is used as a secondary fuel and is not... combustion device to control halogenated batch front-end process vents or halogenated aggregate batch vent...

Environmentally-benign conversion of biomass residues to electricity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davies, Andrew

As petroleum resources are finite, it is imperative to use them wisely in energy conversion applications and, at the same time, develop alternative energy sources. Biomass is one of the renewable energy sources that can be used to partially replace fossil fuels. Biomass-based fuels can be produced domestically and can reduce dependency on fuel imports. Due to their abundant supply, and given that to an appreciable extent they can be considered carbon-neutral, their use for power generation is of technological interest. However, whereas biomasses can be directly burned in furnaces, such a conventional direct combustion technique is ill-controlled and typically produces considerable amounts of health-hazardous airborne compounds [1,2]. Thus, an alternative technology for biomass utilization is described herein to address increasing energy needs in an environmentally-benign manner. More specifically, a multi-step process/device is presented to accept granulated or pelletized biomass, and generate an easily-identifiable form of energy as a final product. To achieve low emissions of products of incomplete combustion, the biomass is gasified pyrolytically, mixed with air, ignited and, finally, burned in nominally premixed low-emission flames. Combustion is thus indirect, since the biomass is not directly burned, instead its gaseous pyrolyzates are burned upon mixing with air. Thereby, combustion is well-controlled and can be complete. A demonstration device has been constructed to convert the internal energy of plastics into "clean" thermal energy and, eventually to electricity.

The adaption of coal quality to furnace structure

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, Z.; Shun, X.

1996-12-31

This paper gives the research result of coal quality adaption to furnace structure. The designing of a furnace is based on the coal quality that the furnace would fire. If the coal fired in the furnace differs from the design coal, there would be a lot of problems such as flame stability, coal burn-out rate and slagging problem for the furnace during its operation. In order to know the adaptional range of coal quality for an existing furnace the authors had chosen three different furnaces and 18 kinds of coals in their research work. To understand the coal combustion characteristicsmore » they introduce different indexes to show different processes of coal combustion. These indexes include Fz index which demonstrates the coal combustion based on its utility analyzed result, flame stability index, combustion characteristic index and char burn-out index which are based on the analyzed result of thermogravimetric characteristic. As a furnace is built up and set into operation its flame stability, burn-out rate and ash deposition are definite. If a furnace`s fuel changes its structure characteristics and operation condition will change. A relation between coal quality to furnace structure is based on a lot of regressional analysis results of existing furnaces and their fuels. Based on this relation the adaption of coal quality for a furnace are defined and the kinds of coal furnace fired are optimized to its design fuel.« less

Performance of a flameless combustion furnace using biogas and natural gas.

PubMed

Colorado, A F; Herrera, B A; Amell, A A

2010-04-01

Flameless combustion technology has proved to be flexible regarding the utilization of conventional fuels. This flexibility is associated with the main characteristic of the combustion regime, which is the mixing of the reactants above the autoignition temperature of the fuel. Flameless combustion advantages when using conventional fuels are a proven fact. However, it is necessary to assess thermal equipments performance when utilizing bio-fuels, which usually are obtained from biomass gasification and the excreta of animals in bio-digesters. The effect of using biogas on the performance of an experimental furnace equipped with a self-regenerative Flameless burner is reported in this paper. All the results were compared to the performance of the system fueled with natural gas. Results showed that temperature field and uniformity are similar for both fuels; although biogas temperatures were slightly lower due to the larger amount of inert gases (CO(2)) in its composition that cool down the reactions. Species patterns and pollutant emissions showed similar trends and values for both fuels, and the energy balance for biogas showed a minor reduction of the efficiency of the furnace; this confirms that Flameless combustion is highly flexible to burn conventional and diluted fuels. Important modifications on the burner were not necessary to run the system using biogas. Additionally, in order to highlight the advantages of the Flameless combustion regime, some comparisons of the burner performance working in Flameless mode and working in conventional mode are presented. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

LES/FMDF of turbulent jet ignition in a rapid compression machine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Validi, Abdoulahad; Schock, Harold; Toulson, Elisa; Jaberi, Farhad; CFD; Engine Research Labs, Michigan State University Collaboration

2015-11-01

Turbulent Jet Ignition (TJI) is an efficient method for initiating and controlling combustion in combustion systems, e.g. internal combustion engines. It enables combustion in ultra-lean mixtures by utilizing hot product turbulent jets emerging from a pre-chamber combustor as the ignition source for the main combustion chamber. Here, we study the TJI-assisted ignition and combustion of lean methane-air mixtures in a Rapid Compression Machine (RCM) for various flow/combustion conditions with the hybrid large eddy simulation/filtered mass density function (LES/FMDF) computational model. In the LES/FMDF model, the filtered form of compressible Navier-Stokes equations are solved with a high-order finite difference scheme for the turbulent velocity, while the FMDF transport equation is solved with a Lagrangian stochastic method to obtain the scalar (species mass fraction and temperature) field. The LES/FMDF data are used to study the physics of TJI and combustion in RCM. The results show the very complex behavior of the reacting flow and the flame structure in the pre-chamber and RCM.

Technology for Transient Simulation of Vibration during Combustion Process in Rocket Thruster

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zubanov, V. M.; Stepanov, D. V.; Shabliy, L. S.

2018-01-01

The article describes the technology for simulation of transient combustion processes in the rocket thruster for determination of vibration frequency occurs during combustion. The engine operates on gaseous propellant: oxygen and hydrogen. Combustion simulation was performed using the ANSYS CFX software. Three reaction mechanisms for the stationary mode were considered and described in detail. The way for obtaining quick CFD-results with intermediate combustion components using an EDM model was found. The way to generate the Flamelet library with CFX-RIF was described. A technique for modeling transient combustion processes in the rocket thruster was proposed based on the Flamelet library. A cyclic irregularity of the temperature field like vortex core precession was detected in the chamber. Frequency of flame precession was obtained with the proposed simulation technique.

Low Cost Upper Stage-Class Propulsion (LCUSP)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vickers, John

2015-01-01

NASA is making space exploration more affordable and viable by developing and utilizing innovative manufacturing technologies. Technology development efforts at NASA in propulsion are committed to continuous innovation of design and manufacturing technologies for rocket engines in order to reduce the cost of NASA's journey to Mars. The Low Cost Upper Stage-Class Propulsion (LCUSP) effort will develop and utilize emerging Additive Manufacturing (AM) to significantly reduce the development time and cost for complex rocket propulsion hardware. Benefit of Additive Manufacturing (3-D Printing) Current rocket propulsion manufacturing techniques are costly and have lengthy development times. In order to fabricate rocket engines, numerous complex parts made of different materials are assembled in a way that allow the propellant to collect heat at the right places to drive the turbopump and simultaneously keep the thrust chamber from melting. The heat conditioned fuel and oxidizer come together and burn inside the combustion chamber to provide thrust. The efforts to make multiple parts precisely fit together and not leak after experiencing cryogenic temperatures on one-side and combustion temperatures on the other is quite challenging. Additive manufacturing has the potential to significantly reduce the time and cost of making rocket parts like the copper liner and Nickel-alloy jackets found in rocket combustion chambers where super-cold cryogenic propellants are heated and mixed to the extreme temperatures needed to propel rockets in space. The Selective Laser Melting (SLM) machine fuses 8,255 layers of copper powder to make a section of the chamber in 10 days. Machining an equivalent part and assembling it with welding and brazing techniques could take months to accomplish with potential failures or leaks that could require fixes. The design process is also enhanced since it does not require the 3D model to be converted to 2-D drawings. The design and fabrication process can be sped up and improved with fewer errors to be accomplished in weeks instead of months.

Coal Combustion Wastes Reuse in Low Energy Artificial Aggregates Manufacturing.

PubMed

Ferone, Claudio; Colangelo, Francesco; Messina, Francesco; Iucolano, Fabio; Liguori, Barbara; Cioffi, Raffaele

2013-10-31

Sustainable building material design relies mostly on energy saving processes, decrease of raw materials consumption, and increase of waste and by-products recycling. Natural and lightweight artificial aggregates production implies relevant environmental impact. This paper addresses both the issues of residues recycling and energy optimization. Particularly, three coal combustion wastes (Weathered Fly Ash, WFA; Wastewater Treatment Sludge, WTS; Desulfurization Device Sludge, DDS) supplied by the Italian electric utility company (ENEL) have been employed in the manufacture of cold bonded artificial aggregates. Previously, the residues have been characterized in terms of chemical and mineralogical compositions, water content, particle size distribution, and heavy metal release behavior. These wastes have been used in the mix design of binding systems with the only addition of lime. Finally, the artificial aggregates have been submitted to physical, mechanical, and leaching testing, revealing that they are potentially suitable for many civil engineering applications.

Abstracts: Energy Sciences programs, January--December 1978

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

This report presents abstracts of all publications in the Energy Sciences programs of the Department of Energy and Environment from January 1, 1978 through December 31, 1978. It is a companion report to Annual Highlights of Programs in Energy Sciences - (December 1978, BNL 50973). Together, they present scientific and/or technical highlights of the Energy Sciences programs for the past calendar year, detailed descriptions of all the programs, and the publication issuing from the work performed. The following are some of the topics included: porphyrin chemistry; chemistry of energetic compounds; combustion; coal utilization; metal hydrides; cyclic separations process research; tracemore » element analysis; materials properties and structures; radiation damage; superconducting materials; materials of construction for geothermal applications; repair of deteriorated concrete; development of glass--polymer composite sewer pipe; flash hydropyrolysis of coal; desulfurization of high-temperature combustion and fuel gases; and synthetic fuels development. (RWR)« less

Biogas utilization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moser, M.A.

1996-01-01

Options for successfully using biogas depend on project scale. Almost all biogas from anaerobic digesters must first go through a gas handling system that pressurizes, meters, and filters the biogas. Additional treatment, including hydrogen sulfide-mercaptan scrubbing, gas drying, and carbon dioxide removal may be necessary for specialized uses, but these are complex and expensive processes. Thus, they can be justified only for large-scale projects that require high-quality biogas. Small-scale projects (less than 65 cfm) generally use biogas (as produced) as a boiler fuel or for fueling internal combustion engine-generators to produce electricity. If engines or boilers are selected properly, theremore » should be no need to remove hydrogen sulfide. Small-scale combustion turbines, steam turbines, and fuel cells are not used because of their technical complexity and high capital cost. Biogas cleanup to pipeline or transportation fuel specifications is very costly, and energy economics preclude this level of treatment.« less

Utilization of coal mine ventilation exhaust as combustion air in gas-fired turbines for electric and/or mechanical power generation. Semi-annual topical report, June 1995--August 1995

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1995-12-01

Methane emitted during underground coal mining operations is a hazard that is dealt with by diluting the methane with fresh air and exhausting the contaminated air to the atmosphere. Unfortunately this waste stream may contain more than 60% of the methane resource from the coal, and in the atmosphere the methane acts as a greenhouse gas with an effect about 24.5 times greater than CO{sub 2}. Though the waste stream is too dilute for normal recovery processes, it can be used as combustion air for a turbine-generator, thereby reducing the turbine fuel requirements while reducing emissions. Preliminary analysis indicates thatmore » such a system, built using standard equipment, is economically and environmentally attractive, and has potential for worldwide application.« less

Coal Combustion Wastes Reuse in Low Energy Artificial Aggregates Manufacturing

PubMed Central

Ferone, Claudio; Colangelo, Francesco; Messina, Francesco; Iucolano, Fabio; Liguori, Barbara; Cioffi, Raffaele

2013-01-01

Sustainable building material design relies mostly on energy saving processes, decrease of raw materials consumption, and increase of waste and by-products recycling. Natural and lightweight artificial aggregates production implies relevant environmental impact. This paper addresses both the issues of residues recycling and energy optimization. Particularly, three coal combustion wastes (Weathered Fly Ash, WFA; Wastewater Treatment Sludge, WTS; Desulfurization Device Sludge, DDS) supplied by the Italian electric utility company (ENEL) have been employed in the manufacture of cold bonded artificial aggregates. Previously, the residues have been characterized in terms of chemical and mineralogical compositions, water content, particle size distribution, and heavy metal release behavior. These wastes have been used in the mix design of binding systems with the only addition of lime. Finally, the artificial aggregates have been submitted to physical, mechanical, and leaching testing, revealing that they are potentially suitable for many civil engineering applications. PMID:28788372

Emission of volatile organic compounds from domestic coal stove with the actual alternation of flaming and smoldering combustion processes.

PubMed

Liu, Chengtang; Zhang, Chenglong; Mu, Yujing; Liu, Junfeng; Zhang, Yuanyuan

2017-02-01

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emissions from the chimney of a prevailing domestic stove fuelled with raw bituminous coal were measured under flaming and smoldering combustion processes in a farmer's house. The results indicated that the concentrations of VOCs quickly increased after the coal loading and achieved their peak values in a few minutes. The peak concentrations of the VOCs under the smoldering combustion process were significantly higher than those under the flaming combustion process. Alkanes accounted for the largest proportion (43.05%) under the smoldering combustion, followed by aromatics (28.86%), alkenes (21.91%), carbonyls (5.81%) and acetylene (0.37%). The emission factors of the total VOCs under the smoldering combustion processes (5402.9 ± 2031.8 mg kg -1 ) were nearly one order of magnitude greater than those under the flaming combustion processes (559.2 ± 385.9 mg kg -1 ). Based on the VOCs emission factors obtained in this study and the regional domestic coal consumption, the total VOCs emissions from domestic coal stoves was roughly estimated to be 1.25 × 10 8  kg a -1 in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Wave combustors for trans-atmospheric vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Menees, Gene P.; Adelman, Henry G.; Cambier, Jean-Luc; Bowles, Jeffrey V.

1989-01-01

The Wave Combustor is an airbreathing hypersonic propulsion system which utilizes shock and detonation waves to enhance fuel-air mixing and combustion in supersonic flow. In this concept, an oblique shock wave in the combustor can act as a flameholder by increasing the pressure and temperature of the air-fuel mixture and thereby decreasing the ignition delay. If the oblique shock is sufficiently strong, then the combustion front and the shock wave can couple into a detonation wave. In this case, combustion occurs almost instantaneously in a thin zone behind the wave front. The result is a shorter, lighter engine compared to the scramjet. This engine, which is called the Oblique Detonation Wave Engine (ODWE), can then be utilized to provide a smaller, lighter vehicle or to provide a higher payload capability for a given vehicle weight. An analysis of the performance of a conceptual trans-atmospheric vehicle powered by an ODWE is given here.

Coal Gasification - section in Kirk-Othmer Concise Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, 5th Edition, 2-vol. set, July 2007, ISBN 978-0-470-04748-4, pp. 580-587

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shadle, L.J.; Berry, D.A.; Syamlal, Madhava

2007-07-01

Coal gasification is the process of reacting coal with oxygen, steam, and carbon dioxide to form a product gas containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide. Gasification is essentially incomplete combustion. The chemical and physical processes are quite similar, the main difference being the nature of the final products. From a processing point of view the main operating difference is that gasification consumes heat evolved during combustion. Under the reducing environment of gasification the sulfur in the coal is released as hydrogen sulfide rather than sulfur dioxide and the coal's nitrogen is converted mostly to ammonia rather than nitrogen oxides. These reducedmore » forms of sulfur and nitrogen are easily isolated, captured, and utilized, and thus gasification is a clean coal technology with better environmental performance than coal combustion. Depending on the type of gasifier and the operating conditions, gasification can be used to produce a fuel gas suitable for any number of applications. A low heating value fuel gas is produced from an air blown gasifier for use as an industrial fuel and for power production. A medium heating value fuel gas is produced from enriched oxygen blown gasification for use as a synthesis gas in the production of chemicals such as ammonia, methanol, and transportation fuels. A high heating value gas can be produced from shifting the medium heating value product gas over catalysts to produce a substitute or synthetic natural gas (SNG).« less

Hollow fiber-supported designer ionic liquid sponges for post-combustion CO2 scrubbing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, JS; Hillesheim, PC; Huang, DK

A proof of concept study for a new type of carbon capture system is considered for post-combustion CO2 capture based on porous hollow fiber sorbents with ionic liquids sorbed in the cell walls of the fiber. This study proves that delicate morphological features in the open-celled porous wall can be maintained during the infusion process. Mixtures of task specific ionic liquid (i.e. [BMIM][Tf2N]) and superbase (i.e. DBU) were loaded into polyamide-imide (PAI) fibers by a so-called two-step non-solvent infusion protocol. In the protocol, methanol carries ionic liquids into the pore cell walls of hollow fibers and then hexane carries superbasemore » to create an efficient CO2 sorbent. Our ionic liquid/superbase impregnation technique overcomes a serious increase in mass transfer resistance upon reaction with CO2, thereby allowing its large scale utilization for post-combustion CO2 capture. The investigation on the effect of different pore former additives (different molecular weights of polyvinylpyrrolidone, lithium nitrate, and their mixtures) suggested that a large molecular weight of PVP (M-w; 1300k) including dope composition produces highly interconnected open cell pore structures of PAI hollow fibers. Lastly, a lumen side barrier layer was successfully formed on the bore side of neat PAI fibers by using a mixture of Neoprene (R) with crosslinking agents (TSR-633) via a post-treatment process. The lumen layer will enable heat removal from the fiber sorbents during their application in rapid thermal swing cycling processes. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.« less

Stability analysis of a liquid fuel annular combustion chamber. M.S. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcdonald, G. H.

1979-01-01

The problems of combustion instability in an annular combustion chamber are investigated. A modified Galerkin method was used to produce a set of modal amplitude equations from the general nonlinear partial differential acoustic wave equation. From these modal amplitude equations, the two variable perturbation method was used to develop a set of approximate equations of a given order of magnitude. These equations were modeled to show the effects of velocity sensitive combustion instabilities by evaluating the effects of certain parameters in the given set of equations. By evaluating these effects, parameters which cause instabilities to occur in the combustion chamber can be ascertained. It is assumed that in the annular combustion chamber, the liquid propellants are injected uniformly across the injector face, the combustion processes are distributed throughout the combustion chamber, and that no time delay occurs in the combustion processes.

Combustion characteristics of eastern white pine bark and Douglas fir planer shavings. Technical Progress Report No. 5, September 16, 1977--September 15, 1978

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Junge, D.C.

1978-12-01

Significant quantities of wood residue fuels are presently being used in industrial steam generating facilities. Recent studies indicate that substantial additional quantities of wood residue fuels are available for energy generation in the form of steam and/or electricity. A limited data base on the combustion characteristics of wood residue fuels has resulted in the installation and operation of inefficient combustion systems for these fuels. This investigation of the combustion characteristics of wood residue fuels was undertaken to provide a data base which could be used to optimize the combustion of such fuels. Optimization of the combustion process in industrial boilersmore » serves to improve combustion efficiency and to reduce air pollutant emissions generated in the combustion process. Data are presented on the combustion characteristics of eastern white pine bark mixed with Douglas fir planer shavings.« less

Effect of Binder on Combustion Quality on EFB Bio-briquettes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Handra, Nofriady; Hafni

2017-12-01

Energy demand in various sectors in Indonesia has increased in line with the rate of population growth and the national economy. Fulfillment of energy needs can be obtained from various energy sources such as fuel oil, solar, biomass, wind, water and others. So far, energy sources used in Indonesia are still using many non-renewable energy sources, such as fuel oil. The utilization of waste from empty palm oil bunches into bio-briquettes has helped the government in overcoming the problem of EFB waste. The availability of biomass has prompted researchers to utilize biomass waste that includes Agricultural and Forestry waste, to be processed into briquettes as an alternative energy substitute for fuel oil. This research aims to improve the utilization of waste of Palm Oil Bunches through the manufacture of bio-briquette as alternative fuel and determine the appropriate binder material for briquette making so as to produce optimal combustion value. The binders used for the manufacture of briquettes are pine sap and starch flour. The test result showed that the highest value of calorific was found in the mixture of 50% EFB composition with fibre size ± 1-5 mm with 50% pine resin which is 6331,7 cal/g. Meanwhile, lowest value on EFB ± with fibre size 5-10 mm composition EFB 60% and 40% starch flour binder that is 2295,7 cal/g. The results of a flame test study of several points that are known to turn on until it emits a flame for ± 30 seconds, it takes 22,2 minutes for the burnt-out briquette (to ashes). Based on visual observations that the fire colour of bio-briquette with finer fibre on the EFB composition 50% pine gum binder produces a bluish red fire colour. It is generally assumed that pine resin glues produce better fuel value compared to starch binder. Besides that, fibre particles size also affects the combustion quality produced.

Active Combustion Control for Aircraft Gas-Turbine Engines-Experimental Results for an Advanced, Low-Emissions Combustor Prototype

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeLaat, John C.; Kopasakis, George; Saus, Joseph R.; Chang, Clarence T.; Wey, Changlie

2012-01-01

Lean combustion concepts for aircraft engine combustors are prone to combustion instabilities. Mitigation of instabilities is an enabling technology for these low-emissions combustors. NASA Glenn Research Center s prior activity has demonstrated active control to suppress a high-frequency combustion instability in a combustor rig designed to emulate an actual aircraft engine instability experience with a conventional, rich-front-end combustor. The current effort is developing further understanding of the problem specifically as applied to future lean-burning, very low-emissions combustors. A prototype advanced, low-emissions aircraft engine combustor with a combustion instability has been identified and previous work has characterized the dynamic behavior of that combustor prototype. The combustor exhibits thermoacoustic instabilities that are related to increasing fuel flow and that potentially prevent full-power operation. A simplified, non-linear oscillator model and a more physics-based sectored 1-D dynamic model have been developed to capture the combustor prototype s instability behavior. Utilizing these models, the NASA Adaptive Sliding Phasor Average Control (ASPAC) instability control method has been updated for the low-emissions combustor prototype. Active combustion instability suppression using the ASPAC control method has been demonstrated experimentally with this combustor prototype in a NASA combustion test cell operating at engine pressures, temperatures, and flows. A high-frequency fuel valve was utilized to perturb the combustor fuel flow. Successful instability suppression was shown using a dynamic pressure sensor in the combustor for controller feedback. Instability control was also shown with a pressure feedback sensor in the lower temperature region upstream of the combustor. It was also demonstrated that the controller can prevent the instability from occurring while combustor operation was transitioning from a stable, low-power condition to a normally unstable high-power condition, thus enabling the high-power condition.

EMISSIONS AND COST ESTIMATES FOR GLOBALLY SIGNIFICANT ANTHROPOGENIC COMBUSTION SOURCES OF NOX, N2O, CH4, CO AND CO2

EPA Science Inventory

The report discusses the development of emission factors for CO2, CO, CH4, NOx, and N2O for about 80 globally significant combustion sources in seven source categories: utility, industrial, fuel production, transportation, residential, commercial, and kilns/ovens/dryers. ecause o...

ASSESSMENTS OF FUTURE ENVIRONMENTAL TRENDS AND PROBLEMS OF INCREASED USE, RECYCLING, AND COMBUSTION OF FIBER-REINFORCED, PLASTIC AND METAL COMPOSITE MATERIALS

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of the study is to identify and define future environmental concerns related to the projected utilization, recycling, and combustion of composite materials. The study is being conducted for the Office of Strategic Assessment and Special Studies (OSASS) of the U.S. Env...

Synergistic Effect of Co-utilization of Coal and Biomass Char: An Overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paiman, M. E. S.; Hamzah, N. S.; Idris, S. S.; Rahman, N. A.; Ismail, K.

2018-05-01

Global concerns on impact of greenhouse gases emission, mostly released from coal-fired power plant, and the depletion of fossil fuel particularly coal, has led the production of electricity from alternatives resources such as co-utilization technologies. Previous studies proved that the co-utilization of coal and biomass/biomass chars has significantly reduced the emission of greenhouse gases either during the pyrolysis, combustion or gasification process in laboratories, pilots as well as in the industrial scales. Interestingly, most of the studies reported the presence of synergistic effect during the co-utilization processes particularly between coal and biomass char while some are not. Biomass chars were found to have porous and highly disorder carbon structure and belong to the class of most reactive carbon material, resulting to be more reactive than those hard coal and lignite. Up to date, microwave assisted pyrolysis is one of the best and latest techniques employed to produce better quality of biomass chars and it is also reduce the processing cost. Lot of works has been done regarding on the existence of synergistic effects during its co-utilization. However, the knowledge is limited to thermal and product characteristics so far. Even so, the specific reasons behind its existence are yet to understand well. Therefore, in this paper, the emphasis will be given on the synergistic effects on emission characteristics of co-utilization of coal and biomass chars so that it can be apply in energy-based industries to help in reduction of the greenhouse gases emission.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gregory Corman; Krishan Luthra

This report covers work performed under the Continuous Fiber Ceramic Composites (CFCC) program by GE Global Research and its partners from 1994 through 2005. The processing of prepreg-derived, melt infiltrated (MI) composite systems based on monofilament and multifilament tow SiC fibers is described. Extensive mechanical and environmental exposure characterizations were performed on these systems, as well as on competing Ceramic Matrix Composite (CMC) systems. Although current monofilament SiC fibers have inherent oxidative stability limitations due to their carbon surface coatings, the MI CMC system based on multifilament tow (Hi-Nicalon ) proved to have excellent mechanical, thermal and time-dependent properties. Themore » materials database generated from the material testing was used to design turbine hot gas path components, namely the shroud and combustor liner, utilizing the CMC materials. The feasibility of using such MI CMC materials in gas turbine engines was demonstrated via combustion rig testing of turbine shrouds and combustor liners, and through field engine tests of shrouds in a 2MW engine for >1000 hours. A unique combustion test facility was also developed that allowed coupons of the CMC materials to be exposed to high-pressure, high-velocity combustion gas environments for times up to {approx}4000 hours.« less

Review of Membrane Oxygen Enrichment for Efficient Combustion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ariono, Danu; Kusuma Wardani, Anita

2017-07-01

Oxygen enrichment from air is a simple way of increasing the efficiency of combustion process, as in oxy-combustion. Oxy-combustion has become one of the most attracting combustion technologies because of its potential to address both pollutant reduction and CO2 capture. In oxy-combustion, the fuel and recycled flue gas are combusted with oxygen enriched air (OEA). By using OEA, many benefits can be obtained, such as increasing available heat, improving ignition characteristics, flue gas reduction, increasing productivity, energy efficiency, turndown ratio, and flame stability. Membrane-based gas separation for OEA production becomes an attractive technology over the conventional technology due to the some advantages, including low capital cost, low energy consumption, compact size, and modularity. A single pass through membrane usually can enrich O2 concentration in the air up to 35% and a 50% concentration can be achieved with a double pass of membrane. The use of OEA in the combustion process eliminates the presence of nitrogen in the flue gas. Hence, the flue gas is mainly composed of CO2 and condensable water that can be easily separated. This paper gives an overview of oxy-combustion with membrane technology for oxygen enrichment process. Special attention is given to OEA production and the effect of OEA to the efficiency of combustion.

Numerical and experimental studies on effects of moisture content on combustion characteristics of simulated municipal solid wastes in a fixed bed.

PubMed

Sun, Rui; Ismail, Tamer M; Ren, Xiaohan; Abd El-Salam, M

2015-05-01

In order to reveal the features of the combustion process in the porous bed of a waste incinerator, a two-dimensional unsteady state model and experimental study were employed to investigate the combustion process in a fixed bed of municipal solid waste (MSW) on the combustion process in a fixed bed reactor. Conservation equations of the waste bed were implemented to describe the incineration process. The gas phase turbulence was modeled using the k-ε turbulent model and the particle phase was modeled using the kinetic theory of granular flow. The rate of moisture evaporation, devolatilization rate, and char burnout was calculated according to the waste property characters. The simulation results were then compared with experimental data for different moisture content of MSW, which shows that the incineration process of waste in the fixed bed is reasonably simulated. The simulation results of solid temperature, gas species and process rate in the bed are accordant with experimental data. Due to the high moisture content of fuel, moisture evaporation consumes a vast amount of heat, and the evaporation takes up most of the combustion time (about 2/3 of the whole combustion process). The whole bed combustion process reduces greatly as MSW moisture content increases. The experimental and simulation results provide direction for design and optimization of the fixed bed of MSW. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Potential Commercial Applications from Combustion and Fire Research in Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Friedman, Robert; Lyons, Valerie J.

1996-01-01

The near-zero (microgravity) environment of orbiting spacecraft minimizes buoyant flows, greatly simplifying combustion processes and isolating important phenomena ordinarily concealed by the overwhelming gravity-driven forces and flows. Fundamental combustion understanding - the focus to date of the NASA microgravity-combustion program - has greatly benefited from analyses and experiments conducted in the microgravity environment. Because of the economic and commercial importance of combustion in practice, there is strong motivation to seek wider applications for the microgravity-combustion findings. This paper reviews selected technology developments to illustrate some emerging applications. Topics cover improved fire-safety technology in spacecraft and terrestrial systems, innovative combustor designs for aerospace and ground propulsion, applied sensors and controls for combustion processes, and self-sustaining synthesis techniques for advanced materials.

Combustion characteristics of lodge pole pine wood chips. Technical progress report No. 15, September 16, 1978-September 15, 1979

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Junge, D.C.

1979-09-01

Significant quantits of wood resiue fuels are presently being used in industrial steam generating facilities. Recent studies indicate that substantial additional quantities of wood residue fuels are available for energy generation in the form of steam and/or electricity. A limited data base on the combustion characteristics of wood residue fuels has resulted in the installation and operation of inefficient combustion systems for these fuels. This investigation of the combustion characteristics of wood residue fuels was undertaken to provide a data base which could be used to optimize the combustion of such fuels. Optimization of the combustion process in industrial boilersmore » serves to improve combustion efficiency and to reduce air pollutant emissions generated in the combustion process. This report presents data on the combustion characteristics of lodge pole pine wood chips. The data were obtained in a pilot scale combustion test facility at Oregon State University.« less

Microgravity Smoldering Combustion Takes Flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1996-01-01

The Microgravity Smoldering Combustion (MSC) experiment lifted off aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour in September 1995 on the STS-69 mission. This experiment is part of series of studies focused on the smolder characteristics of porous, combustible materials in a microgravity environment. Smoldering is a nonflaming form of combustion that takes place in the interior of combustible materials. Common examples of smoldering are nonflaming embers, charcoal briquettes, and cigarettes. The objective of the study is to provide a better understanding of the controlling mechanisms of smoldering, both in microgravity and Earth gravity. As with other forms of combustion, gravity affects the availability of air and the transport of heat, and therefore, the rate of combustion. Results of the microgravity experiments will be compared with identical experiments carried out in Earth's gravity. They also will be used to verify present theories of smoldering combustion and will provide new insights into the process of smoldering combustion, enhancing our fundamental understanding of this frequently encountered combustion process and guiding improvement in fire safety practices.

Transient processes in the combustion of nitramine propellants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cohen, N. S.; Strand, L. D.

1978-01-01

A transient combustion model of nitramine propellants is combined with an isentropic compression shock formation model to determine the role of nitramine propellant combustion in DDT, excluding effects associated with propellant structural properties or mechanical behavior. The model is derived to represent the closed pipe experiment that is widely used to characterize explosives, except that the combustible material is a monolithic charge rather than compressed powder. Computations reveal that the transient combustion process cannot by itself produce DDT by this model. Compressibility of the solid at high pressure is the key factor limiting pressure buildups created by the combustion. On the other hand, combustion mechanisms which promote pressure buildups are identified and related to propellant formulation variables. Additional combustion instability data for nitramine propellants are presented. Although measured combustion response continues to be low, more data are required to distinguish HMX and active binder component contributions. A design for a closed vessel apparatus for experimental studies of high pressure combustion is discussed.

The effects of detailed chemistry and transport on microgravity droplet combustion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marchese, A. J.; Lee, J. C.; Held, T. J.; Dryer, F. L.

1995-01-01

A brief overview of recent advances in the theoretical study of microgravity droplet combustion is presented. Much of this work has centered on the development and utilization of sphero-symmetric transient numerical models which consider detailed gas phase chemistry and transport as well as energy and/or species transport within a regressing condensed phase. Numerical results for microgravity combustion and vaporization of methanol, methanol/water, heptane, and heptane/hexadecane droplets are summarized along with refinements in chemical kinetics and the development of a new two-dimensional axi-symmetric model.

Ignition and combustion: Low compression ratio, high output diesel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

The feasibility of converting a spark ignition aircraft engine GTSI0-520 to compression ignition without increasing the peak combustion pressure of 1100 lbs/sq.in. was determined. The final contemplated utilized intake air heating at idle and light load and a compression ratio of about 10:1 with a small amount of fumigation (the addition of about 15% fuel into the combustion air before the cylinder). The engine used was a modification of a Continental-Teledyne gasoline engine cylinder from the GTSI0-520 supercharged aircraft engine.

Numerical modeling for dilute and dense sprays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, C. P.; Kim, Y. M.; Shang, H. M.; Ziebarth, J. P.; Wang, T. S.

1992-01-01

We have successfully implemented a numerical model for spray-combustion calculations. In this model, the governing gas-phase equations in Eulerian coordinate are solved by a time-marching multiple pressure correction procedure based on the operator-splitting technique. The droplet-phase equations in Lagrangian coordinate are solved by a stochastic discrete particle technique. In order to simplify the calculation procedure for the circulating droplets, the effective conductivity model is utilized. The k-epsilon models are utilized to characterize the time and length scales of the gas phase in conjunction with turbulent modulation by droplets and droplet dispersion by turbulence. This method entails random sampling of instantaneous gas flow properties and the stochastic process requires a large number of computational parcels to produce the satisfactory dispersion distributions even for rather dilute sprays. Two major improvements in spray combustion modelings were made. Firstly, we have developed a probability density function approach in multidimensional space to represent a specific computational particle. Secondly, we incorporate the Taylor Analogy Breakup (TAB) model for handling the dense spray effects. This breakup model is based on the reasonable assumption that atomization and drop breakup are indistinguishable processes within a dense spray near the nozzle exit. Accordingly, atomization is prescribed by injecting drops which have a characteristic size equal to the nozzle exit diameter. Example problems include the nearly homogeneous and inhomogeneous turbulent particle dispersion, and the non-evaporating, evaporating, and burning dense sprays. Comparison with experimental data will be discussed in detail.

Constant-Pressure Combustion Charts Including Effects of Diluent Addition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Turner, L Richard; Bogart, Donald

1949-01-01

Charts are presented for the calculation of (a) the final temperatures and the temperature changes involved in constant-pressure combustion processes of air and in products of combustion of air and hydrocarbon fuels, and (b) the quantity of hydrocarbon fuels required in order to attain a specified combustion temperature when water, alcohol, water-alcohol mixtures, liquid ammonia, liquid carbon dioxide, liquid nitrogen, liquid oxygen, or their mixtures are added to air as diluents or refrigerants. The ideal combustion process and combustion with incomplete heat release from the primary fuel and from combustible diluents are considered. The effect of preheating the mixture of air and diluents and the effect of an initial water-vapor content in the combustion air on the required fuel quantity are also included. The charts are applicable only to processes in which the final mixture is leaner than stoichiometric and at temperatures where dissociation is unimportant. A chart is also included to permit the calculation of the stoichiometric ratio of hydrocarbon fuel to air with diluent addition. The use of the charts is illustrated by numerical examples.

Environmental control implications of generating electric power from coal. 1977 technology status report. Appendix D. Assessment of NO/sub x/ control technology for coal fired utility boilers. [Low-excess-air, staged combustion, flu gas recirculation and burner design

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1977-12-01

An NOx control technology assessment study was conducted to examine the effectiveness of low-excess-air firing, staged combustion, flue gas recirculation, and current burner/boiler designs as applied to coal-fired utility boilers. Significant variations in NOx emissions exist with boiler type, firing method, and coal type, but a relative comparison of emissions control performance, cost, and operational considerations is presented for each method. The study emphasized the numerous operational factors that are of major importance to the user in selecting and implementing a combustion modification technique. Staged combustion and low-excess-air operation were identified as the most cost-effective methods for existing units. Closemore » control of local air/fuel ratios and rigorous combustion equipment maintenance are essential to the success of both methods. Flue gas recirculation is relatively ineffective and has the added concern of tube erosion. More research is needed to resolve potential corrosion concerns with low-NOx operating modes. Low-NOx burners in conjunction with a compartmentalized windbox are capable of meeting a 0.6-lb/million Btu emission level on new units. Advanced burner designs are being developed to meet research emission goals of approximately 0.25 lb/MBtu.« less

Experimental toxicology of pyrolysis and combustion hazards.

PubMed Central

Cornish, H H; Hahn, K J; Barth, M L

1975-01-01

Data are presented on the acute toxicity (mortality only) of the thermal degradation products of polymers obtained by two methods of degradation. One system utilized a slowly increasing temperature (5 degrees C/min) and gradual degradation of the polymer with the rats being exposed to degradation products as they were evolved. In this system the more toxic polymers included wool, polypropylene, poly(vinyl chloride), and urethane foam. The second system utilized conditions of rapid combustion and exposure of rats to the total products of combustion for a period of 4 hr. In this system the more toxic materials included red oak, cotton, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), and styrene-acrylonitrile. It is of interest to note that the natural product wool is among the least toxic under these rapid combustion conditions and among the most toxic under slow pyrolysis conditions. Other materials also vary in the comparative toxicity of their thermal degradation products, depending upon the conditions of degradation and animal exposure. The two experimental techniques presented here may well represent the two extreme conditions of rapid combustion versus slow pyrolysis. Intermediate types of fire situations might be expected to result in relative acute toxicities somewhere between these two extremes. This report deals with acute toxicity on the basis of mortality data only and does not include other parameters of toxicity such as organ weights and histopathology. PMID:1175552

Enhanced activity and stability of La-doped CeO2 monolithic catalysts for lean-oxygen methane combustion.

PubMed

Zhu, Wenjun; Jin, Jianhui; Chen, Xiao; Li, Chuang; Wang, Tonghua; Tsang, Chi-Wing; Liang, Changhai

2018-02-01

Effective utilization of coal bed methane is very significant for energy utilization and environment protection. Catalytic combustion of methane is a promising way to eliminate trace amounts of oxygen in the coal bed methane and the key to this technology is the development of high-efficiency catalysts. Herein, we report a series of Ce 1-x La x O 2-δ (x = 0-0.8) monolithic catalysts for the catalytic combustion of methane, which are prepared by citric acid method. The structural characterization shows that the substitution of La enhance the oxygen vacancy concentration and reducibility of the supports and promote the migration of the surface oxygen, as a result improve the catalytic activity of CeO 2 . M-Ce 0.8 La 0.2 O 2-δ (monolithic catalyst, Ce 0.8 La 0.2 O 2-δ coated on cordierite honeycomb) exhibits outstanding activity for methane combustion, and the temperature for 10 and 90% methane conversion are 495 and 580 °C, respectively. Additionally, Ce 0.8 La 0.2 O 2-δ monolithic catalyst presents excellent stability at high temperature. These Ce 1-x La x O 2-δ monolithic materials with a small amount of La incorporation therefore show promises as highly efficient solid solution catalysts for lean-oxygen methane combustion. Graphical abstract ᅟ.

Combustion characteristics of Douglas Fir planer shavings. Technical progress report No. 4, September 16, 1977--September 15, 1978

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Junge, D.C.

1978-12-01

Significant quantities of wood residue fuels are presently being used in industrial steam generating facilities. Recent studies indicate that substantial additional quantities of wood residue fuels are available for energy generation in the form of steam and/or electricity. A limited data base on the combustion characteristics of wood residue fuels has resulted in the installation and operation of inefficient combustion systems for these fuels. This investigation of the combustion characteristics of wood residue fuels was undertaken to provide a data base which could be used to optimize the combustion of such fuels. Optimization of the the combustion process in industrialmore » boilers serves to improve combustion efficiency and to reduce air pollutant emissions generated in the combustion process. This report presents data on the combustion characteristics of Douglas Fir planer shavings. The data were obtained in a pilot scale combustion test facility at Oregon State Univerisity. Other technical reports present data on the combustion characteristics of: Douglas Fir bark, Red Alder sawdust, Red Alder bark, Ponderosa pine bark, Hemlock bark, and Eastern White Pine bark. An executive summary report is also available which compares the combustion characteristics of the various fuel species.« less

Method oil shale pollutant sorption/NO.sub.x reburning multi-pollutant control

DOEpatents

Boardman, Richard D [Idaho Falls, ID; Carrington, Robert A [Idaho Falls, ID

2008-06-10

A method of decreasing pollutants produced in a combustion process. The method comprises combusting coal in a combustion chamber to produce at least one pollutant selected from the group consisting of a nitrogen-containing pollutant, sulfuric acid, sulfur trioxide, carbonyl sulfide, carbon disulfide, chlorine, hydroiodic acid, iodine, hydrofluoric acid, fluorine, hydrobromic acid, bromine, phosphoric acid, phosphorous pentaoxide, elemental mercury, and mercuric chloride. Oil shale particles are introduced into the combustion chamber and are combusted to produce sorbent particulates and a reductant. The at least one pollutant is contacted with at least one of the sorbent particulates and the reductant to decrease an amount of the at least one pollutant in the combustion chamber. The reductant may chemically reduce the at least one pollutant to a benign species. The sorbent particulates may adsorb or absorb the at least one pollutant. A combustion chamber that produces decreased pollutants in a combustion process is also disclosed.

Combustion diagnostic for active engine feedback control

DOEpatents

Green, Jr., Johney Boyd; Daw, Charles Stuart; Wagner, Robert Milton

2007-10-02

This invention detects the crank angle location where combustion switches from premixed to diffusion, referred to as the transition index, and uses that location to define integration limits that measure the portions of heat released during the combustion process that occur during the premixed and diffusion phases. Those integrated premixed and diffusion values are used to develop a metric referred to as the combustion index. The combustion index is defined as the integrated diffusion contribution divided by the integrated premixed contribution. As the EGR rate is increased enough to enter the low temperature combustion regime, PM emissions decrease because more of the combustion process is occurring over the premixed portion of the heat release rate profile and the diffusion portion has been significantly reduced. This information is used to detect when the engine is or is not operating in a low temperature combustion mode and provides that feedback to an engine control algorithm.

Droplet Combustion and Soot Formation in Microgravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Avedisian, C. Thomas

1994-01-01

One of the most complex processes involved in the combustion ot liquid fuels is the formation of soot. A well characterized flow field and simplified flame structure can improve considerably the understanding of soot formation processes. The simplest flame shape to analyze for a droplet is spherical with its associated one-dimensional flow field. It is a fundamental limit and the oldest and most often analyzed configuration of droplet combustion. Spherical symmetry in the droplet burning process will arise when there is no relative motion between the droplet and ambience or uneven heating around the droplet periphery, and buoyancy effects are negligible. The flame and droplet are then concentric with each other and there is no liquid circulation within the droplet. An understanding of the effect of soot on droplet combustion should therefore benefit from this simplified configuration. Soot formed during spherically symmetric droplet combustion, however, has only recently drawn attention and it appears to be one of the few aspects associated with droplet combustion which have not yet been thoroughly investigated. For this review, the broad subject of droplet combustion is narrowed considerably by restricting attention specifically to soot combined with spherically symmetric droplet burning processes that are promoted.

Mission Success for Combustion Science

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weiland, Karen J.

2004-01-01

This presentation describes how mission success for combustion experiments has been obtained in previous spaceflight experiments and how it will be obtained for future International Space Station (ISS) experiments. The fluids and combustion facility is a payload planned for the ISS. It is composed of two racks: the fluids Integrated rack and the Combustion INtegrated Rack (CIR). Requirements for the CIR were obtained from a set of combustion basis experiments that served as surrogates for later experiments. The process for experiments that fly on the ISS includes proposal selection, requirements and success criteria definition, science and engineering reviews, mission operations, and postflight operations. By following this process, the microgravity combustion science program has attained success in 41 out of 42 experiments.

Flame Suppression Agent, System and Uses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parrish, Clyde F. (Inventor)

2013-01-01

Aqueous droplets encapsulated in a flame retardant polymer are useful in suppressing combustion. Upon exposure to a flame, the encapsulated aqueous droplets rupture and vaporize, removing heat and displacing oxygen to retard the combustion process. The polymer encapsulant, through decomposition, may further add free radicals to the combustion atmosphere, thereby further retarding the combustion process. The encapsulated aqueous droplets may be used as a replacement to halon, water mist and dry powder flame suppression systems.

Biomedically relevant chemical and physical properties of coal combustion products.

PubMed Central

Fisher, G L

1983-01-01

The evaluation of the potential public and occupational health hazards of developing and existing combustion processes requires a detailed understanding of the physical and chemical properties of effluents available for human and environmental exposures. These processes produce complex mixtures of gases and aerosols which may interact synergistically or antagonistically with biological systems. Because of the physicochemical complexity of the effluents, the biomedically relevant properties of these materials must be carefully assessed. Subsequent to release from combustion sources, environmental interactions further complicate assessment of the toxicity of combustion products. This report provides an overview of the biomedically relevant physical and chemical properties of coal fly ash. Coal fly ash is presented as a model complex mixture for health and safety evaluation of combustion processes. PMID:6337824

Closed-loop system for growth of aquatic biomass and gasification thereof

DOEpatents

Oyler, James R.

2017-09-19

Processes, systems, and methods for producing combustible gas from wet biomass are provided. In one aspect, for example, a process for generating a combustible gas from a wet biomass in a closed system is provided. Such a process may include growing a wet biomass in a growth chamber, moving at least a portion of the wet biomass to a reactor, heating the portion of the wet biomass under high pressure in the reactor to gasify the wet biomass into a total gas component, separating the gasified component into a liquid component, a non-combustible gas component, and a combustible gas component, and introducing the liquid component and non-combustible gas component containing carbon dioxide into the growth chamber to stimulate new wet biomass growth.

Adaptation of Combustion Principles to Aircraft Propulsion. Volume I; Basic Considerations in the Combustion of Hydrocarbon Fuels with Air

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barnett, Henry C (Editor); Hibbard, Robert R (Editor)

1955-01-01

The report summarizes source material on combustion for flight-propulsion engineers. First, several chapters review fundamental processes such as fuel-air mixture preparation, gas flow and mixing, flammability and ignition, flame propagation in both homogenous and heterogenous media, flame stabilization, combustion oscillations, and smoke and carbon formation. The practical significance and the relation of these processes to theory are presented. A second series of chapters describes the observed performance and design problems of engine combustors of the principal types. An attempt is made to interpret performance in terms of the fundamental processes and theories previously reviewed. Third, the design of high-speed combustion systems is discussed. Combustor design principles that can be established from basic considerations and from experience with actual combustors are described. Finally, future requirements for aircraft engine combustion systems are examined.

Research on the influence of ozone dissolved in the fuel-water emulsion on the parameters of the CI engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wojs, M. K.; Orliński, P.; Kamela, W.; Kruczyński, P.

2016-09-01

The article presents the results of empirical research on the impact of ozone dissolved in fuel-water emulsion on combustion process and concentration of toxic substances in CI engine. The effect of ozone presence in the emulsion and its influence on main engine characteristics (power, torque, fuel consumption) and selected parameters that characterize combustion process (levels of pressures and temperatures in combustion chamber, period of combustion delay, heat release rate, fuel burnt rate) is shown. The change in concentration of toxic components in exhausts gases when engine is fueled with ozonized emulsion was also identified. The empirical research and their analysis showed significant differences in the combustion process when fuel-water emulsion containing ozone was used. These differences include: increased power and efficiency of the engine that are accompanied by reduction in time of combustion delay and beneficial effects of ozone on HC, PM, CO and NOX emissions.

Environmental aspects of fossil fuels combustion in Poland

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sekula, R.

Combustion of fossil fuels is the main source of energy in Poland. Coal will probably remain the basic fuel for energy generation for many years. The principal problems connected with fuel utilization in Poland are presented in this study. The major pollutants and ways to reduce air pollution are also described. Data are based on the report of the Polish Academy of Sciences.

Research on coal-water fuel combustion in a circulating fluidized bed / Badanie spalania zawiesinowych paliw węglowo-wodnych w cyrkulacyjnej warstwie fluidalnej

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kijo-Kleczkowska, Agnieszka

2012-10-01

In the paper the problem of heavily-watered fuel combustion has been undertaken as the requirements of qualitative coals combusted in power stations have been growing. Coal mines that want to fulfill expectations of power engineers have been forced to extend and modernize the coal enrichment plants. This causes growing quantity of waste materials that arise during the process of wet coal enrichment containing smaller and smaller under-grains. In this situation the idea of combustion of transported waste materials, for example in a hydraulic way to the nearby power stations appears attractive because of a possible elimination of the necessary deep dehydration and drying as well as because of elimination of the finest coal fraction loss arising during discharging of silted water from coal wet cleaning plants. The paper presents experimental research results, analyzing the process of combustion of coal-water suspension depending on the process conditions. Combustion of coal-water suspensions in fluidized beds meets very well the difficult conditions, which should be obtained to use the examined fuel efficiently and ecologically. The suitable construction of the research stand enables recognition of the mechanism of coal-water suspension contact with the inert material, that affects the fluidized bed. The form of this contact determines conditions of heat and mass exchange, which influence the course of a combustion process. The specificity of coal-water fuel combustion in a fluidized bed changes mechanism and kinetics of the process.

Waste heat recovery options in a large gas-turbine combined power plant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Upathumchard, Ularee

This study focuses on power plant heat loss and how to utilize the waste heat in energy recovery systems in order to increase the overall power plant efficiency. The case study of this research is a 700-MW natural gas combined cycle power plant, located in a suburban area of Thailand. An analysis of the heat loss of the combustion process, power generation process, lubrication system, and cooling system has been conducted to evaluate waste heat recovery options. The design of the waste heat recovery options depends to the amount of heat loss from each system and its temperature. Feasible waste heat sources are combustion turbine (CT) room ventilation air and lubrication oil return from the power plant. The following options are being considered in this research: absorption chillers for cooling with working fluids Ammonia-Water and Water-Lithium Bromide (in comparison) and Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) with working fluids R134a and R245fa. The absorption cycles are modeled in three different stages; single-effect, double-effect and half-effect. ORC models used are simple ORC as a baseline, ORC with internal regenerator, ORC two-phase flash expansion ORC and ORC with multiple heat sources. Thermodynamic models are generated and each system is simulated using Engineering Equation Solver (EES) to define the most suitable waste heat recovery options for the power plant. The result will be synthesized and evaluated with respect to exergy utilization efficiency referred as the Second Law effectiveness and net output capacity. Results of the models give recommendation to install a baseline ORC of R134a and a double-effect water-lithium bromide absorption chiller, driven by ventilation air from combustion turbine compartment. The two technologies yield reasonable economic payback periods of 4.6 years and 0.7 years, respectively. The fact that this selected power plant is in its early stage of operation allows both models to economically and effectively perform waste heat recovery during the power plant's life span. Furthermore, the recommendation from this research will be submitted to the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) for implementation. This study will also be used as an example for other power plants in Thailand to consider waste energy utilization to improve plant efficiency and sustain fuel resources in the future.

Cleaner co-combustion of lignite-biomass-waste blends by utilising inhibiting compounds of toxic emissions.

PubMed

Skodras, G; Palladas, A; Kaldis, S P; Sakellaropoulos, G P

2007-04-01

In this paper, the co-combustion behaviour of coal with wastes and biomass and the related toxic gaseous emissions were investigated. The objective of this work is to add on towards a cleaner co-combustion of lignite-waste-biomass blends by utilizing compounds that could inhibit the formation of toxic pollutants. A series of co-combustion tests was performed in a pilot scale incinerator, and the emissions of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and dibenzofurans (PCDFs) were measured. The co-combustion behaviour of lignite with olive kernels, MDF and sawdust was studied and the ability of additives such as urea, almond shells and municipal sewage sludge to reduce the PCDD/F emissions was examined. All blends were proven good fuels and reproducible combustion conditions were achieved. The addition of inhibitors prior to combustion showed in some cases, relatively high PCDD/F emissions reduction. Among the inhibitors tested, urea seems to achieve a reduction of PCDD/F emissions for all fuel blends, while an unstable behaviour was observed for the others.

An experimental investigation of concentrated slop combustion characteristics in cyclone furnace

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panpokha, Suphaopich; Wongwuttanasatian, Tanakorn; Tangchaichit, Kiatfa

2018-02-01

Slop is a by-product in alcoholic industries requiring costly waste management. An idea of using slop as a fuel in a boiler for the industries was proposed. Due to high content of ash, a cyclone furnace was designed to combust the slop. This study aims to examine the concentrated slop combustion in a designed cyclone furnace, consisting of combustion temperature and exhaust gases. The tests were carried out under 4 different air-fuel ratios. Fuels injected into the furnace were 3 g/s of concentrated slop and 1 g/s of diesel. The air-fuel ratios were corresponding to 100, 120, 140 and 160 percent theoretical air. The results demonstrated that combustion of concentrated slop can gave temperature of 800-1000°C and a suitable theoretical air was 100%-120%, because the combustion temperature was higher than that of other cases. In cyclone combustion, excess air is not recommended because it affects a reduction in overall temperature inside the cyclone furnace. It is expected that utilization of the concentrated slop (by-product) will be beneficial in the development of green and zero waste factory.

40 CFR 98.143 - Calculating GHG emissions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Stationary Fuel Combustion Sources) the combustion CO2 emissions in the glass furnace according to the... calculate and report the annual process CO2 emissions from each continuous glass melting furnace using the... subpart the combined process and combustion CO2 emissions by operating and maintaining a CEMS to measure...

Real-time combustion control and diagnostics sensor-pressure oscillation monitor

DOEpatents

Chorpening, Benjamin T [Morgantown, WV; Thornton, Jimmy [Morgantown, WV; Huckaby, E David [Morgantown, WV; Richards, George A [Morgantown, WV

2009-07-14

An apparatus and method for monitoring and controlling the combustion process in a combustion system to determine the amplitude and/or frequencies of dynamic pressure oscillations during combustion. An electrode in communication with the combustion system senses hydrocarbon ions and/or electrons produced by the combustion process and calibration apparatus calibrates the relationship between the standard deviation of the current in the electrode and the amplitudes of the dynamic pressure oscillations by applying a substantially constant voltage between the electrode and ground resulting in a current in the electrode and by varying one or more of (1) the flow rate of the fuel, (2) the flow rate of the oxidant, (3) the equivalence ratio, (4) the acoustic tuning of the combustion system, and (5) the fuel distribution in the combustion chamber such that the amplitudes of the dynamic pressure oscillations in the combustion chamber are calculated as a function of the standard deviation of the electrode current. Thereafter, the supply of fuel and/or oxidant is varied to modify the dynamic pressure oscillations.

Burning Questions in Gravity-Dependent Combustion Science

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Urban, David; Chiaramonte, Francis P.

2012-01-01

Building upon a long history of spaceflight and ground based research, NASA's Combustion Science program has accumulated a significant body of accomplishments on the ISS. Historically, NASAs low-gravity combustion research program has sought: to provide a more complete understanding of the fundamental controlling processes in combustion by identifying simpler one-dimensional systems to eliminate the complex interactions between the buoyant flow and the energy feedback to the reaction zone to provide realistic simulation of the fire risk in manned spacecraft and to enable practical simulation of the gravitational environment experienced by reacting systems in future spacecraft. Over the past two decades, low-gravity combustion research has focused primarily on increasing our understanding of fundamental combustion processes (e.g. droplet combustion, soot, flame spread, smoldering, and gas-jet flames). This research program was highly successful and was aided by synergistic programs in Europe and in Japan. Overall improvements were made in our ability to model droplet combustion in spray combustors (e.g. jet engines), predict flame spread, predict soot production, and detect and prevent spacecraft fires. These results provided a unique dataset that supports both an active research discipline and also spacecraft fire safety for current and future spacecraft. These experiments have been conducted using the Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR), the Microgravity Science Glovebox and the Express Rack. In this paper, we provide an overview of the earlier space shuttle experiments, the recent ISS combustion experiments in addition to the studies planned for the future. Experiments in combustion include topics such as droplet combustion, gaseous diffusion flames, solid fuels, premixed flame studies, fire safety, and super critical oxidation processes.

Investigation of the Conjugate Heat and Mass Transfer at Ignition and Subsequent Nonstationary Erosion Combustion of Powders Under Conditions Close to Those of Firing a Shot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rusyak, I. G.; Lipanov, A. M.

2016-11-01

The laws of combustion of powders under conditions close to those of firing an artillery shot have been investigated. A solid-state local heat ignition model was used, and the process of powder combustion was simulated on the basis of the notions of the Belyaev-Zel'dovich thermal combustion theory. The complete formulation of the combustion problem includes the nonstationary processes of heat propagation and chemical transformation in the k-phase, as well as the quasi-stationary processes in the chemically reacting two-stage turbulent boundary layer near the combustion surface related to the characteristics of the averaged nonstationary flow by the boundary conditions at the outer boundary of the boundary layer. The features of the joint solution of the equations of the thermal combustion theory and the equations of internal ballistics have been analyzed. The questions on the convergence of the conjugate problem have been considered. The influence of various factors on the rate of combustion of powder has been investigated. The investigations conducted enabled us to formulate an approximate method for calculating the nonstationary and erosion rates of combustion of artillery powders at a shot on the basis of the Lenouard-Robillard-Karakozov approach.

Experimental investigation of wood combustion in a fixed bed with hot air

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Markovic, Miladin, E-mail: m.markovic@utwente.nl; Bramer, Eddy A.; Brem, Gerrit

Highlights: • Upward combustion is a new combustion concept with ignition by hot primary air. • Upward combustion has three stages: short drying, rapid devolatilization and char combustion. • Variation of fuel moisture and inert content have little influence on the combustion. • Experimental comparison between conventional and upward combustion is presented. - Abstract: Waste combustion on a grate with energy recovery is an important pillar of municipal solid waste (MSW) management in the Netherlands. In MSW incinerators fresh waste stacked on a grate enters the combustion chamber, heats up by radiation from the flame above the layer and ignitionmore » occurs. Typically, the reaction zone starts at the top of the waste layer and propagates downwards, producing heat for drying and devolatilization of the fresh waste below it until the ignition front reaches the grate. The control of this process is mainly based on empiricism. MSW is a highly inhomogeneous fuel with continuous fluctuating moisture content, heating value and chemical composition. The resulting process fluctuations may cause process control difficulties, fouling and corrosion issues, extra maintenance, and unplanned stops. In the new concept the fuel layer is ignited by means of preheated air (T > 220 °C) from below without any external ignition source. As a result a combustion front will be formed close to the grate and will propagate upwards. That is why this approach is denoted by upward combustion. Experimental research has been carried out in a batch reactor with height of 4.55 m, an inner diameter of 200 mm and a fuel layer height up to 1 m. Due to a high quality two-layer insulation adiabatic conditions can be assumed. The primary air can be preheated up to 350 °C, and the secondary air is distributed via nozzles above the waste layer. During the experiments, temperatures along the height of the reactor, gas composition and total weight decrease are continuously monitored. The influence of the primary air speed, fuel moisture and inert content on the combustion characteristics (ignition rate, combustion rate, ignition front speed and temperature of the reaction zone) is evaluated. The upward combustion concept decouples the drying, devolatilization and burnout phase. In this way the moisture and inert content of the waste have almost no influence on the combustion process. In this paper an experimental comparison between conventional and reversed combustion is presented.« less

Two-step rapid sulfur capture. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1994-04-01

The primary goal of this program was to test the technical and economic feasibility of a novel dry sorbent injection process called the Two-Step Rapid Sulfur Capture process for several advanced coal utilization systems. The Two-Step Rapid Sulfur Capture process consists of limestone activation in a high temperature auxiliary burner for short times followed by sorbent quenching in a lower temperature sulfur containing coal combustion gas. The Two-Step Rapid Sulfur Capture process is based on the Non-Equilibrium Sulfur Capture process developed by the Energy Technology Office of Textron Defense Systems (ETO/TDS). Based on the Non-Equilibrium Sulfur Capture studies the rangemore » of conditions for optimum sorbent activation were thought to be: activation temperature > 2,200 K for activation times in the range of 10--30 ms. Therefore, the aim of the Two-Step process is to create a very active sorbent (under conditions similar to the bomb reactor) and complete the sulfur reaction under thermodynamically favorable conditions. A flow facility was designed and assembled to simulate the temperature, time, stoichiometry, and sulfur gas concentration prevalent in the advanced coal utilization systems such as gasifiers, fluidized bed combustors, mixed-metal oxide desulfurization systems, diesel engines, and gas turbines.« less

NASA's hypersonic propulsion program: History and direction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wander, Steve

1992-01-01

Research into hypersonic propulsion; i.e., supersonic combustion, was seriously initiated at the Langley Research Center in the 1960's with the Hypersonic Research Engine (HRE) project. This project was designed to demonstrate supersonic combustion within the context of an engine module consisting of an inlet, combustor, and nozzle. In addition, the HRE utilized both subsonic and supersonic combustion (dual-mode) to demonstrate smooth operation over a Mach 4 to 7 speed range. The propulsion program thus concentrated on fundamental supersonic combustion studies and free jet propulsion tests for the three dimensional fixed geometry engine design to demonstrate inlet and combustor integration and installed performance potential. The developmental history of the program is presented. Additionally, the HRE program's effect on the current state of hypersonic propulsion is discussed.

Method for control of subsurface coal gasification

DOEpatents

Komar, Charles A.

1976-12-14

The burn front in an in situ underground coal gasification operation is controlled by utilizing at least two parallel groups of vertical bore holes disposed in the coalbed at spaced-apart locations in planes orthogonal to the plane of maximum permeability in the coalbed. The combustion of the coal is initiated in the coalbed adjacent to one group of the bore holes to establish a combustion zone extending across the group while the pressure of the combustion supporting gas mixture and/or the combustion products is regulated at each well head by valving to control the burn rate and maintain a uniform propagation of the burn front between the spaced-apart hole groups to gasify virtually all the coal lying therebetween.

Stationary Engineers Apprenticeship. Related Training Modules. 16.1-16.5 Combustion.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lane Community Coll., Eugene, OR.

This learning module, one in a series of 20 related training modules for apprentice stationary engineers, deals with combustion. Addressed in the individual instructional packages included in the module are the following topics: the combustion process, types of fuel, air and flue gases, heat transfer during combustion, and wood combustion. Each…

Thermal effects from the release of selenium from a coal combustion during high-temperature processing: a review.

PubMed

Hu, Jianjun; Sun, Qiang; He, Huan

2018-05-01

The release of selenium (Se) during coal combustion can have serious impacts on the ecological environment and human health. Therefore, it is very important to study the factors that concern the release of Se from coal combustion. In this paper, the characteristics of the release of Se from coal combustion, pyrolysis, and gasification of different coal species under different conditions are studied. The results show that the amount of released Se increases at higher combustion temperatures. There are obvious increases in the amount of released Se especially in the temperature range of 300 to 800 °C. In addition, more Se is released from the coal gasification than coal combustion process, but more Se is released from coal combustion than pyrolysis. The type of coal, rate of heating, type of mineral ions, and combustion atmosphere have different effects on the released percentage of Se. Therefore, having a good understanding of the factors that surround the release of Se during coal combustion, and then establishing the combustion conditions can reduce the impacts of this toxic element to humans and the environment.

Market Assessment of Biomass Gasification and Combustion Technology for Small- and Medium-Scale Applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Peterson, D.; Haase, S.

2009-07-01

This report provides a market assessment of gasification and direct combustion technologies that use wood and agricultural resources to generate heat, power, or combined heat and power (CHP) for small- to medium-scale applications. It contains a brief overview of wood and agricultural resources in the U.S.; a description and discussion of gasification and combustion conversion technologies that utilize solid biomass to generate heat, power, and CHP; an assessment of the commercial status of gasification and combustion technologies; a summary of gasification and combustion system economics; a discussion of the market potential for small- to medium-scale gasification and combustion systems; andmore » an inventory of direct combustion system suppliers and gasification technology companies. The report indicates that while direct combustion and close-coupled gasification boiler systems used to generate heat, power, or CHP are commercially available from a number of manufacturers, two-stage gasification systems are largely in development, with a number of technologies currently in demonstration. The report also cites the need for a searchable, comprehensive database of operating combustion and gasification systems that generate heat, power, or CHP built in the U.S., as well as a national assessment of the market potential for the systems.« less

Experiments on Nitrogen Oxide Production of Droplet Arrays Burning under Microgravity Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moesl, Klaus; Sattelmayer, Thomas; Kikuchi, Masao; Yamamoto, Shin; Yoda, Shinichi

The optimization of the combustion process is top priority in current aero-engine and aircraft development, particularly from the perspectives of high efficiency, minimized fuel consumption, and a sustainable exhaust gas production. Aero-engines are exclusively liquid-fueled with a strong correlation between the combustion temperature and the emissions of nitric oxide (NOX ). Due to safety concerns, the progress in NOX reduction has been much slower than in stationary gas turbines. In the past, the mixing intensity in the primary zone of aero-engine combustors was improved and air staging implemented. An important question for future aero-engine combustors, consequently, is how partial vaporization influences the NOX emissions of spray flames? In order to address this question, the combustion of partially vaporized, linear droplet arrays was studied experimentally under microgravity conditions. The influence of fuel pre-vaporization on the NOX emissions was assessed in a wide range. The experiments were performed in a drop tower and a sounding rocket campaign. The microgravity environment provided ideal experiment conditions without the disturbing ef-fect of natural convection. This allowed the study of the interacting phenomena of multi-phase flow, thermodynamics, and chemical kinetics. This way the understanding of the physical and chemical processes related to droplet and spray combustion could be improved. The Bremen drop tower (ZARM) was utilized for the precursor campaign in July 2008, which was com-prised of 30 drops. The sounding rocket experiments, which totaled a microgravity duration of 6 minutes, were finally performed on the flight of TEXUS-46 in November 2009. On both campaigns the "Japanese Combustion Module" (JCM) was used. It is a cooperative experi-ment on droplet array combustion between the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and ESA's (European Space Agency) research team, working on the combustion properties of partially premixed sprays. One droplet array consisted of five droplets (for sounding rocket) and 9 -17 droplets (for drop tower) of the hydrocarbon n-decane (C10 H22 ). While keeping the pressure at 1.0 bar (+/-20 mbar), the combustion chamber temperature and the fuel vaporization time were varied in the range of 300 -500 K and 0.5 -18 s, respectively. Consequently, the total amount of fuel, the local equivalence ratio Φ along the droplet array, and the dimensionless droplet spacing S/d0 , with d0 being the initial droplet diameter, were adapted. Ignition was initiated by a hot-wire igniter from one end of the droplet array. Representative gas samples were collected from every single combustion sequence after flame extinction and stored in specially treated gas sampling cylinders for their succeeding analysis on ground. Visual observation of the combustion process, as well as temperature and pressure logging, supported the scientific interpretation of the gas analysis. With an increase of the preheating temperature, NOX emissions increase due to a higher effec-tive flame temperatures. However, with an increasing pre-vaporization, NOX emissions become lower due to the dropping number and the dropping size of burning droplets, acting as hot spots. A correction for the effect of the preheating temperature was developed. It reveals the effect of pre-vaporization and shows that the NOX emissions are almost independent of it for near-stoichiometric operation. At overall lean conditions the NOX emissions drop non-linearly with the degree of vaporization. Up to now, this leads to the conclusion that a high degree of vaporization is required in order to achieve substantial NOX abatement.

The numerical modelling and process simulation for the fault diagnosis of rotary kiln incinerator.

PubMed

Roh, S D; Kim, S W; Cho, W S

2001-10-01

The numerical modelling and process simulation for the fault diagnosis of rotary kiln incinerator were accomplished. In the numerical modelling, two models applied to the modelling within the kiln are the combustion chamber model including the mass and energy balance equations for two combustion chambers and 3D thermal model. The combustion chamber model predicts temperature within the kiln, flue gas composition, flux and heat of combustion. Using the combustion chamber model and 3D thermal model, the production-rules for the process simulation can be obtained through interrelation analysis between control and operation variables. The process simulation of the kiln is operated with the production-rules for automatic operation. The process simulation aims to provide fundamental solutions to the problems in incineration process by introducing an online expert control system to provide an integrity in process control and management. Knowledge-based expert control systems use symbolic logic and heuristic rules to find solutions for various types of problems. It was implemented to be a hybrid intelligent expert control system by mutually connecting with the process control systems which has the capability of process diagnosis, analysis and control.

Performance analysis of vortex based mixers for confined flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buschhagen, Timo

The hybrid rocket is still sparsely employed within major space or defense projects due to their relatively poor combustion efficiency and low fuel grain regression rate. Although hybrid rockets can claim advantages in safety, environmental and performance aspects against established solid and liquid propellant systems, the boundary layer combustion process and the diffusion based mixing within a hybrid rocket grain port leaves the core flow unmixed and limits the system performance. One principle used to enhance the mixing of gaseous flows is to induce streamwise vorticity. The counter-rotating vortex pair (CVP) mixer utilizes this principle and introduces two vortices into a confined flow, generating a stirring motion in order to transport near wall media towards the core and vice versa. Recent studies investigated the velocity field introduced by this type of swirler. The current work is evaluating the mixing performance of the CVP concept, by using an experimental setup to simulate an axial primary pipe flow with a radially entering secondary flow. Hereby the primary flow is altered by the CVP swirler unit. The resulting setup therefore emulates a hybrid rocket motor with a cylindrical single port grain. In order to evaluate the mixing performance the secondary flow concentration at the pipe assembly exit is measured, utilizing a pressure-sensitive paint based procedure.

Low Carbon Technology Options for the Natural Gas ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The ultimate goal of this task is to perform environmental and economic analysis of natural gas based power production technologies (different routes) to investigate and evaluate strategies for reducing emissions from the power sector. It is a broad research area. Initially, the research will be focused on the preliminary analyses of hydrogen fuel based power production technologies utilizing hydrogen fuel in a large size, heavy-duty gas turbines in integrated reformer combined cycle (IRCC) and integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) for electric power generation. The research will be expanded step-by-step to include other advanced (e.g., Net Power, a potentially transformative technology utilizing a high efficiency CO2 conversion cycle (Allam cycle), and chemical looping etc.) pre-combustion and post-combustion technologies applied to natural gas, other fossil fuels (coal and heavy oil) and biomass/biofuel based on findings. Screening analysis is already under development and data for the analysis is being processed. The immediate action on this task include preliminary economic and environmental analysis of power production technologies applied to natural gas. Data for catalytic reforming technology to produce hydrogen from natural gas is being collected and compiled on Microsoft Excel. The model will be expanded for exploring and comparing various technologies scenarios to meet our goal. The primary focus of this study is to: 1) understand the chemic

Methods of conducting simultaneous exothermic and endothermic reactions

DOEpatents

Tonkovich, Anna Lee [Marysville, OH; Roberts, Gary L [West Richland, WA; Perry, Steven T [Galloway, OH; Fitzgerald, Sean P [Columbus, OH

2005-11-29

Integrated Combustion Reactors (ICRs) and methods of making ICRs are described in which combustion chambers (or channels) are in direct thermal contact to reaction chambers for an endothermic reaction. Superior results were achieved for combustion chambers which contained a gap for free flow through the chamber. Particular reactor designs are also described. Processes of conducting reactions in integrated combustion reactors are described and results presented. Some of these processes are characterized by unexpected and superior results.

INTEGRATED POWER GENERATION SYSTEMS FOR COAL MINE WASTE METHANE UTILIZATION

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Peet M. Soot; Dale R. Jesse; Michael E. Smith

2005-08-01

An integrated system to utilize the waste coal mine methane (CMM) at the Federal No. 2 Coal Mine in West Virginia was designed and built. The system includes power generation, using internal combustion engines, along with gas processing equipment to upgrade sub-quality waste methane to pipeline quality standards. The power generation has a nominal capacity of 1,200 kw and the gas processing system can treat about 1 million cubic feet per day (1 MMCFD) of gas. The gas processing is based on the Northwest Fuel Development, Inc. (NW Fuel) proprietary continuous pressure swing adsorption (CPSA) process that can remove nitrogenmore » from CMM streams. The two major components of the integrated system are synergistic. The byproduct gas stream from the gas processing equipment can be used as fuel for the power generating equipment. In return, the power generating equipment provides the nominal power requirements of the gas processing equipment. This Phase III effort followed Phase I, which was comprised of a feasibility study for the project, and Phase II, where the final design for the commercial-scale demonstration was completed. The fact that NW Fuel is desirous of continuing to operate the equipment on a commercial basis provides the validation for having advanced the project through all of these phases. The limitation experienced by the project during Phase III was that the CMM available to operate the CPSA system on a commercial basis was not of sufficiently high quality. NW Fuel's CPSA process is limited in its applicability, requiring a relatively high quality of gas as the feed to the process. The CPSA process was demonstrated during Phase III for a limited time, during which the processing capabilities met the expected results, but the process was never capable of providing pipeline quality gas from the available low quality CMM. The NW Fuel CPSA process is a low-cost ''polishing unit'' capable of removing a few percent nitrogen. It was never intended to process CMM streams containing high levels of nitrogen, as is now the case at the Federal No.2 Mine. Even lacking the CPSA pipeline delivery demonstration, the project was successful in laying the groundwork for future commercial applications of the integrated system. This operation can still provide a guide for other coal mines which need options for utilization of their methane resources. The designed system can be used as a complete template, or individual components of the system can be segregated and utilized separately at other mines. The use of the CMM not only provides an energy fuel from an otherwise wasted resource, but it also yields an environmental benefit by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The methane has twenty times the greenhouse effect as compared to carbon dioxide, which the combustion of the methane generates. The net greenhouse gas emission mitigation is substantial.« less

Early direct-injection, low-temperature combustion of diesel fuel in an optical engine utilizing a 15-hole, dual-row, narrow-included-angle nozzle.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gehrke, Christopher R.; Radovanovic, Michael S.; Milam, David M.

2008-04-01

Low-temperature combustion of diesel fuel was studied in a heavy-duty, single-cylinder optical engine employing a 15-hole, dual-row, narrow-included-angle nozzle (10 holes x 70/mD and 5 holes x 35/mD) with 103-/gmm-diameter orifices. This nozzle configuration provided the spray targeting necessary to contain the direct-injected diesel fuel within the piston bowl for injection timings as early as 70/mD before top dead center. Spray-visualization movies, acquired using a high-speed camera, show that impingement of liquid fuel on the piston surface can result when the in-cylinder temperature and density at the time of injection are sufficiently low. Seven single- and two-parameter sweeps around amore » 4.82-bar gross indicated mean effective pressure load point were performed to map the sensitivity of the combustion and emissions to variations in injection timing, injection pressure, equivalence ratio, simulated exhaust-gas recirculation, intake temperature, intake boost pressure, and load. High-speed movies of natural luminosity were acquired by viewing through a window in the cylinder wall and through a window in the piston to provide quasi-3D information about the combustion process. These movies revealed that advanced combustion phasing resulted in intense pool fires within the piston bowl, after the end of significant heat release. These pool fires are a result of fuel-films created when the injected fuel impinged on the piston surface. The emissions results showed a strong correlation with pool-fire activity. Smoke and NO/dx emissions rose steadily as pool-fire intensity increased, whereas HC and CO showed a dramatic increase with near-zero pool-fire activity.« less

Gravity-Dependent Combustion and Fluids Research - From Drop Towers to Aircraft to the ISS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Urban, David L.; Singh, Bhim S.; Kohl, Fred J.

2007-01-01

Driven by the need for knowledge related to the low-gravity environment behavior of fluids in liquid fuels management, thermal control systems and fire safety for spacecraft, NASA embarked on a decades long research program to understand, accommodate and utilize the relevant phenomena. Beginning in the 1950s, and continuing through to today, drop towers and aircraft were used to conduct an ever broadening and increasingly sophisticated suite of experiments designed to elucidate the underlying gravity-dependent physics that drive these processes. But the drop towers and aircraft afford only short time periods of continuous low gravity. Some of the earliest rocket test flights and manned space missions hosted longer duration experiments. The relatively longer duration low-g times available on the space shuttle during the 1980s and 1990s enabled many specialized experiments that provided unique data for a wide range of science and engineering disciplines. Indeed, a number of STS-based Spacelab missions were dedicated solely to basic and applied microgravity research in the biological, life and physical sciences. Between 1980 and 2000, NASA implemented a vigorous Microgravity Science Program wherein combustion science and fluid physics were major components. The current era of space stations from the MIR to the International Space Station have opened up a broad range of opportunities and facilities that are now available to support both applied research for technologies that will help to enable the future exploration missions and for a continuation of the non-exploration basic research that began over fifty years ago. The ISS-based facilities of particular value to the fluid physics and combustion/fire safety communities are the Fluids and Combustion Facility Combustion Integrated Rack and the Fluids Integrated Rack.

Sewage sludge conditioning with the application of ash from biomass-fired power plant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wójcik, Marta; Stachowicz, Feliks; Masłoń, Adam

2018-02-01

During biomass combustion, there are formed combustion products. Available data indicates that only 29.1 % of biomass ashes were recycled in Poland in 2013. Chemical composition and sorptive properties of ashes enable their application in the sewage sludge treatment. This paper analyses the impact of ashes from biomass-combustion power plant on sewage sludge dewatering and higienisation. The results obtained in laboratory tests proved the possitive impact of biomass ashes on sewage sludge hydration reduction after dewatering and the increase of filtrate volume. After sludge conditioning with the use of biomass combustion by-products, the final moisture content decreased by approximatelly 10÷25 % in comparison with raw sewage sludge depending on the method of dewatering. The application of biomass combustion products in sewage sludge management could provide an alternative method of their utilization according to law and environmental requirements.

Experimental apparatus with full optical access for combustion experiments with laminar flames from a single circular nozzle at elevated pressures.

PubMed

Joo, Peter H; Gao, Jinlong; Li, Zhongshan; Aldén, Marcus

2015-03-01

The design and features of a high pressure chamber and burner that is suitable for combustion experiments at elevated pressures are presented. The high pressure combustion apparatus utilizes a high pressure burner that is comprised of a chamber burner module and an easily accessible interchangeable burner module to add to its flexibility. The burner is well suited to study both premixed and non-premixed flames. The optical access to the chamber is provided through four viewports for direct visual observations and optical-based diagnostic techniques. Auxiliary features include numerous access ports and electrical connections and as a result, the combustion apparatus is also suitable to work with plasmas and liquid fuels. Images of methane flames at elevated pressures up to 25 atm and preliminary results of optical-based measurements demonstrate the suitability of the high pressure experimental apparatus for combustion experiments.

The heat exchanger of small pellet boiler for phytomass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mičieta, Jozef; Lenhard, Richard; Jandačka, Jozef

2014-08-01

Combustion of pellets from plant biomass (phytomass) causes various troubles. Main problem is slagging ash because of low melting temperature of ash from phytomass. This problem is possible to solve either improving energetic properties of phytomass by additives or modification of boiler construction. A small-scale boiler for phytomass is different in construction of heat exchanger and furnace mainly. We solve major problem - slagging ash, by decreasing combustion temperature via redesign of pellet burner and boiler body. Consequence of lower combustion temperature is also lower temperature gradient of combustion gas. It means that is necessary to design larger heat exchanging surface. We plane to use underfed burner, so we would utilize circle symmetry heat exchanger. Paper deals design of heat exchanger construction with help of CFD simulation. Our purpose is to keep uniform water flux and combustion gas flux in heat exchanger without zone of local overheating and excess cooling.

A numerical study on combustion process in a small compression ignition engine run dual-fuel mode (diesel-biogas)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ambarita, H.; Widodo, T. I.; Nasution, D. M.

2017-01-01

In order to reduce the consumption of fossil fuel of a compression ignition (CI) engines which is usually used in transportation and heavy machineries, it can be operated in dual-fuel mode (diesel-biogas). However, the literature reviews show that the thermal efficiency is lower due to incomplete combustion process. In order to increase the efficiency, the combustion process in the combustion chamber need to be explored. Here, a commercial CFD code is used to explore the combustion process of a small CI engine run on dual fuel mode (diesel-biogas). The turbulent governing equations are solved based on finite volume method. A simulation of compression and expansions strokes at an engine speed and load of 1000 rpm and 2500W, respectively has been carried out. The pressure and temperature distributions and streamlines are plotted. The simulation results show that at engine power of 732.27 Watt the thermal efficiency is 9.05%. The experiment and simulation results show a good agreement. The method developed in this study can be used to investigate the combustion process of CI engine run on dual-fuel mode.

Stably operating pulse combustor and method

DOEpatents

Zinn, Ben T.; Reiner, David

1990-01-01

A pulse combustor apparatus adapted to burn either a liquid fuel or a pulverized solid fuel within a preselected volume of the combustion chamber. The combustion process is substantially restricted to an optimum combustion zone in order to attain effective pulse combustion operation.

Simulation of air pollution due to marine engines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stan, L. C.

2017-08-01

This paperwork tried to simulate the combustion inside the marine engines using the newest computer methods and technologies with the result of a diverse and rich palette of solutions, extremely useful for the study and prediction of complex phenomena of the fuel combustion. The paperwork is contributing to the theoretical systematization of the area of interest bringing into attention a thoroughly inventory of the thermodynamic description of the phenomena which take place in the combustion process into the marine diesel engines; to the in depth multidimensional combustion models description along with the interdisciplinary phenomenology taking place in the combustion models; to the FEA (Finite Elements Method) modelling for the combustion chemistry in the nonpremixed mixtures approach considered too; the CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) model was issued for the combustion area and a rich palette of results interesting for any researcher of the process.

Nitrogen Isotope Composition of Thermally Produced NOx from Various Fossil-Fuel Combustion Sources.

PubMed

Walters, Wendell W; Tharp, Bruce D; Fang, Huan; Kozak, Brian J; Michalski, Greg

2015-10-06

The nitrogen stable isotope composition of NOx (δ(15)N-NOx) may be a useful indicator for NOx source partitioning, which would help constrain NOx source contributions in nitrogen deposition studies. However, there is large uncertainty in the δ(15)N-NOx values for anthropogenic sources other than on-road vehicles and coal-fired energy generating units. To this end, this study presents a broad analysis of δ(15)N-NOx from several fossil-fuel combustion sources that includes: airplanes, gasoline-powered vehicles not equipped with a three-way catalytic converter, lawn equipment, utility vehicles, urban buses, semitrucks, residential gas furnaces, and natural-gas-fired power plants. A relatively large range of δ(15)N-NOx values was measured from -28.1‰ to 8.5‰ for individual exhaust/flue samples that generally tended to be negative due to the kinetic isotope effect associated with thermal NOx production. A negative correlation between NOx concentrations and δ(15)N-NOx for fossil-fuel combustion sources equipped with selective catalytic reducers was observed, suggesting that the catalytic reduction of NOx increases δ(15)N-NOx values relative to the NOx produced through fossil-fuel combustion processes. Combining the δ(15)N-NOx measured in this study with previous published values, a δ(15)N-NOx regional and seasonal isoscape was constructed for the contiguous U.S., which demonstrates seasonal and regional importance of various NOx sources.

Fluorescence emission induced by the femtosecond filament transmitting through the butane/air flame

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Suyu; Li, Yanhua; Shi, Zhe; Sui, Laizhi; Li, He; Li, Qingyi; Chen, Anmin; Jiang, Yuanfei; Jin, Mingxing

2018-01-01

We measure the backward fluorescence spectra generated by the femtosecond filament transmitting through the butane/air flame, and study the fluorescence emission from combustion intermediates (CN, CH and C2 radicals), air (mainly N2 and N2+). It is found that the fluorescence emission from combustion intermediates, N2 and N2+ shows difference when the femtosecond filament transmits through different parts of the butane/air flame, and we attempt to analyze it in this paper. This study demonstrates that the filament-induced fluorescence technique can be utilized to sense the combustion intermediates.

Scaling Techniques for Combustion Device Random Vibration Predictions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kenny, R. J.; Ferebee, R. C.; Duvall, L. D.

2016-01-01

This work presents compares scaling techniques that can be used for prediction of combustion device component random vibration levels with excitation due to the internal combustion dynamics. Acceleration and unsteady dynamic pressure data from multiple component test programs are compared and normalized per the two scaling approaches reviewed. Two scaling technique are reviewed and compared against the collected component test data. The first technique is an existing approach developed by Barrett, and the second technique is an updated approach new to this work. Results from utilizing both techniques are presented and recommendations about future component random vibration prediction approaches are given.

Binder enhanced refuse derived fuel

DOEpatents

Daugherty, Kenneth E.; Venables, Barney J.; Ohlsson, Oscar O.

1996-01-01

A refuse derived fuel (RDF) pellet having about 11% or more particulate calcium hydroxide which is utilized in a combustionable mixture. The pellets are used in a particulate fuel bring a mixture of 10% or more, on a heat equivalent basis, of the RDF pellet which contains calcium hydroxide as a binder, with 50% or more, on a heat equivalent basis, of a sulphur containing coal. Combustion of the mixture is effective to produce an effluent gas from the combustion zone having a reduced SO.sub.2 and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon content of effluent gas from similar combustion materials not containing the calcium hydroxide.

40 CFR 98.293 - Calculating GHG emissions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... subpart C of this part (General Stationary Fuel Combustion Sources) the combustion CO2, CH4, and N2O... must calculate and report the annual process CO2 emissions from each soda ash manufacturing line using... report under this subpart the combined process and combustion CO2 emissions by operating and maintaining...

40 CFR 98.293 - Calculating GHG emissions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... subpart C of this part (General Stationary Fuel Combustion Sources) the combustion CO2, CH4, and N2O... must calculate and report the annual process CO2 emissions from each soda ash manufacturing line using... report under this subpart the combined process and combustion CO2 emissions by operating and maintaining...

40 CFR 98.293 - Calculating GHG emissions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... subpart C of this part (General Stationary Fuel Combustion Sources) the combustion CO2, CH4, and N2O... must calculate and report the annual process CO2 emissions from each soda ash manufacturing line using... report under this subpart the combined process and combustion CO2 emissions by operating and maintaining...

40 CFR 98.293 - Calculating GHG emissions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... subpart C of this part (General Stationary Fuel Combustion Sources) the combustion CO2, CH4, and N2O... must calculate and report the annual process CO2 emissions from each soda ash manufacturing line using... report under this subpart the combined process and combustion CO2 emissions by operating and maintaining...

40 CFR 98.293 - Calculating GHG emissions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... subpart C of this part (General Stationary Fuel Combustion Sources) the combustion CO2, CH4, and N2O... must calculate and report the annual process CO2 emissions from each soda ash manufacturing line using... report under this subpart the combined process and combustion CO2 emissions by operating and maintaining...

Recovery Act: Brea California Combined Cycle Electric Generating Plant Fueled by Waste Landfill Gas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Galowitz, Stephen

The primary objective of the Project was to maximize the productive use of the substantial quantities of waste landfill gas generated and collected at the Olinda Landfill near Brea, California. An extensive analysis was conducted and it was determined that utilization of the waste gas for power generation in a combustion turbine combined cycle facility was the highest and best use. The resulting Project reflected a cost effective balance of the following specific sub-objectives: • Meeting the environmental and regulatory requirements, particularly the compliance obligations imposed on the landfill to collect, process and destroy landfill gas • Utilizing proven andmore » reliable technology and equipment • Maximizing electrical efficiency • Maximizing electric generating capacity, consistent with the anticipated quantities of landfill gas generated and collected at the Olinda Landfill • Maximizing equipment uptime • Minimizing water consumption • Minimizing post-combustion emissions • The Project produced and will produce a myriad of beneficial impacts. o The Project created 360 FTE construction and manufacturing jobs and 15 FTE permanent jobs associated with the operation and maintenance of the plant and equipment. o By combining state-of-the-art gas clean up systems with post combustion emissions control systems, the Project established new national standards for best available control technology (BACT). o The Project will annually produce 280,320 MWh’s of clean energy o By destroying the methane in the landfill gas, the Project will generate CO2 equivalent reductions of 164,938 tons annually. The completed facility produces 27.4 MWnet and operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.« less

[Catalytic performance of Ce/Zr series catalysts on soot combustion].

PubMed

Zhu, Ling; Wang, Xue-Zhong; Hao, Zheng-Ping

2005-09-01

Catalytic performances of Ce/Zr series catalysts (Ce(x)Zr(1-x)O2) on soot combustion and the influence of feed gas were investigated by TG and TPO. The catalytic activity is high, and affects by the Ce/Zr ratio. The concentration of O2 affects the speed-limited step during the process of soot combustion. H2O showed no effect on the catalytic activity for soot combustion on Ce(0.5)Zr(0.5)O2. NO could promote soot combustion by presenting NO2, a more powerful oxidant than O2, and the ignition temperature of soot decreased 30 degrees C. Results of TG and TPO show that the beta species oxygen on the catalyst take part in the combustion process.

Overview of Microgravity Combustion Research at NASA Lewis Research Center and its Potential Commercial Impact

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lyons, Valerie; Friedman, Robert

1996-01-01

The near-zero (microgravity) environment of orbiting spacecraft minimizes buoyant flows, greatly simplifying combustion processes and isolating important phenomena ordinarily concealed by the overwhelming gravity-driven forces and flows. Fundamental combustion understanding has greatly benefited from analyses and experiments conducted in the microgravity environment. Because of the economic and commercial importance of combustion in practice, there is strong motivation to seek wider applications for the microgravity-combustion findings. This paper reviews selected technology developments to illustrate some emerging applications. Topics cover improved fire-safety technology in spacecraft and terrestrial systems, innovative combustor designs for aerospace and ground propulsion, applied sensors and controls for combustion processes, and self-sustaining synthesis techniques for advanced materials.

Transformation of logwood combustion emissions in a smog chamber: formation of secondary organic aerosol and changes in the primary organic aerosol upon daytime and nighttime aging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tiitta, Petri; Leskinen, Ari; Hao, Liqing; Yli-Pirilä, Pasi; Kortelainen, Miika; Grigonyte, Julija; Tissari, Jarkko; Lamberg, Heikki; Hartikainen, Anni; Kuuspalo, Kari; Kortelainen, Aki-Matti; Virtanen, Annele; Lehtinen, Kari E. J.; Komppula, Mika; Pieber, Simone; Prévôt, André S. H.; Onasch, Timothy B.; Worsnop, Douglas R.; Czech, Hendryk; Zimmermann, Ralf; Jokiniemi, Jorma; Sippula, Olli

2016-10-01

Organic aerosols (OA) derived from small-scale wood combustion emissions are not well represented by current emissions inventories and models, although they contribute substantially to the atmospheric particulate matter (PM) levels. In this work, a 29 m3 smog chamber in the ILMARI facility of the University of Eastern Finland was utilized to investigate the formation of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) from a small-scale modern masonry heater commonly used in northern Europe. Emissions were oxidatively aged in the smog chamber for a variety of dark (i.e., O3 and NO3) and UV (i.e., OH) conditions, with OH concentration levels of (0.5-5) × 106 molecules cm-3, achieving equivalent atmospheric aging of up to 18 h. An aerosol mass spectrometer characterized the direct OA emissions and the SOA formed from the combustion of three wood species (birch, beech and spruce) using two ignition processes (fast ignition with a VOC-to-NOx ratio of 3 and slow ignition with a ratio of 5).Dark and UV aging increased the SOA mass fraction with average SOA productions 2.0 times the initial OA mass loadings. SOA enhancement was found to be higher for the slow ignition compared with fast ignition conditions. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) was used to separate SOA, primary organic aerosol (POA) and their subgroups from the total OA mass spectra. PMF analysis identified two POA and three SOA factors that correlated with the three major oxidizers: ozone, the nitrate radical and the OH radical. Organonitrates (ONs) were observed to be emitted directly from the wood combustion and additionally formed during oxidation via NO3 radicals (dark aging), suggesting small-scale wood combustion may be a significant ON source. POA was oxidized after the ozone addition, forming aged POA, and after 7 h of aging more than 75 % of the original POA was transformed. This process may involve evaporation and homogeneous gas-phase oxidation as well as heterogeneous oxidation of particulate organic matter. The results generally prove that logwood burning emissions are the subject of intensive chemical processing in the atmosphere, and the timescale for these transformations is relatively short, i.e., hours.

Combustion Fundamentals Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1983-01-01

Increased emphasis is placed on fundamental and generic research at Lewis Research Center with less systems development efforts. This is especially true in combustion research, where the study of combustion fundamentals has grown significantly in order to better address the perceived long term technical needs of the aerospace industry. The main thrusts for this combustion fundamentals program area are as follows: analytical models of combustion processes, model verification experiments, fundamental combustion experiments, and advanced numeric techniques.

Laminar Dust Flames: A Program of Microgravity and Ground Based Studies at McGill

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goroshin, Sam; Lee, John

1999-01-01

Fundamental knowledge of heterogeneous combustion mechanisms is required to improve utilization of solid fuels (e.g. coal), safe handling of combustible dusts in industry, and solid propulsion systems. The objective of the McGill University research program on dust combustion is to obtain a reliable set of data on basic combustion parameters for dust suspensions (i.e. laminar burning velocity, flame structure, quenching distance, flammability limits, etc.) over a range of particle sizes, dust concentrations, and types of fuel. This set of data then permits theoretical models to be validated and, when necessary, new models to be developed to describe the detailed reaction mechanisms and transport processes. Microgravity is essential to the generation of a uniform dust suspension of arbitrary particle size and concentration. When particles with a characteristic size on the order of tens of microns are suspended, they rapidly settle in a gravitational field. To maintain a particulate in suspension for time duration adequate to carry out combustion experiments invariably requires continuous convective flow in excess of the gravitational settling velocity (which is comparable with and can even exceed the dust laminar burning velocity). This makes the experiments turbulent in nature and thus renders it impossible to study laminar dust flames. Even for small particle sizes on the order of microns, a stable laminar dust flow can be maintained only for relatively low dust concentrations at normal gravity conditions. High dust loading leads to gravitational instability of the dust cloud and to the formation of recirculation cells in the dust suspension in a confined volume, or to the rapid sedimentation of the dense dust cloud, as a whole, in an unconfined volume. Many important solid fuels such as carbon and boron also have low laminar flame speeds (of the order of several centimeters per second). Convection that occurs in combustion products due to buoyancy disrupts the low speed dust flames and makes observation of such flames at normal gravity difficult.

Basic Considerations in the Combustion of Hydrocarbon Fuels with Air

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barnett, Henry C; Hibbard, Robert R

1957-01-01

Basic combustion research is collected, collated, and interpreted as it applies to flight propulsion. The following fundamental processes are treated in separate chapters: atomization and evaporation of liquid fuels, flow and mixing processes in combustion chambers, ignition and flammability of hydrocarbon fuels, laminar flame propagation, turbulent flames, flame stabilization, diffusion flames, oscillations in combustors, and smoke and coke formation in the combustion of hydrocarbon-air mixtures. Theoretical background, basic experimental data, and practical significance to flight propulsion are presented.

Laser-induced incandescence: Particulate diagnostics for combustion, atmospheric, and industrial applications

DOE PAGES

Michelsen, H. A.; Schulz, C.; Smallwood, G. J.; ...

2015-09-09

The understanding of soot formation in combustion processes and the optimization of practical combustion systems require in situ measurement techniques that can provide important characteristics, such as particle concentrations and sizes, under a variety of conditions. Of equal importance are techniques suitable for characterizing soot particles produced from incomplete combustion and emitted into the environment. Also, the production of engineered nanoparticles, such as carbon blacks, may benefit from techniques that allow for online monitoring of these processes.

Numerical modelling of biomass combustion: Solid conversion processes in a fixed bed furnace

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karim, Md. Rezwanul; Naser, Jamal

2017-06-01

Increasing demand for energy and rising concerns over global warming has urged the use of renewable energy sources to carry a sustainable development of the world. Bio mass is a renewable energy which has become an important fuel to produce thermal energy or electricity. It is an eco-friendly source of energy as it reduces carbon dioxide emissions. Combustion of solid biomass is a complex phenomenon due to its large varieties and physical structures. Among various systems, fixed bed combustion is the most commonly used technique for thermal conversion of solid biomass. But inadequate knowledge on complex solid conversion processes has limited the development of such combustion system. Numerical modelling of this combustion system has some advantages over experimental analysis. Many important system parameters (e.g. temperature, density, solid fraction) can be estimated inside the entire domain under different working conditions. In this work, a complete numerical model is used for solid conversion processes of biomass combustion in a fixed bed furnace. The combustion system is divided in to solid and gas phase. This model includes several sub models to characterize the solid phase of the combustion with several variables. User defined subroutines are used to introduce solid phase variables in commercial CFD code. Gas phase of combustion is resolved using built-in module of CFD code. Heat transfer model is modified to predict the temperature of solid and gas phases with special radiation heat transfer solution for considering the high absorptivity of the medium. Considering all solid conversion processes the solid phase variables are evaluated. Results obtained are discussed with reference from an experimental burner.

New Metamaterials with Combined Subnano - and Mesoscale Topology for High-efficiency Catalytic Combustion Chambers of Innovative Gas Turbine Engines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knysh, Yu A.; Xanthopoulou, G. G.

2018-01-01

The object of the study is a catalytic combustion chamber that provides a highly efficient combustion process through the use of effects: heat recovery from combustion, microvortex heat transfer, catalytic reaction and acoustic resonance. High efficiency is provided by a complex of related technologies: technologies for combustion products heat transfer (recuperation) to initial mixture, catalytic processes technology, technology for calculating effective combustion processes based on microvortex matrices, technology for designing metamaterials structures and technology for obtaining the required topology product by laser fusion of metal powder compositions. The mesoscale level structure provides combustion process with the use of a microvortex effect with a high intensity of heat and mass transfer. High surface area (extremely high area-to-volume ratio) created due to nanoscale periodic structure and ensures catalytic reactions efficiency. Produced metamaterial is the first multiscale product of new concept which due to combination of different scale level periodic topologies provides qualitatively new set of product properties. This research is aimed at solving simultaneously two global problems of the present: ensure environmental safety of transport systems and power industry, as well as the economy and rational use of energy resources, providing humanity with energy now and in the foreseeable future.

Low NO/x/ heavy fuel combustor program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lister, E.; Niedzwiecki, R. W.; Nichols, L.

1980-01-01

The paper deals with the 'Low NO/x/ Heavy Fuel Combustor Program'. Main program objectives are to generate and demonstrate the technology required to develop durable gas turbine combustors for utility and industrial applications, which are capable of sustained, environmentally acceptable operation with minimally processed petroleum residual fuels. The program will focus on 'dry' reductions of oxides of nitrogen (NO/x/), improved combustor durability and satisfactory combustion of minimally processed petroleum residual fuels. Other technology advancements sought include: fuel flexibility for operation with petroleum distillates, blends of petroleum distillates and residual fuels, and synfuels (fuel oils derived from coal or shale); acceptable exhaust emissions of carbon monoxide, unburned hydrocarbons, sulfur oxides and smoke; and retrofit capability to existing engines.

Fischer-Tropsch Wastewater Utilization

DOEpatents

Shah, Lalit S.

2003-03-18

The present invention is generally directed to handling the wastewater, or condensate, from a hydrocarbon synthesis reactor. More particularly, the present invention provides a process wherein the wastewater of a hydrocarbon synthesis reactor, such as a Fischer-Tropsch reactor, is sent to a gasifier and subsequently reacted with steam and oxygen at high temperatures and pressures so as to produce synthesis gas. The wastewater may also be recycled back to a slurry preparation stage, where solid combustible organic materials are pulverized and mixed with process water and the wastewater to form a slurry, after which the slurry fed to a gasifier where it is reacted with steam and oxygen at high temperatures and pressures so as to produce synthesis gas.

Low NO(x) heavy fuel combustor program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lister, E.; Niedzwiecki, R. W.; Nichols, L.

1979-01-01

The 'low nitrogen oxides heavy fuel combustor' program is described. Main program objectives are to generate and demonstrate the technology required to develop durable gas turbine combustors for utility and industrial applications, which are capable of sustained, environmentally acceptable operation with minimally processed petroleum residual fuels. The program will focus on 'dry' reductions of oxides of nitrogen, improved combustor durability, and satisfactory combustion of minimally processed petroleum residual fuels. Other technology advancements sought include: fuel flexibility for operation with petroleum distillates, blends of petroleum distillates and residual fuels, and synfuels (fuel oils derived from coal or shale); acceptable exhaust emissions of carbon monoxide, unburned hydrocarbons, sulfur oxides and smoke; and retrofit capability to existing engines.

The efficiency of combustion turbines with constant-pressure combustion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Piening, Werner

1941-01-01

Of the two fundamental cycles employed in combustion turbines, namely, the explosion (or constant-volume) cycle and the constant-pressure cycle, the latter is considered more in detail and its efficiency is derived with the aid of the cycle diagrams for the several cases with adiabatic and isothermal compression and expansion strokes and with and without utilization of the exhaust heat. Account is also taken of the separate efficiencies of the turbine and compressor and of the pressure losses and heat transfer in the piping. The results show that without the utilization of the exhaust heat the efficiencies for the two cases of adiabatic and isothermal compression is offset by the increase in the heat supplied. It may be seen from the curves that it is necessary to attain separate efficiencies of at least 80 percent in order for useful results to be obtained. There is further shown the considerable effect on the efficiency of pressure losses in piping or heat exchangers.

Signal Processing Methods for Liquid Rocket Engine Combustion Spontaneous Stability and Rough Combustion Assessments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kenny, R. Jeremy; Casiano, Matthew; Fischbach, Sean; Hulka, James R.

2012-01-01

Liquid rocket engine combustion stability assessments are traditionally broken into three categories: dynamic stability, spontaneous stability, and rough combustion. This work focuses on comparing the spontaneous stability and rough combustion assessments for several liquid engine programs. The techniques used are those developed at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) for the J-2X Workhorse Gas Generator program. Stability assessment data from the Integrated Powerhead Demonstrator (IPD), FASTRAC, and Common Extensible Cryogenic Engine (CECE) programs are compared against previously processed J-2X Gas Generator data. Prior metrics for spontaneous stability assessments are updated based on the compilation of all data sets.

Understanding Combustion Processes Through Microgravity Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ronney, Paul D.

1998-01-01

A review of research on the effects of gravity on combustion processes is presented, with an emphasis on a discussion of the ways in which reduced-gravity experiments and modeling has led to new understanding. Comparison of time scales shows that the removal of buoyancy-induced convection leads to manifestations of other transport mechanisms, notably radiative heat transfer and diffusional processes such as Lewis number effects. Examples from premixed-gas combustion, non-premixed gas-jet flames, droplet combustion, flame spread over solid and liquid fuels, and other fields are presented. Promising directions for new research are outlined, the most important of which is suggested to be radiative reabsorption effects in weakly burning flames.

Economics of electron beam and electrical discharge processing for post-combustion NO(x) control in internal combustion engines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Penetrante, B. M.

1993-08-01

The physics and chemistry of non-thermal plasma processing for post-combustion NO(x) control in internal combustion engines are discussed. A comparison of electron beam and electrical discharge processing is made regarding their power consumption, radical production, NO(x) removal mechanisms, and by-product formation. Pollution control applications present a good opportunity for transferring pulsed power techniques to the commercial sector. However, unless advances are made to drastically reduce the price and power consumption of electron beam sources and pulsed power systems, these plasma techniques will not become commercially competitive with conventional thermal or surface-catalytic methods.

Studies on pressure-gain combustion engines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsutomi, Yu

Various aspects of the pressure-gain combustion engine are investigated analytically and experimentally in the current study. A lumped parameter model is developed to characterize the operation of a valveless pulse detonation engine. The model identified the function of flame quenching process through gas dynamic process. By adjusting fuel manifold pressure and geometries, the duration of the air buffer can be effectively varied. The parametric study with the lumped parameter model has shown that engine frequency of up to approximately 15 Hz is attainable. However, requirements for upstream air pressure increases significantly with higher engine frequency. The higher pressure requirement indicates pressure loss in the system and lower overall engine performance. The loss of performance due to the pressure loss is a critical issue for the integrated pressure-gain combustors. Two types of transitional methods are examined using entropy-based models. An accumulator based transition has obvious loss due to sudden area expansion, but it can be minimized by utilizing the gas dynamics in the combustion tube. An ejector type transition has potential to achieve performance beyond the limit specified by a single flow path Humphrey cycle. The performance of an ejector was discussed in terms of apparent entropy and mixed flow entropy. Through an ideal ejector, the apparent part of entropy increases due to the reduction in flow unsteadiness, but entropy of the mixed flow remains constant. The method is applied to a CFD simulation with a simple manifold for qualitative evaluation. The operation of the wave rotor constant volume combustion rig is experimentally examined. The rig has shown versatility of operation for wide range of conditions. Large pressure rise in the rotor channel and in a section of the exhaust duct are observed even with relatively large leakage gaps on the rotor. The simplified analysis indicated that inconsistent combustion is likely due to insufficient fuel near the ignition source. However, it is difficult to conclude its fuel distribution with the current setup. Additional measurement near the rotor interfaces and better fuel control are required for the future test.

The gas heterogeneous flows cleaning technology from corona discharge field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bogdanov, A.; Tokarev, A.; Judanov, V.; Vinogradov, V.

2017-11-01

A nanogold capture and extraction from combustion products of Kara-Keche coal, description the process: a coal preparation to experiments, nanogold introducing in its composition, temperature and time performance of combustion, device and function of experimental apparatus, gas-purification of the gas flow process and receiving combustion products (condensate, coke, ash, rags) is offerred.

In situ gasification process for producing product gas enriched in carbon monoxide and hydrogen

DOEpatents

Capp, John P.; Bissett, Larry A.

1978-01-01

The present invention is directed to an in situ coal gasification process wherein the combustion zone within the underground coal bed is fed with air at increasing pressure to increase pressure and temperature in the combustion zone for forcing product gases and water naturally present in the coal bed into the coal bed surrounding the combustion zone. No outflow of combustion products occurs during the build-up of pressure and temperature in the combustion zone. After the coal bed reaches a temperature of about 2000.degree. F and a pressure in the range of about 100-200 psi above pore pressure the airflow is terminated and the outflow of the combustion products from the combustion zone is initiated. The CO.sub.2 containing gaseous products and the water bleed back into the combustion zone to react endothermically with the hot carbon of the combustion zone to produce a burnable gas with a relatively high hydrogen and carbon monoxide content. About 11 to 29 percent of the gas recovered from the combustion zone is carbon monoxide which is considerably better than the 4 to 10 percent carbon monoxide obtained by employing previously known coal gasification techniques.

Symposium /International/ on Combustion, 18th, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, August 17-22, 1980, Proceedings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

Problems related to combustion generated pollution are explored, taking into account the mechanism of NO formation from nitrogen compounds in hydrogen flames studied by laser fluorescence, the structure and similarity of nitric oxide production in turbulent diffusion flames, the effect of steam addition on NO formation, and the formation of NO2 by laminar flames. Other topics considered are concerned with propellant combustion, fluidized bed combustion, the combustion of droplets and sprays, premixed flame studies, fire studies, and flame stabilization. Attention is also given to coal flammability, chemical kinetics, turbulent combustion, soot, coal combustion, the modeling of combustion processes, combustion diagnostics, detonations and explosions, ignition, internal combustion engines, combustion studies, and furnaces.

Analysis of material flow in a utillzation technology of low grade manganese ore and sulphur coal complementary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Bo-Zhi; Deng, Biao; Su, Shi-Jun; Ding, Sang-Lan; Sun, Wei-Yi

2018-03-01

Electrolytic manganese is conventionally produced through low-grade manganese ore leaching in SO2, with the combustion of high sulfur coal. Subsequently the coal ash and manganese slag, produced by the combustion of high sulfur coal and preparation of electrolytic manganese, can be used as raw ingredients for the preparation of sulphoaluminate cement. In order to realize the `coal-electricity-sulfur-manganese-building material' system of complementary resource utilization, the conditions of material inflow and outflow in each process were determined using material flow analysis. The material flow models in each unit and process can be obtained by analyzed of material flow for new technology, and the input-output model could be obtained. Through the model, it is possible to obtain the quantity of all the input and output material in the condition of limiting the quantity of a substance. Taking one ton electrolytic manganese as a basis, the quantity of other input material and cements can be determined with the input-output model. The whole system had thusly achieved a cleaner production level. Therefore, the input-output model can be used for guidance in practical production.

Modules for estimating solid waste from fossil-fuel technologies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Crowther, M.A.; Thode, H.C. Jr.; Morris, S.C.

1980-10-01

Solid waste has become a subject of increasing concern to energy industries for several reasons. Increasingly stringent air and water pollution regulations result in a larger fraction of residuals in the form of solid wastes. Control technologies, particularly flue gas desulfurization, can multiply the amount of waste. With the renewed emphasis on coal utilization and the likelihood of oil shale development, increased amounts of solid waste will be produced. In the past, solid waste residuals used for environmental assessment have tended only to include total quantities generated. To look at environmental impacts, however, data on the composition of the solidmore » wastes are required. Computer modules for calculating the quantities and composition of solid waste from major fossil fuel technologies were therefore developed and are described in this report. Six modules have been produced covering physical coal cleaning, conventional coal combustion with flue gas desulfurization, atmospheric fluidized-bed combustion, coal gasification using the Lurgi process, coal liquefaction using the SRC-II process, and oil shale retorting. Total quantities of each solid waste stream are computed together with the major components and a number of trace elements and radionuclides.« less

The use of gaseous fuels mixtures for SI engines propulsion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flekiewicz, M.; Kubica, G.

2016-09-01

Paper presents results of SI engine tests, carried on for different gaseous fuels. Carried out analysis made it possible to define correlation between fuel composition and engine operating parameters. Tests covered various gaseous mixtures: of methane and hydrogen and LPG with DME featuring different shares. The first group, considered as low carbon content fuels can be characterized by low CO2 emissions. Flammability of hydrogen added in those mixtures realizes the function of combustion process activator. That is why hydrogen addition improves the energy conversion by about 3%. The second group of fuels is constituted by LPG and DME mixtures. DME mixes perfectly with LPG, and differently than in case of other hydrocarbon fuels consists also of oxygen makes the stoichiometric mixture less oxygen demanding. In case of this fuel an improvement in engine volumetric and overall engine efficiency has been noticed, when compared to LPG. For the 11% DME share in the mixture an improvement of 2% in the efficiency has been noticed. During the tests standard CNG/LPG feeding systems have been used, what underlines utility value of the research. The stand tests results have been followed by combustion process simulation including exhaust forming and charge exchange.

The hard start phenomena in hypergolic engines. Volume 4: The chemistry of hydrazine fuels and nitrogen tetroxide propellant systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miron, Y.; Perlee, H. E.

1974-01-01

The various chemical reactions that occur and that could possibly occur in the RCS engines utilizing hydrazine-type fuel/nitrogen tetroxide propellant systems, prior to ignition (preignition), during combustion, and after combustion (postcombustion), and endeavors to relate the hard-start phenomenon to some of these reactions are discussed. The discussion is based on studies utilizing a variety of experimental techniques and apparatus as well as current theories of chemical reactions and reaction kinetics. The chemical reactions were studied in low pressure gas flow reactors, low temperature homogeneous- and heterogeneous-phase reactors, simulated two-dimensional (2-D) engines, and scaled and full size engines.

Development of an in situ calibration technique for combustible gas detectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shumar, J. W.; Wynveen, R. A.; Lance, N., Jr.; Lantz, J. B.

1977-01-01

This paper describes the development of an in situ calibration procedure for combustible gas detectors (CGD). The CGD will be a necessary device for future space vehicles as many subsystems in the Environmental Control/Life Support System utilize or produce hydrogen (H2) gas. Existing calibration techniques are time-consuming and require support equipment such as an environmental chamber and calibration gas supply. The in situ calibration procedure involves utilization of a water vapor electrolysis cell for the automatic in situ generation of a H2/air calibration mixture within the flame arrestor of the CGD. The development effort concluded with the successful demonstration of in situ span calibrations of a CGD.

Stably operating pulse combustor and method

DOEpatents

Zinn, B.T.; Reiner, D.

1990-05-29

A pulse combustor apparatus is described which is adapted to burn either a liquid fuel or a pulverized solid fuel within a preselected volume of the combustion chamber. The combustion process is substantially restricted to an optimum combustion zone in order to attain effective pulse combustion operation. 4 figs.

Life cycle assessment of pyrolysis, gasification and incineration waste-to-energy technologies: Theoretical analysis and case study of commercial plants.

PubMed

Dong, Jun; Tang, Yuanjun; Nzihou, Ange; Chi, Yong; Weiss-Hortala, Elsa; Ni, Mingjiang

2018-06-01

Municipal solid waste (MSW) pyrolysis and gasification are in development, stimulated by a more sustainable waste-to-energy (WtE) option. Since comprehensive comparisons of the existing WtE technologies are fairly rare, this study aims to conduct a life cycle assessment (LCA) using two sets of data: theoretical analysis, and case studies of large-scale commercial plants. Seven systems involving thermal conversion (pyrolysis, gasification, incineration) and energy utilization (steam cycle, gas turbine/combined cycle, internal combustion engine) are modeled. Theoretical analysis results show that pyrolysis and gasification, in particular coupled with a gas turbine/combined cycle, have the potential to lessen the environmental loadings. The benefits derive from an improved energy efficiency leading to less fossil-based energy consumption, and the reduced process emissions by syngas combustion. Comparison among the four operating plants (incineration, pyrolysis, gasification, gasification-melting) confirms a preferable performance of the gasification plant attributed to syngas cleaning. The modern incineration is superior over pyrolysis and gasification-melting at present, due to the effectiveness of modern flue gas cleaning, use of combined heat and power (CHP) cycle, and ash recycling. The sensitivity analysis highlights a crucial role of the plant efficiency and pyrolysis char land utilization. The study indicates that the heterogeneity of MSW and syngas purification technologies are the most relevant impediments for the current pyrolysis/gasification-based WtE. Potential development should incorporate into all process aspects to boost the energy efficiency, improve incoming waste quality, and achieve efficient residues management. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Simulation of Oil Palm Shell Pyrolysis to Produce Bio-Oil with Self-Pyrolysis Reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fika, R.; Nelwan, L. O.; Yulianto, M.

2018-05-01

A new self-pyrolysis reactor was designed to reduce the utilization of electric heater due to the energy saving for the production of bio-oil from oil palm shell. The yield of the bio- oil was then evaluated with the developed mathematical model by Sharma [1] with the characteristic of oil palm shell [2]. During the simulation, the temperature on the combustion chamber on the release of the bio-oil was utilized to determine the volatile composition from the combustion of the oil palm shell as fuel. The mass flow was assumed constant for three experiments. The model resulted in a significant difference between the simulated bio-oil and experiments. The bio-oil yields from the simulation were 22.01, 16.36, and 21.89 % (d.b.) meanwhile the experimental yields were 10.23, 9.82, and 8.41% (d.b.). The char yield varied from 30.7 % (d.b.) from the simulation to 40.9 % (d.b.) from the experiment. This phenomenon was due to the development of process temperature over time which was not considered as one of the influential factors in producing volatile matters on the simulation model. Meanwhile the real experiments highly relied on the process conditions (reactor type, temperature over time, gas flow). There was also possibilities of the occurrence of the gasification inside the reactor which caused the liquid yield was not as high as simulated. Further simulation model research on producing the bio-oil yield will be needed to predict the optimum condition and temperature development on the newly self-pyrolysis reactor.

Development Trends in Porous Adsorbents for Carbon Capture.

PubMed

Sreenivasulu, Bolisetty; Sreedhar, Inkollu; Suresh, Pathi; Raghavan, Kondapuram Vijaya

2015-11-03

Accumulation of greenhouse gases especially CO2 in the atmosphere leading to global warming with undesirable climate changes has been a serious global concern. Major power generation in the world is from coal based power plants. Carbon capture through pre- and post- combustion technologies with various technical options like adsorption, absorption, membrane separations, and chemical looping combustion with and without oxygen uncoupling have received considerable attention of researchers, environmentalists and the stake holders. Carbon capture from flue gases can be achieved with micro and meso porous adsorbents. This review covers carbonaceous (organic and metal organic frameworks) and noncarbonaceous (inorganic) porous adsorbents for CO2 adsorption at different process conditions and pore sizes. Focus is also given to noncarbonaceous micro and meso porous adsorbents in chemical looping combustion involving insitu CO2 capture at high temperature (>400 °C). Adsorption mechanisms, material characteristics, and synthesis methods are discussed. Attention is given to isosteric heats and characterization techniques. The options to enhance the techno-economic viability of carbon capture techniques by integrating with CO2 utilization to produce industrially important chemicals like ammonia and urea are analyzed. From the reader's perspective, for different classes of materials, each section has been summarized in the form of tables or figures to get a quick glance of the developments.

Thermal and Environmental Barrier Coatings for Advanced Propulsion Engine Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhu, Dong-Ming; Miller, Robert A.

2004-01-01

Ceramic thermal and environmental barrier coatings (TEBCs) are used in gas turbine engines to protect engine hot-section components in the harsh combustion environments, and extend component lifetimes. For future high performance engines, the development of advanced ceramic barrier coating systems will allow these coatings to be used to simultaneously increase engine operating temperature and reduce cooling requirements, thereby leading to significant improvements in engine power density and efficiency. In order to meet future engine performance and reliability requirements, the coating systems must be designed with increased high temperature stability, lower thermal conductivity, and improved thermal stress and erosion resistance. In this paper, ceramic coating design and testing considerations will be described for high temperature and high-heat-flux engine applications in hot corrosion and oxidation, erosion, and combustion water vapor environments. Further coating performance and life improvements will be expected by utilizing advanced coating architecture design, composition optimization, and improved processing techniques, in conjunction with modeling and design tools.

40 CFR 62.15410 - What definitions must I know?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... period during which the municipal waste combustion unit combusts fossil fuel or other solid waste fuel... combusts municipal solid waste with nonmunicipal solid waste fuel (for example, coal, industrial process... permit that limits it to combusting a fuel feed stream which is 30 percent or less (by weight) municipal...

Process and apparatus for igniting a burner in an inert atmosphere

DOEpatents

Coolidge, Dennis W.; Rinker, Franklin G.

1994-01-01

According to this invention there is provided a process and apparatus for the ignition of a pilot burner in an inert atmosphere without substantially contaminating the inert atmosphere. The process includes the steps of providing a controlled amount of combustion air for a predetermined interval of time to the combustor then substantially simultaneously providing a controlled mixture of fuel and air to the pilot burner and to a flame generator. The controlled mixture of fuel and air to the flame generator is then periodically energized to produce a secondary flame. With the secondary flame the controlled mixture of fuel and air to the pilot burner and the combustion air is ignited to produce a pilot burner flame. The pilot burner flame is then used to ignited a mixture of main fuel and combustion air to produce a main burner flame. The main burner flame then is used to ignite a mixture of process derived fuel and combustion air to produce products of combustion for use as an inert gas in a heat treatment process.

Experimental evaluation of main emissions during coal processing waste combustion.

PubMed

Dmitrienko, Margarita A; Legros, Jean C; Strizhak, Pavel A

2018-02-01

The total volume of the coal processing wastes (filter cakes) produced by Russia, China, and India is as high as dozens of millions of tons per year. The concentrations of CO and CO 2 in the emissions from the combustion of filter cakes have been measured directly for the first time. They are the biggest volume of coal processing wastes. There have been many discussions about using these wastes as primary or secondary components of coal-water slurries (CWS) and coal-water slurries containing petrochemicals (CWSP). Boilers have already been operationally tested in Russia for the combustion of CWSP based on filter cakes. In this work, the concentrations of hazardous emissions have been measured at temperatures ranging from 500 to 1000°С. The produced CO and CO 2 concentrations are shown to be practically constant at high temperatures (over 900°С) for all the coal processing wastes under study. Experiments have shown the feasibility to lowering the combustion temperatures of coal processing wastes down to 750-850°С. This provides sustainable combustion and reduces the CO and CO 2 emissions 1.2-1.7 times. These relatively low temperatures ensure satisfactory environmental and energy performance of combustion. Using CWS and CWSP instead of conventional solid fuels significantly reduces NO x and SO x emissions but leaves CO and CO 2 emissions practically at the same level as coal powder combustion. Therefore, the environmentally friendly future (in terms of all the main atmospheric emissions: CO, CO 2 , NO x , and SO x ) of both CWS and CWSP technologies relies on low-temperature combustion. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

FY2015 Annual Report for Alternative Fuels DISI Engine Research.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sjöberg, Carl-Magnus G.

2016-01-01

Climate change and the need to secure energy supplies are two reasons for a growing interest in engine efficiency and alternative fuels. This project contributes to the science-base needed by industry to develop highly efficient DISI engines that also beneficially exploit the different properties of alternative fuels. Our emphasis is on lean operation, which can provide higher efficiencies than traditional non-dilute stoichiometric operation. Since lean operation can lead to issues with ignition stability, slow flame propagation and low combustion efficiency, we focus on techniques that can overcome these challenges. Specifically, fuel stratification is used to ensure ignition and completeness ofmore » combustion but has soot- and NOx- emissions challenges. For ultralean well-mixed operation, turbulent deflagration can be combined with controlled end-gas auto-ignition to render mixed-mode combustion that facilitates high combustion efficiency. However, the response of both combustion and exhaust emissions to these techniques depends on the fuel properties. Therefore, to achieve optimal fuel-economy gains, the engine combustion-control strategies must be adapted to the fuel being utilized.« less

Study on Combustion Characteristics and Propelling Projectile Motion Process of Bulk-Loaded Liquid Propellant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xue, Xiaochun; Yu, Yonggang; Mang, Shanshan

2017-07-01

Data are presented showing that the problem of gas-liquid interaction instability is an important subject in the combustion and the propellant projectile motion process of a bulk-loaded liquid propellant gun (BLPG). The instabilities themselves arise from the sources, including fluid motion, to form a combustion gas cavity called Taylor cavity, fluid turbulence and breakup caused by liquid motion relative to the combustion chamber walls, and liquid surface breakup arising from a velocity mismatch on the gas-liquid interface. Typically, small disturbances that arise early in the BLPG combustion interior ballistic cycle can become amplified in the absence of burn rate limiting characteristics. Herein, significant attention has been given to developing and emphasizing the need for better combustion repeatability in the BLPG. Based on this goal, the concept of using different geometries of the combustion chamber is introduced and the concept of using a stepped-wall structure on the combustion chamber itself as a useful means of exerting boundary control on the combustion evolution to thus restrain the combustion instability has been verified experimentally in this work. Moreover, based on this background, the numerical simulation is devoted to a special combustion issue under transient high-pressure and high-temperature conditions, namely, studying the combustion mechanism in a stepped-wall combustion chamber with full monopropellant on one end that is stationary and the other end can move at high speed. The numerical results also show that the burning surface of the liquid propellant can be defined geometrically and combustion is well behaved as ignition and combustion progressivity are in a suitable range during each stage in this combustion chamber with a stepped-wall structure.

Integrated mild gasification processing at the Homer City Electric Power Generating Station site. Final report, July 1989--June 1993

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Battista, J.J.; Zawadzki, E.A.

1993-07-01

A new process for the production of commercial grade coke, char, and carbon products has been evaluated by Penelec/NYSEG. The process, developed by Coal Technology Corporation, CTC, utilizes a unique screw reactor to produce a devolatilized char from a wide variety of coals for the production of commercial grade coke for use in blast furnaces, foundries, and other processes requiring high quality coke. This process is called the CTC Mild Gasification Process (MGP). The process economics are significantly enhanced by integrating the new technology into an existing power generating complex. Cost savings are realized by the coke producer, the cokemore » user, and the electric utility company. Site specific economic studies involving the Homer City Generating Station site in Western Pennsylvania, confirmed that an integrated MGP at the Homer City site, using coal fines produced at the Homer City Coal Preparation Plant, would reduce capital and operating costs significantly and would enable the HC Owners to eliminate thermal dryers, obtain low cost fuel in the form of combustible gases and liquids, and obtain lower cost replacement coal on the spot market. A previous report, identified as the Interim Report on the Project, details the technical and economic studies.« less

Process for Operating a Dual-Mode Combustor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trefny, Charles J. (Inventor); Dippold, Vance F. (Inventor)

2017-01-01

A new dual-mode ramjet combustor used for operation over a wide flight Mach number range is described. Subsonic combustion mode is usable to lower flight Mach numbers than current dual-mode scramjets. High speed mode is characterized by supersonic combustion in a free-jet that traverses the subsonic combustion chamber to a variable nozzle throat. Although a variable combustor exit aperture is required, the need for fuel staging to accommodate the combustion process is eliminated. Local heating from shock-boundary-layer interactions on combustor walls is also eliminated.

Characterization of the chemical variation of feed coal and coal combustion products from a power plant utilizing low sulfur Powder River Basin coal

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Affolter, R.H.; Brownfield, M.E.; Cathcart, J.D.

2000-07-01

The US Geological Survey and the University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy Research, in collaboration with an Indiana utility, are studying a coal-fired power plant burning Powder River Basin coal. This investigation involves a systematic study of the chemical and mineralogical characteristics of feed coal and coal combustion products (CCPs) from a 1,300-megawatt (MW) power unit. The main goal of this study is to characterize the temporal chemical variability of the feed coal, fly ash, and bottom ash by looking at the major-, minor-, and trace-element compositions and their associations with the feed coal mineralogy. Emphasis is also placedmore » on the abundance and modes of occurrence of elements of potential environmental concern that may affect the utilization of these CCPs and coals.« less

Ellis T. Cox: pragmatist with a public conscience. [Power; environmental concerns of Potomac Electric Co. for Washington, DC area

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1978-05-01

A profile of Potomac Electric Power Co. executive Ellis T. Cox EPRI Advisory Board member the obligation he feels for preserving the unique qualities of the Washington, D.C. area by installing power plant pollution equipment, burning low-sulfur coal, and setting an example of concern for other companies and the legislators. Cox feels a commitment to not only meet civic responsibilities, but to demonstrate that an efficient, cost-effective company can also protect the environment. He sets long-term fuel supplies as a high priority for utility research and development and sees no alternative to shifts away from petroleum and further development ofmore » nuclear generating power. His other concerns are for streamlining the regulatory process, demonstrating the Civex process as an alternative fuel cycle, and a continuation of the joint efforts of utilities and the Electric Power Research Institute to solve practical problems of pollution control and develop new fuels and new combustion technologies.« less

A Refrigerated Web Camera for Photogrammetric Video Measurement inside Biomass Boilers and Combustion Analysis

PubMed Central

Porteiro, Jacobo; Riveiro, Belén; Granada, Enrique; Armesto, Julia; Eguía, Pablo; Collazo, Joaquín

2011-01-01

This paper describes a prototype instrumentation system for photogrammetric measuring of bed and ash layers, as well as for flying particle detection and pursuit using a single device (CCD) web camera. The system was designed to obtain images of the combustion process in the interior of a domestic boiler. It includes a cooling system, needed because of the high temperatures in the combustion chamber of the boiler. The cooling system was designed using CFD simulations to ensure effectiveness. This method allows more complete and real-time monitoring of the combustion process taking place inside a boiler. The information gained from this system may facilitate the optimisation of boiler processes. PMID:22319349

A refrigerated web camera for photogrammetric video measurement inside biomass boilers and combustion analysis.

PubMed

Porteiro, Jacobo; Riveiro, Belén; Granada, Enrique; Armesto, Julia; Eguía, Pablo; Collazo, Joaquín

2011-01-01

This paper describes a prototype instrumentation system for photogrammetric measuring of bed and ash layers, as well as for flying particle detection and pursuit using a single device (CCD) web camera. The system was designed to obtain images of the combustion process in the interior of a domestic boiler. It includes a cooling system, needed because of the high temperatures in the combustion chamber of the boiler. The cooling system was designed using CFD simulations to ensure effectiveness. This method allows more complete and real-time monitoring of the combustion process taking place inside a boiler. The information gained from this system may facilitate the optimisation of boiler processes.

Airbreathing Propulsion System Analysis Using Multithreaded Parallel Processing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schunk, Richard Gregory; Chung, T. J.; Rodriguez, Pete (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

In this paper, parallel processing is used to analyze the mixing, and combustion behavior of hypersonic flow. Preliminary work for a sonic transverse hydrogen jet injected from a slot into a Mach 4 airstream in a two-dimensional duct combustor has been completed [Moon and Chung, 1996]. Our aim is to extend this work to three-dimensional domain using multithreaded domain decomposition parallel processing based on the flowfield-dependent variation theory. Numerical simulations of chemically reacting flows are difficult because of the strong interactions between the turbulent hydrodynamic and chemical processes. The algorithm must provide an accurate representation of the flowfield, since unphysical flowfield calculations will lead to the faulty loss or creation of species mass fraction, or even premature ignition, which in turn alters the flowfield information. Another difficulty arises from the disparity in time scales between the flowfield and chemical reactions, which may require the use of finite rate chemistry. The situations are more complex when there is a disparity in length scales involved in turbulence. In order to cope with these complicated physical phenomena, it is our plan to utilize the flowfield-dependent variation theory mentioned above, facilitated by large eddy simulation. Undoubtedly, the proposed computation requires the most sophisticated computational strategies. The multithreaded domain decomposition parallel processing will be necessary in order to reduce both computational time and storage. Without special treatments involved in computer engineering, our attempt to analyze the airbreathing combustion appears to be difficult, if not impossible.

Symposium on Combustion /International/, 16th, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass., August 15-20, 1976, Proceedings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

Aspects of combustion technology in power systems are considered, taking into account a combustion in large boilers, the control of over-all thermal efficiency of combustion heating systems, a comparison of mathematical models of the radiative behavior of a large-scale experimental furnace, a concentric multiannular swirl burner, and the effects of water introduction on diesel engine combustion and emissions. Attention is also given to combustion and related processes in energy production from coal, spray and droplet combustion, soot formation and growth, the kinetics of elementary reactions, flame structure and chemistry, propellant ignition and combustion, fire and explosion research, mathematical modeling, high output combustion systems, turbulent flames and combustion, and ignition, optical, and electrical properties.

Comparative study of different waste biomass for energy application.

PubMed

Motghare, Kalyani A; Rathod, Ajit P; Wasewar, Kailas L; Labhsetwar, Nitin K

2016-01-01

Biomass is available in many varieties, consisting of crops as well as its residues from agriculture, forestry, and the agro-industry. These different biomass find their way as freely available fuel in rural areas but are also responsible for air pollution. Emissions from such solid fuel combustion to indoor, regional and global air pollution largely depend on fuel types, combustion device, fuel properties, fuel moisture, amount of air supply for combustion and also on climatic conditions. In both economic and environment point of view, gasification constitutes an attractive alternative for the use of biomass as a fuel, than the combustion process. A large number of studies have been reported on a variety of biomass and agriculture residues for their possible use as renewable fuels. Considering the area specific agriculture residues and biomass availability and related transportation cost, it is important to explore various local biomass for their suitability as a fuel. Maharashtra (India) is the mainstay for the agriculture and therefore, produces a significant amount of waste biomass. The aim of the present research work is to analyze different local biomass wastes for their proximate analysis and calorific value to assess their potential as fuel. The biomass explored include cotton waste, leaf, soybean waste, wheat straw, rice straw, coconut coir, forest residues, etc. mainly due to their abundance. The calorific value and the proximate analysis of the different components of the biomass helped in assessing its potential for utilization in different industries. It is observed that ash content of these biomass species is quite low, while the volatile matter content is high as compared to Indian Coal. This may be appropriate for briquetting and thus can be used as a domestic fuel in biomass based gasifier cook stoves. Utilizing these biomass species as fuel in improved cook-stove and domestic gasifier cook-stoves would be a perspective step in the rural energy and environmental sectors. This is important considering that the cleaner fuel like LPG is still not available in rural areas of many parts of the world. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using Combustion Synthesis to Reinforce Berms and Other Regolith Structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rodriquez, Gary

2013-01-01

The Moonraker Excavator and other tools under development for use on the Moon, Mars, and asteroids will be employed to construct a number of civil engineering projects and to mine the soil. Mounds of loose soil will be subject to the local transport mechanisms plus artificial mechanisms such as blast effects from landers and erosion from surface vehicles. Some of these structures will require some permanence, with a minimum of maintenance and upkeep. Combustion Synthesis (CS) is a family of processes and techniques whereby chemistry is used to transform materials, often creating flame in a hard vacuum. CS can be used to stabilize civil engineering works such as berms, habitat shielding, ramps, pads, roadways, and the like. The method is to unroll thin sheets of CS fabric between layers of regolith and then fire the fabric, creating a continuous sheet of crusty material to be interposed among layers of loose regolith. The combination of low-energy processes, ISRU (in situ resource utilization) excavator, and CS fabrics, seems compelling as a general method for establishing structures of some permanence and utility, especially in the role of robotic missions as precursors to manned exploration and settlement. In robotic precursory missions, excavator/ mobility ensembles mine the Lunar surface, erect constructions of soil, and dispense sheets of CS fabrics that are covered with layers of soil, fired, and then again covered with layers of soil, iterating until the desired dimensions and forms are achieved. At the base of each berm, for example, is a shallow trench lined with CS fabric, fired and filled, mounded, and then covered and fired, iteratively to provide a footing against lateral shear. A larger trench is host to a habitat module, backfilled, covered with fabric, covered with soil, and fired. Covering the applied CS fabric with layers of soil before firing allows the resulting matrix to incorporate soil both above and below the fabric ply into the fused layer, developing a very irregular surface which, like sandpaper, can provide an anchor for loose soil. CS fabrics employ a coarse fiberglass weave that persists as reinforcement for the fired material. The fiberglass softens at a temperature that exceeds the combustion temperature by factors of two to three, and withstands the installation process. This type of structure should be more resistant to rocket blast effects from Lunar landers.

Novel Miscanthus Germplasm-Based Value Chains: A Life Cycle Assessment

PubMed Central

Wagner, Moritz; Kiesel, Andreas; Hastings, Astley; Iqbal, Yasir; Lewandowski, Iris

2017-01-01

In recent years, considerable progress has been made in miscanthus research: improvement of management practices, breeding of new genotypes, especially for marginal conditions, and development of novel utilization options. The purpose of the current study was a holistic analysis of the environmental performance of such novel miscanthus-based value chains. In addition, the relevance of the analyzed environmental impact categories was assessed. A Life Cycle Assessment was conducted to analyse the environmental performance of the miscanthus-based value chains in 18 impact categories. In order to include the substitution of a reference product, a system expansion approach was used. In addition, a normalization step was applied. This allowed the relevance of these impact categories to be evaluated for each utilization pathway. The miscanthus was cultivated on six sites in Europe (Aberystwyth, Adana, Moscow, Potash, Stuttgart and Wageningen) and the biomass was utilized in the following six pathways: (1) small-scale combustion (heat)—chips; (2) small-scale combustion (heat)—pellets; (3) large-scale combustion (CHP)—biomass baled for transport and storage; (4) large-scale combustion (CHP)—pellets; (5) medium-scale biogas plant—ensiled miscanthus biomass; and (6) large-scale production of insulation material. Thus, in total, the environmental performance of 36 site × pathway combinations was assessed. The comparatively high normalized results of human toxicity, marine, and freshwater ecotoxicity, and freshwater eutrophication indicate the relevance of these impact categories in the assessment of miscanthus-based value chains. Differences between the six sites can almost entirely be attributed to variations in biomass yield. However, the environmental performance of the utilization pathways analyzed varied widely. The largest differences were shown for freshwater and marine ecotoxicity, and freshwater eutrophication. The production of insulation material had the lowest impact on the environment, with net benefits in all impact categories expect three (marine eutrophication, human toxicity, agricultural land occupation). This performance can be explained by the multiple use of the biomass, first as material and subsequently as an energy carrier, and by the substitution of an emission-intensive reference product. The results of this study emphasize the importance of assessing all environmental impacts when selecting appropriate utilization pathways. PMID:28642784

Spatial and temporal variation of emission inventories for historical anthropogenic NMVOCs in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bo, Y.; Cai, H.; Xie, S. D.

2008-06-01

Multiyear emission inventories of anthropogenic NMVOCs in China for 1980-2005 were compiled based on time-varying statistical data, literature surveyed and model calculated emission factors, and were gridded at a high spatial resolution of 40 km×40 km using the GIS methodology. Chinese NMVOCs emissions had increased by 4.3 times at an annual average rate of 10.7% from 3.92 Tg in 1980 to 16.5 Tg in 2005. Vehicles, biomass burning, industrial processes, fossil fuel combustion, solvent utilization, and storage and transport generated 5.49 Tg, 3.91 Tg, 2.76 Tg, 1.98 Tg, 1.87 Tg, and 0.55 Tg of NMVOCs, respectively. Motorcycles, biofuel burning, heavy-duty vehicles, synthetic fibre production, biomass open burning, and industrial and commercial consumption were primary emission sources. Besides, from 1980 to 2005, vehicle emission increased notably from 6% to 33%, along with a slight increase for fossil fuel combustion from 9% to 12% and for industrial processes from 11% to 17%. Meanwhile, biomass burning emission decreased from 41% to 23%, along with the decrease of storage and transport and solvent utilization from 9% to 3% and from 28% to 11%, respectively. Varieties of NMVOCs emissions coincided well with China's economic growth. Conversions in economic structure and adjustment of fuel consumption structure in China during the period were the reasons for conspicuous variation of source contributions. The developed eastern and coastal regions produced more emissions than the relatively underdeveloped western and inland regions. Particularly, southeastern, northern, and central China covering 35% of China's territory, generated 59% of the total emissions, while the populous capital cities covering merely 4.5% of China's territory, accounted for 25% of the national emissions. Moreover, rural areas also experienced emission growth during the past two and a half decades, the reason of which was transfer of emission-intensive plants from city to county, inefficient fuel utilization, and biomass burning.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from coal combustion: emissions, analysis, and toxicology.

PubMed

Liu, Guijian; Niu, Zhiyuan; Van Niekerk, Daniel; Xue, Jian; Zheng, Liugen

2008-01-01

Coal may become more important as an energy source in the 21st century, and coal contains large quantities of organic and inorganic matter. When coal burns chemical and physical changes take place, and many toxic compounds are formed and emitted. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are among those compounds formed and are considered to pose potential health hazards because some PAHs are known carcinogens. Based on their toxicology, 16 PAHs are considered as priority pollutants by the USEPA. More attention must be given to the various methods of extraction and analysis of PAH from coal or coal products to accurately explain and determine the species of PAHs. The influences of the extraction time, solvents, and methods for PAH identification are important. In the future, more methods and influences will be studied more carefully and widely. PAHs are environmental pollutants, are highly lipid soluble, and can be absorbed by the lungs, gut, and skin of mammals because they are associated with fine particles from coal combustion. More attention is being given to PAHs because of their carcinogenic and mutagenic action. We suggest that when using a coal stove indoors, a chimney should be used; the particles and gas containing PAHs should be released outdoors to reduce the health hazard, especially in Southwest China. During coal utilization processes, such as coal combustion and pyrolysis, PAHs released may be divided into two categories according to their formation pathways: one pathway is derived from complex chemical reactions and the other is from free PAHs transferred from the original coal. The formation and emission of PAHs is a complex physical and chemical process that has received considerable attention in recent years. It is suggested that the formation mechanisms of PAHs will be an increasingly important topic for researchers to find methods for controlling emissions during coal combustion.

The Use of Mass Spectrometry to Study the Structure of Flames and Combustion Processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korobeinichev, Oleg P.

1980-06-01

The general characteristic methods of the mass-spectrometric study of flames and combustion processes, and the latest achievements in experimental technique in the molecular-beam diagnostics of flames have been examined. The problems associated with the use of probe methods — the effects of freezing the chemical reactions, translational-vibrational relaxation, and perturbations introduced by the probe in the combustion process — have been analysed. The possibilities provided by the technique have been demonstrated for various examples in the study of the combustion of gaseous, liquid, and solid fuels, including that in various technical arrangements — internal combustion engines and liquid rocket motors. Questions related to the use of mass-spectrometric probes for the study of the mechanism and kinetics of chemical reactions in flames and for the determination of the rate constants of the elementary stages have been discussed. The bibliography contains 53 references.

Method of operating a two-stage coal gasifier

DOEpatents

Tanca, Michael C.

1982-01-01

A method of operating an entrained flow coal gasifier (10) via a two-stage gasification process. A portion of the coal (18) to be gasified is combusted in a combustion zone (30) with near stoichiometric air to generate combustion products. The combustion products are conveyed from the combustion zone into a reduction zone (32) wherein additional coal is injected into the combustion products to react with the combustion products to form a combustible gas. The additional coal is injected into the reduction zone as a mixture (60) consisting of coal and steam, preferably with a coal-to-steam weight ratio of approximately ten to one.

Hot-Fire Test Results of Liquid Oxygen/RP-2 Multi-Element Oxidizer-Rich Preburners

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Protz, C. S.; Garcia, C. P.; Casiano, M. J.; Parton, J. A.; Hulka, J. R.

2016-01-01

As part of the Combustion Stability Tool Development project funded by the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center was contracted to assemble and hot-fire test a multi-element integrated test article demonstrating combustion characteristics of an oxygen/hydrocarbon propellant oxidizer-rich staged-combustion engine thrust chamber. Such a test article simulates flow through the main injectors of oxygen/kerosene oxidizer-rich staged combustion engines such as the Russian RD-180 or NK-33 engines, or future U.S.-built engine systems such as the Aerojet-Rocketdyne AR-1 engine or the Hydrocarbon Boost program demonstration engine. To supply the oxidizer-rich combustion products to the main injector of the integrated test article, existing subscale preburner injectors from a previous NASA-funded oxidizer-rich staged combustion engine development program were utilized. For the integrated test article, existing and newly designed and fabricated inter-connecting hot gas duct hardware were used to supply the oxidizer-rich combustion products to the oxidizer circuit of the main injector of the thrust chamber. However, before one of the preburners was used in the integrated test article, it was first hot-fire tested at length to prove it could provide the hot exhaust gas mean temperature, thermal uniformity and combustion stability necessary to perform in the integrated test article experiment. This paper presents results from hot-fire testing of several preburner injectors in a representative combustion chamber with a sonic throat. Hydraulic, combustion performance, exhaust gas thermal uniformity, and combustion stability data are presented. Results from combustion stability modeling of these test results are described in a companion paper at this JANNAF conference, while hot-fire test results of the preburner injector in the integrated test article are described in another companion paper.

Large eddy simulation of the low temperature ignition and combustion processes on spray flame with the linear eddy model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Haiqiao; Zhao, Wanhui; Zhou, Lei; Chen, Ceyuan; Shu, Gequn

2018-03-01

Large eddy simulation coupled with the linear eddy model (LEM) is employed for the simulation of n-heptane spray flames to investigate the low temperature ignition and combustion process in a constant-volume combustion vessel under diesel-engine relevant conditions. Parametric studies are performed to give a comprehensive understanding of the ignition processes. The non-reacting case is firstly carried out to validate the present model by comparing the predicted results with the experimental data from the Engine Combustion Network (ECN). Good agreements are observed in terms of liquid and vapour penetration length, as well as the mixture fraction distributions at different times and different axial locations. For the reacting cases, the flame index was introduced to distinguish between the premixed and non-premixed combustion. A reaction region (RR) parameter is used to investigate the ignition and combustion characteristics, and to distinguish the different combustion stages. Results show that the two-stage combustion process can be identified in spray flames, and different ignition positions in the mixture fraction versus RR space are well described at low and high initial ambient temperatures. At an initial condition of 850 K, the first-stage ignition is initiated at the fuel-lean region, followed by the reactions in fuel-rich regions. Then high-temperature reaction occurs mainly at the places with mixture concentration around stoichiometric mixture fraction. While at an initial temperature of 1000 K, the first-stage ignition occurs at the fuel-rich region first, then it moves towards fuel-richer region. Afterwards, the high-temperature reactions move back to the stoichiometric mixture fraction region. For all of the initial temperatures considered, high-temperature ignition kernels are initiated at the regions richer than stoichiometric mixture fraction. By increasing the initial ambient temperature, the high-temperature ignition kernels move towards richer mixture regions. And after the spray flames gets quasi-steady, most heat is released at the stoichiometric mixture fraction regions. In addition, combustion mode analysis based on key intermediate species illustrates three-mode combustion processes in diesel spray flames.

Experimental investigation of gasoline compression ignition combustion in a light-duty diesel engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loeper, C. Paul

Due to increased ignition delay and volatility, low temperature combustion (LTC) research utilizing gasoline fuel has experienced recent interest [1-3]. These characteristics improve air-fuel mixing prior to ignition allowing for reduced emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and soot (or particulate matter, PM). Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) results at the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Engine Research Center (Ra et al. [4, 5]) have validated these attributes and established baseline operating parameters for a gasoline compression ignition (GCI) concept in a light-duty diesel engine over a large load range (3-16 bar net IMEP). In addition to validating these computational results, subsequent experiments at the Engine Research Center utilizing a single cylinder research engine based on a GM 1.9-liter diesel engine have progressed fundamental understanding of gasoline autoignition processes, and established the capability of critical controlling input parameters to better control GCI operation. The focus of this thesis can be divided into three segments: 1) establishment of operating requirements in the low-load operating limit, including operation sensitivities with respect to inlet temperature, and the capabilities of injection strategy to minimize NOx emissions while maintaining good cycle-to-cycle combustion stability; 2) development of novel three-injection strategies to extend the high load limit; and 3) having developed fundamental understanding of gasoline autoignition kinetics, and how changes in physical processes (e.g. engine speed effects, inlet pressure variation, and air-fuel mixture processes) affects operation, develop operating strategies to maintain robust engine operation. Collectively, experimental results have demonstrated the ability of GCI strategies to operate over a large load-speed range (3 bar to 17.8 bar net IMEP and 1300-2500 RPM, respectively) with low emissions (NOx and PM less than 1 g/kg-FI and 0.2 g/kg-FI, respectively), and low fuel consumption (gross indicated fuel consumption <200 g/kWh). [1] Dec, J. E., Yang, Y., and Dronniou, N., 2011, "Boosted HCCI - Controlling Pressure- Rise Rates for Performance Improvements using Partial Fuel Stratification with Conventional Gasoline," SAE Int. J. Engines, 4(1), pp. 1169-1189. [2] Kalghatgi, G., Hildingsson, L., and Johansson, B., 2010, "Low NO(x) and Low Smoke Operation of a Diesel Engine Using Gasolinelike Fuels," Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power-Transactions of the Asme, 132(9), p. 9. [3] Manente, V., Zander, C.-G., Johansson, B., Tunestal, P., and Cannella, W., 2010, "An Advanced Internal Combustion Engine Concept for Low Emissions and High Efficiency from Idle to Max Load Using Gasoline Partially Premixed Combustion," SAE International, 2010-01-2198. [4] Ra, Y., Loeper, P., Reitz, R., Andrie, M., Krieger, R., Foster, D., Durrett, R., Gopalakrishnan, V., Plazas, A., Peterson, R., and Szymkowicz, P., 2011, "Study of High Speed Gasoline Direct Injection Compression Ignition (GDICI) Engine Operation in the LTC Regime," SAE Int. J. Engines, 4(1), pp. 1412-1430. [5] Ra, Y., Loeper, P., Andrie, M., Krieger, R., Foster, D., Reitz, R., and Durrett, R., 2012, "Gasoline DICI Engine Operation in the LTC Regime Using Triple- Pulse Injection," SAE Int. J. Engines, 5(3), pp. 1109-1132.

Millwright Apprenticeship. Related Training Modules. 10.1-10.5 Combustion.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lane Community Coll., Eugene, OR.

This packet, part of the instructional materials for the Oregon apprenticeship program for millwright training, contains five modules covering combustion. The modules provide information on the following topics: the combustion process, types of fuel, air and fuel gases, heat transfer, and combustion in wood. Each module consists of a goal,…

Combustion noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Strahle, W. C.

1977-01-01

A review of the subject of combustion generated noise is presented. Combustion noise is an important noise source in industrial furnaces and process heaters, turbopropulsion and gas turbine systems, flaring operations, Diesel engines, and rocket engines. The state-of-the-art in combustion noise importance, understanding, prediction and scaling is presented for these systems. The fundamentals and available theories of combustion noise are given. Controversies in the field are discussed and recommendations for future research are made.

Formation and Levitation of Unconfined Droplet Clusters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, S.; Ruff, G. A.

1999-01-01

Combustion experiments using arrays of droplets seek to provide a link between single droplet combustion phenomena and the behavior of complex spray combustion systems. Both single droplet and droplet array studies have been conducted in microgravity to better isolate the droplet interaction phenomena and eliminate or reduce the confounding effects of buoyancy-induced convection. In most experiments involving droplet arrays, the droplets are supported on fibers to keep them stationary and close together before the combustion event. The presence of the fiber, however, disturbs the combustion process by introducing a source of heat transfer and asymmetry into the configuration. As the number of drops in a droplet array increases, supporting the drops on fibers becomes less practical because of the cumulative effect of the fibers on the combustion process. The overall objective of this research is to study the combustion of well-characterized drop clusters in a microgravity environment. Direct experimental observations and measurements of the combustion of droplet clusters would fill a large gap in our current understanding of droplet and spray combustion and provide unique experimental data for the verification and improvement of spray combustion models. This paper describes current work on the design and performance of an apparatus to generate and stabilize droplet clusters using acoustic and electrostatic forces.

Spectral optimization and uncertainty quantification in combustion modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheen, David Allan

Reliable simulations of reacting flow systems require a well-characterized, detailed chemical model as a foundation. Accuracy of such a model can be assured, in principle, by a multi-parameter optimization against a set of experimental data. However, the inherent uncertainties in the rate evaluations and experimental data leave a model still characterized by some finite kinetic rate parameter space. Without a careful analysis of how this uncertainty space propagates into the model's predictions, those predictions can at best be trusted only qualitatively. In this work, the Method of Uncertainty Minimization using Polynomial Chaos Expansions is proposed to quantify these uncertainties. In this method, the uncertainty in the rate parameters of the as-compiled model is quantified. Then, the model is subjected to a rigorous multi-parameter optimization, as well as a consistency-screening process. Lastly, the uncertainty of the optimized model is calculated using an inverse spectral optimization technique, and then propagated into a range of simulation conditions. An as-compiled, detailed H2/CO/C1-C4 kinetic model is combined with a set of ethylene combustion data to serve as an example. The idea that the hydrocarbon oxidation model should be understood and developed in a hierarchical fashion has been a major driving force in kinetics research for decades. How this hierarchical strategy works at a quantitative level, however, has never been addressed. In this work, we use ethylene and propane combustion as examples and explore the question of hierarchical model development quantitatively. The Method of Uncertainty Minimization using Polynomial Chaos Expansions is utilized to quantify the amount of information that a particular combustion experiment, and thereby each data set, contributes to the model. This knowledge is applied to explore the relationships among the combustion chemistry of hydrogen/carbon monoxide, ethylene, and larger alkanes. Frequently, new data will become available, and it will be desirable to know the effect that inclusion of these data has on the optimized model. Two cases are considered here. In the first, a study of H2/CO mass burning rates has recently been published, wherein the experimentally-obtained results could not be reconciled with any extant H2/CO oxidation model. It is shown in that an optimized H2/CO model can be developed that will reproduce the results of the new experimental measurements. In addition, the high precision of the new experiments provide a strong constraint on the reaction rate parameters of the chemistry model, manifested in a significant improvement in the precision of simulations. In the second case, species time histories were measured during n-heptane oxidation behind reflected shock waves. The highly precise nature of these measurements is expected to impose critical constraints on chemical kinetic models of hydrocarbon combustion. The results show that while an as-compiled, prior reaction model of n-alkane combustion can be accurate in its prediction of the detailed species profiles, the kinetic parameter uncertainty in the model remains to be too large to obtain a precise prediction of the data. Constraining the prior model against the species time histories within the measurement uncertainties led to notable improvements in the precision of model predictions against the species data as well as the global combustion properties considered. Lastly, we show that while the capability of the multispecies measurement presents a step-change in our precise knowledge of the chemical processes in hydrocarbon combustion, accurate data of global combustion properties are still necessary to predict fuel combustion.

Atomization and Dispersion of a Liquid Jet Injected Into a Crossflow of Air

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seay, J. E.; Samuelson, G. S.

1996-01-01

In recent years, environmental regulations have become more stringent, requiring lower emissions of mainly nitrogen oxides (NOx), as well as carbon monoxide (CO) and unburned hydrocarbons (UHC). These regulations have forced the gas turbine industry to examine non-conventional combustion strategies, such as the lean burn approach. The reasoning behind operating under lean conditions is to maintain the temperature of combustion near and below temperatures required for the formation of thermal nitric oxide (NO). To be successful, however, the lean processes require careful preparation of the fuel/air mixture to preclude formation of either locally rich reaction zones, which may give rise to NO formation, or locally lean reaction zones, which may give rise to inefficient fuel processing. As a result fuel preparation is crucial to the development and success of new aeroengine combustor technologies. A key element of the fuel preparation process is the fuel nozzle. As nozzle technologies have developed, airblast atomization has been adopted for both industrial and aircraft gas turbine applications. However, the majority of the work to date has focused on prefilming nozzles, which despite their complexity and high cost have become an industry standard for conventional combustion strategies. It is likely that the new strategies required to meet future emissions goals will utilize novel fuel injector approaches, such as radial injection. This thesis proposes and demonstrates an experiment to examine, on a mechanistic level (i.e., the physics of the action), the processes associated with the atomization, evaporation, and dispersion of a liquid jet introduced, from a radial, plain-jet airblast injector, into a crossflow of air. This understanding requires the knowledge not only of what factors influence atomization, but also the underlying mechanism associated with liquid breakup and dispersion. The experimental data acquired identify conditions and geometries for improved performance of radial airblast injectors.

Sorbent control of trace metals in sewage sludge combustion and incineration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naruse, I.; Yao, H.; Mkilaha, I. S. N.

2003-05-01

Coal and wastes combustion have become an important issue not only in terms of energy generation but also environmental conservation. The need for alternative fuels and wastes management has made the two energy sources of importance. However, the utilization of the two is faced with problems of impurity trace metals in the fuel. These metals usually speciate during combustion or incineration leading to generation of fumes and subsequently particles. This paper reports on the study aimed at understanding the speciation of trace metals and their emission from combustion systems as particulates. Experiments carried out using a down-flow furnace and theoretical study carried out using lead, chromium and cadmium as basic metals had shown that their speciation and subsequent emission is controlled by both chemical composition and physical properties of the fuel. The physical and chemical and physical properties of the fuel and their respective compounds and the operating conditions of the incineration and combustion system control the enrichment of the particles with trace metals.

Internal combustion engine report: Spark ignited ICE GenSet optimization and novel concept development

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Keller, J.; Blarigan, P. Van

1998-08-01

In this manuscript the authors report on two projects each of which the goal is to produce cost effective hydrogen utilization technologies. These projects are: (1) the development of an electrical generation system using a conventional four-stroke spark-ignited internal combustion engine generator combination (SI-GenSet) optimized for maximum efficiency and minimum emissions, and (2) the development of a novel internal combustion engine concept. The SI-GenSet will be optimized to run on either hydrogen or hydrogen-blends. The novel concept seeks to develop an engine that optimizes the Otto cycle in a free piston configuration while minimizing all emissions. To this end themore » authors are developing a rapid combustion homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engine using a linear alternator for both power take-off and engine control. Targeted applications include stationary electrical power generation, stationary shaft power generation, hybrid vehicles, and nearly any other application now being accomplished with internal combustion engines.« less

Free-piston engine

DOEpatents

Van Blarigan, Peter

2001-01-01

A combustion system which can utilize high compression ratios, short burn durations, and homogeneous fuel/air mixtures in conjunction with low equivalence ratios. In particular, a free-piston, two-stroke autoignition internal combustion engine including an electrical generator having a linear alternator with a double-ended free piston that oscillates inside a closed cylinder is provided. Fuel and air are introduced in a two-stroke cycle fashion on each end, where the cylinder charge is compressed to the point of autoignition without spark plugs. The piston is driven in an oscillating motion as combustion occurs successively on each end. This leads to rapid combustion at almost constant volume for any fuel/air equivalence ratio mixture at very high compression ratios. The engine is characterized by high thermal efficiency and low NO.sub.x emissions. The engine is particularly suited for generating electrical current in a hybrid automobile.

Interaction of Burning Metal Particles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dreizin, Edward L.; Berman, Charles H.; Hoffmann, Vern K.

1999-01-01

Physical characteristics of the combustion of metal particle groups have been addressed in this research. The combustion behavior and interaction effects of multiple metal particles has been studied using a microgravity environment, which presents a unique opportunity to create an "aerosol" consisting of relatively large particles, i.e., 50-300 m diameter. Combustion behavior of such an aerosol could be examined using methods adopted from well-developed single particle combustion research. The experiment included fluidizing relatively large (order of 100 m diameter) uniform metal particles under microgravity and igniting such an "aerosol" using a hot wire igniter. The flame propagation and details of individual particle combustion and particle interaction have been studied using a high speed movie and video-imaging with cameras coupled with microscope lenses to resolve individual particles. Interference filters were used to separate characteristic metal and metal oxide radiation bands from the thermal black body radiation. Recorded flame images were digitized and various image processing techniques including flame position tracking, color separation, and pixel by pixel image comparison were employed to understand the processes occurring in the burning aerosol. The development of individual particle flames, merging or separation, and extinguishment as well as induced particle motion have been analyzed to identify the mechanisms governing these processes. Size distribution, morphology, and elemental compositions of combustion products were characterized and used to link the observed in this project aerosol combustion phenomena with the recently expanded mechanism of single metal particle combustion.

In-water gas combustion for thrust production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teslenko, V. S.; Drozhzhin, A. P.; Medvedev, R. N.

2017-07-01

The paper presents the results of experimental study for hydrodynamic processes occurring during combustion of a stoichiometric mixture propane-oxygen in combustion chambers with different configurations and submerged into water. The pulses of force acting upon a thrust wall were measured for different geometries: cylindrical, conic, hemispherical, including the case of gas combustion near a flat thrust wall. After a single charge of stoichiometric mixture propane-oxygen is burnt near the thrust wall, the process of cyclic generation of force pulses develops. The first pulse is generated due to pressure growth during gas combustion, and the following pulses are the result of hydrodynamic pulsations of the gaseous cavity. Experiments demonstrated that efficient generation of thrust occurs if all bubble pulsations are used during combustion of a single gas combustion. In the series of experiments, the specific impulse on the thrust wall was in the range 104-105 s (105-106 m/s) with account for positive and negative components of impulse.

Microgravity science and applications bibliography, 1984 revision

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pentecost, E.

1984-01-01

A compilation of Government reports, contractor reports, conference proceedings, and journal articles dealing is presented that deal with flight experiments utilizing a low gravity environment to elucidate and control various processes or with ground based activities that provide supporting research. Subdivisions include six major categories: (1) Electronic Materials; (2) Metals, Alloys, and Composites; (3) Fluid Dynamics and Transports; (4) Biotechnology; (5) Glasses and Ceramics; and (6) Combustion. Also included are publications from the European, Soviet, and Japanese MSA programs. In addition, there is a list of patents and appendices providing a compilation of anonymously authored reports and a cross reference index.

Development of a Premixed Combustion Capability for Scramjet Combustion Experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rockwell, Robert D.; Goyne, Christopher P.; Rice, Brian E.; Chelliah, Harsha; McDaniel, James C.; Edwards, Jack R.; Cantu, Luca M. L.; Gallo, Emanuela C. A.; Cutler, Andrew D.; Danehy, Paul M.

2015-01-01

Hypersonic air-breathing engines rely on scramjet combustion processes, which involve high speed, compressible, and highly turbulent flows. The combustion environment and the turbulent flames at the heart of these engines are difficult to simulate and study in the laboratory under well controlled conditions. Typically, wind-tunnel testing is performed that more closely approximates engine testing rather than a careful investigation of the underlying physics that drives the combustion process. The experiments described in this paper, along with companion data sets being developed separately, aim to isolate the chemical kinetic effects from the fuel-air mixing process in a dual-mode scramjet combustion environment. A unique fuel injection approach is taken that produces a nearly uniform fuel-air mixture at the entrance to the combustor. This approach relies on the precombustion shock train upstream of the dual-mode scramjet combustor. A stable ethylene flame anchored on a cavity flameholder with a uniformly mixed combustor inflow has been achieved in these experiments allowing numerous companion studies involving coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS), particle image velocimetry (PIV), and planar laser induced fluorescence (PLIF) to be performed.

Transformation of Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles from a Diesel Fuel Additive during Combustion in a Diesel Engine.

PubMed

Dale, James G; Cox, Steven S; Vance, Marina E; Marr, Linsey C; Hochella, Michael F

2017-02-21

Nanoscale cerium oxide is used as a diesel fuel additive to reduce particulate matter emissions and increase fuel economy, but its fate in the environment has not been established. Cerium oxide released as a result of the combustion of diesel fuel containing the additive Envirox, which utilizes suspended nanoscale cerium oxide to reduce particulate matter emissions and increase fuel economy, was captured from the exhaust stream of a diesel engine and was characterized using a combination of bulk analytical techniques and high resolution transmission electron microscopy. The combustion process induced significant changes in the size and morphology of the particles; ∼15 nm aggregates consisting of 5-7 nm faceted crystals in the fuel additive became 50-300 nm, near-spherical, single crystals in the exhaust. Electron diffraction identified the original cerium oxide particles as cerium(IV) oxide (CeO 2 , standard FCC structure) with no detectable quantities of Ce(III), whereas in the exhaust the ceria particles had additional electron diffraction reflections indicative of a CeO 2 superstructure containing ordered oxygen vacancies. The surfactant coating present on the cerium oxide particles in the additive was lost during combustion, but in roughly 30% of the observed particles in the exhaust, a new surface coating formed, approximately 2-5 nm thick. The results of this study suggest that pristine, laboratory-produced, nanoscale cerium oxide is not a good substitute for the cerium oxide released from fuel-borne catalyst applications and that future toxicity experiments and modeling will require the use/consideration of more realistic materials.

Axisymmetric single shear element combustion instability experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Breisacher, Kevin J.

1993-01-01

The combustion stability characteristics of a combustor consisting of a single shear element and a cylindrical chamber utilizing LOX and gaseous hydrogen as propellants are presented. The combustor geometry and the resulting longitudinal mode instability are axisymmetric. Hydrogen injection temperature and pyrotechnic pulsing were used to determine stability boundaries. Mixture ratio, fuel annulus gap, and LOX post configuration were varied. Performance and stability data were obtained for chamber pressures of 300 and 1000 psia.

Axisymmetric single shear element combustion instability experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Breisacher, Kevin J.

1993-01-01

The combustion stability characteristics of a combustor consisting of a single shear element and a cylindrical chamber utilizing LOX and gaseous hydrogen as propellants are presented. The combustor geometry and the resulting longitudinal mode instability are axisymmetric. Hydrogen injection temperature and pyrotechnic pulsing were used to determine stability boundaries. Mixture ratio, fuel annulus gap, and LOX post configuration were varied. Performance and stability data are presented for chamber pressures of 300 and 1000 psia.

NASA Microgravity Combustion Science Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

King, Merrill K.

1999-01-01

Combustion has been a subject of increasingly vigorous scientific research for over a century, not surprising considering that combustion accounts for approximately 85% of the world's energy production and is a key element of many critical technologies used by contemporary society. Although combustion technology is vital to our standard of living, it also poses great challenges to maintaining a habitable environment. A major goal of combustion research is production of fundamental (foundational) knowledge that can be used in developing accurate simulations of complex combustion processes, replacing current "cut-and-try" approaches and allowing developers to improve the efficiency of combustion devices, to reduce the production of harmful emissions, and to reduce the incidence of accidental uncontrolled combustion. With full understanding of the physics and chemistry involved in a given combustion process, including details of the unit processes and their interactions, physically accurate models which can then be used for parametric exploration of new combustion domains via computer simulation can be developed, with possible resultant definition of radically different approaches to accomplishment of various combustion goals. Effects of gravitational forces on earth impede combustion studies more than they impede most other areas of science. The effects of buoyancy are so ubiquitous that we often do not appreciate the enormous negative impact that they have had on the rational development of combustion science. Microgravity offers potential for major gains in combustion science understanding in that it offers unique capability to establish the flow environment rather than having it dominated by uncontrollable (under normal gravity) buoyancy effects and, through this control, to extend the range of test conditions that can be studied. It cannot be emphasized too strongly that our program is dedicated to taking advantage of microgravity to untangle complications caused by gravity, allowing major strides in our understanding of combustion processes and in subsequent development of improved combustion devices leading to improved quality of life on Earth. Fire and/or explosion events aboard spacecraft could be devastating to international efforts to expand the human presence in space. Testing to date has shown that ignition and flame spread on fuel surfaces (e.g., paper, wire insulation) behave quite differently under partial gravity and microgravity conditions. In addition, fire signatures-i.e., heat release, smoke production, flame visibility, and radiation-are now known to be quite different in reduced gravity environments; this research has provided data to improve the effectiveness of fire prevention practices, smoke and fire detectors, and fire extinguishment systems. The more we can apply our scientific and technological understanding to potential fire behavior in microgravity and partial gravity, the more assurance can be given to those people whose lives depend on the environment aboard spacecraft or eventually on habitats on the Moon or Mars.

Development and Experimental Validation of Large Eddy Simulation Techniques for the Prediction of Combustion-Dynamic Process in Syngas Combustion: Characterization of Autoignition, Flashback, and Flame-Liftoff at Gas-Turbine Relevant Operating Conditions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ihme, Matthias; Driscoll, James

2015-08-31

The objective of this closely coordinated experimental and computational research effort is the development of simulation techniques for the prediction of combustion processes, relevant to the oxidation of syngas and high hydrogen content (HHC) fuels at gas-turbine relevant operating conditions. Specifically, the research goals are (i) the characterization of the sensitivity of syngas ignition processes to hydrodynamic processes and perturbations in temperature and mixture composition in rapid compression machines and ow-reactors and (ii) to conduct comprehensive experimental investigations in a swirl-stabilized gas turbine (GT) combustor under realistic high-pressure operating conditions in order (iii) to obtain fundamental understanding about mechanisms controllingmore » unstable flame regimes in HHC-combustion.« less

The 1992-1993 advanced design program. Part 1: The Mars methane engine project. Part 2: The Mars oxygen processor new furnace

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lauer, Stephen; Hoover, Scott; Lawrence, Lori; Paparistodemou, Christos; Taylor, Doug

1993-04-01

Three constituents of the Martian atmosphere, methane, carbon dioxide, and oxygen, can be used for internal combustion in engines utilized for future space exploration on Mars. These three gases, considered as the test case in this research, will be examined to determine required flow rates needed for combustion and optimization of engine performance. Results of the test case are examined in relation to a base case of methane and air for comparative purposes. Testing of exhaust temperatures, cylinder pressure, and exhaust gas analysis were performed for the base case and test case. Also described is a study utilizing a zirconia cell to convert carbon dioxide into usable oxygen to help support future Mars missions.

The 1992-1993 advanced design program. Part 1: The Mars methane engine project. Part 2: The Mars oxygen processor new furnace

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lauer, Stephen; Hoover, Scott; Lawrence, Lori; Paparistodemou, Christos; Taylor, Doug

1993-01-01

Three constituents of the Martian atmosphere, methane, carbon dioxide, and oxygen, can be used for internal combustion in engines utilized for future space exploration on Mars. These three gases, considered as the test case in this research, will be examined to determine required flow rates needed for combustion and optimization of engine performance. Results of the test case are examined in relation to a base case of methane and air for comparative purposes. Testing of exhaust temperatures, cylinder pressure, and exhaust gas analysis were performed for the base case and test case. Also described is a study utilizing a zirconia cell to convert carbon dioxide into usable oxygen to help support future Mars missions.

Evaluation of concepts for controlling exhaust emissions from minimally processed petroleum and synthetic fuels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Russell, P. L.; Beal, G. W.; Sederquist, R. A.; Shultz, D.

1981-01-01

Rich-lean combustor concepts designed to enhance rich combustion chemistry and increase combustor flexibility for NO(x) reduction with minimally processed fuels are examined. Processes such as rich product recirculation in the rich chamber, rich-lean annihilation, and graduated air addition or staged rich combustion to release bound nitrogen in steps of reduced equivalence ratio are discussed. Variations to the baseline rapid quench section are considered, and the effect of residence time in the rich zone is investigated. The feasibility of using uncooled non-metallic materials for the rich zone combustion construction is also addressed. The preliminary results indicate that rich primary zone staged combustion provides environmentally acceptable operation with residual and/or synthetic coal-derived liquid fuels

Optimal Design of Biomass Utilization System for Rural Area Includes Technical and Economic Dimensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morioka, Yasuki; Nakata, Toshihiko

In order to design optimal biomass utilization system for rural area, OMNIBUS (The Optimization Model for Neo-Integrated Biomass Utilization System) has been developed. OMNIBUS can derive the optimal system configuration to meet different objective function, such as current account balance, amount of biomass energy supply, and CO2 emission. Most of biomass resources in a focused region e.g. wood biomass, livestock biomass, and crop residues are considered in the model. Conversion technologies considered are energy utilization technologies e.g. direct combustion and methane fermentation, and material utilization technologies e.g. composting and carbonization. Case study in Miyakojima, Okinawa prefecture, has been carried out for several objective functions and constraint conditions. Considering economics of the utilization system as a priority requirement, composting and combustion heat utilization are mainly chosen in the optimal system configuration. However gasification power plant and methane fermentation are included in optimal solutions, only when both biomass energy utilization and CO2 reduction have been set as higher priorities. External benefit of CO2 reduction has large impacts on the system configuration. Provided marginal external benefit of more than 50,000 JPY/t-C, external benefit becomes greater than the revenue from electricity and compost etc. Considering technological learning in the future, expensive technologies such as gasification power plant and methane fermentation will have economic feasibility as well as market competitiveness.

Shock Tunnel Studies of Scramjet Phenomena

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stalker, R. J.

1996-01-01

Work focussed on a large number of preliminary studies of supersonic combustion in a simple combustion duct - thrust nozzle combination, investigating effects of Mach number, equivalence ratio, combustor divergence, fuel injecting angle and other parameters with an influence on the combustion process. This phase lasted for some three or four years, during which strongest emphasis was placed on responding to the request for preliminary experimental information on high enthalpy effects, to support the technology maturation activities of the NASP program. As the need for preliminary data became less urgent, it was possible to conduct more systematic studies of high enthalpy combustion phenomena, and to initiate other projects aimed at improving the facilities and instrumentation used for studying scramjet phenomena at high enthalpies. The combustion studies were particularly directed towards hypersonic combustion, and to the effects of injecting fuel along the combustion chamber wall. A substantial effort was directed towards a study of the effect of scale on the supersonic combustion process. The influence of wave phenomena (both compression waves and expansion waves) on the realization of thrust from a supersonic combustion process was also investigated. The effect of chemical kinetics was looked into, particularly as it affected the composition of the test flow provided by a ground facility. The effect of injection of the fuel through wall orifices was compared with injection from a strut spanning the stream, and the effect of heating the fuel prior to injection was investigated. Studies of fuel-air mixing by shock impingement were also done, as well as mass spectrometer surveys of a combustion wake. The use of hypersonic nozzles with an expansion tube was investigated. A new method was developed for measuring the forces acting of a model in less than one millisecond. Also included in this report are listings of published journal papers and conference presentations.

Numerical Investigation of Physicochemical Processes Occurring During Water Evaporation in the Surface Layer Pores of a Forest Combustible Material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhdanova, A. O.; Kuznetsov, G. V.; Strizhak, P. A.

2014-07-01

A numerical investigation of the physicochemical processes occurring during water evaporation from the pores of the surface layer of a forest combustible material has been carried out. The characteristic features of the suppression of the thermal decomposition reaction of a combustible material with water filling fullyits pores and formation of a water fi lm over its surface have been determined. The characteristic times of suppression of thermal decomposition reactions under various environmental conditions and the thickness and kinds of forest combustible material (birch leaves, pine and spruce needles, etc.) have been established.

Slag processing system for direct coal-fired gas turbines

DOEpatents

Pillsbury, Paul W.

1990-01-01

Direct coal-fired gas turbine systems and methods for their operation are provided by this invention. The systems include a primary combustion compartment coupled to an impact separator for removing molten slag from hot combustion gases. Quenching means are provided for solidifying the molten slag removed by the impact separator, and processing means are provided forming a slurry from the solidified slag for facilitating removal of the solidified slag from the system. The released hot combustion gases, substantially free of molten slag, are then ducted to a lean combustion compartment and then to an expander section of a gas turbine.

Method and system for the removal of oxides of nitrogen and sulfur from combustion processes

DOEpatents

Walsh, John V.

1987-12-15

A process for removing oxide contaminants from combustion gas, and employing a solid electrolyte reactor, includes: (a) flowing the combustion gas into a zone containing a solid electrolyte and applying a voltage and at elevated temperature to thereby separate oxygen via the solid electrolyte, (b) removing oxygen from that zone in a first stream and removing hot effluent gas from that zone in a second stream, the effluent gas containing contaminant, (c) and pre-heating the combustion gas flowing to that zone by passing it in heat exchange relation with the hot effluent gas.

Methods of the working processes modelling of an internal combustion engine by an ANSYS IC Engine module

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurchatkin, I. V.; Gorshkalev, A. A.; Blagin, E. V.

2017-01-01

This article deals with developed methods of the working processes modelling in the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine (ICE). Methods includes description of the preparation of a combustion chamber 3-d model, setting of the finite-element mesh, boundary condition setting and solution customization. Aircraft radial engine M-14 was selected for modelling. The cycle of cold blowdown in the ANSYS IC Engine software was carried out. The obtained data were compared to results of known calculation methods. A method of engine’s induction port improvement was suggested.

EMISSIONS OF PCDD/F FROM UNCONTROLLED, DOMESTIC WASTE BURNING

EPA Science Inventory

Emissions of polychlorinated bibenzodioxin and dibenzofuran (PCDD/F) result from inefficiencies of combustion processes, most typically waste combustion. Uncontrolled combustion, such as occurs during so-called "backyard burning" of domestic waste, may therefore produce optimal ...

Influence of the microwave irradiation dewatering on the combustion characteristics of Chinese brown coals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ge, Lichao; Feng, Hongcui; Xu, Chang; Zhang, Yanwei; Wang, Zhihua

2018-02-01

This study investigates the influence of microwave irradiation on coal composition, pore structure, coal rank, and combustion characteristics of typical brown coals in China. Results show that the upgrading process significantly decreased the inherent moisture, and increased calorific value and fixed carbon content. After upgrading, pore distribution extended to micropore region, oxygen functional groups were reduced and destroyed, and the apparent aromaticity increased suggesting an improvement in the coal rank. Based on thermogravimetric analysis, the combustion processes of upgraded coals were delayed toward the high temperature region, and the temperatures of ignition, peak and burnout increased. Based on the average combustion rate and comprehensive combustion parameter, the upgraded coals performed better compared with raw brown coals and a high rank coal. In ignition and burnout segments, the activation energy increased but exhibited a decrease in the combustion stage.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yao, S.C.; Manwani, P.

Coal-water slurries have been regarded as a potential substitute for heavy fuel oil. Various demonstrations of coal-water slurry combustion have been performed; however, a fundamental understanding of how the combustion process of a slurry fuel is enhanced is still not adequate. The combustion of coal-water mixture droplets suspended on microthermocouples has been investigated. It was found that droplets of lignite coal (which is a noncaking coal) burn effectively; however, droplets of bituminous coal (which is a caking coal) are relatively difficult to burn. During the heat-up of bituminous coal-water slurry droplets may turn to ''popcorn'' and show significant agglomeration. Themore » incomplete combustion of coal-water slurry droplets in furnaces has been reported, and this is a drawback of this process. The objective of the present study is to explore the possibility of enhancing the combustion of coal-water slurry droplets with the use of a combustible emulsified oil.« less

Synthesis of fine-grained .alpha.-silicon nitride by a combustion process

DOEpatents

Holt, J. Birch; Kingman, Donald D.; Bianchini, Gregory M.

1990-01-01

A combustion synthesis process for the preparation of .alpha.-silicon nitride and composites thereof is disclosed. Preparation of the .alpha.-silicon nitride comprises the steps of dry mixing silicon powder with an alkali metal azide, such as sodium azide, cold-pressing the mixture into any desired shape, or loading the mixture into a fused, quartz crucible, loading the crucible into a combustion chamber, pressurizing the chamber with nitrogen and igniting the mixture using an igniter pellet. The method for the preparation of the composites comprises dry mixing silicon powder (Si) or SiO.sub.2, with a metal or metal oxide, adding a small amount of an alkali metal azide such as sodium azide, introducing the mixture into a suitable combustion chamber, pressurizing the combustion chamber with nitrogen, igniting the mixture within the combustion chamber, and isolating the .alpha.-silicon nitride formed as a reaction product.

Production, purification and utilization of biogas as fuel for internal combustion engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hernandez, Noel M.; Villanueva, Eliseo P.

2018-03-01

This study attempts to modify a 4-cylinder gasoline engine to run with a purified compressed biogas as substitute for fossil fuels. Water scrubbing method was used as the easiest purification technique to remove CO2 and iron filing for H2S. The pressurized raw biogas was fed in a low cost made portable floating type gas holder with volume capacity of 0.74 m3. The purified biogas was compressed using a reciprocating compressor through a two stage series of enrichment and moisture removal process using activated alumina into the steel cylinder to improve the quality of the methane content. The enriched biogas was filled in the LPG tank for 20 minutes at 10 bars at an average of 73.67% CH4 with no traces of H2S as storage for engine utilization. The modification involved the installation and mounting of LPG conversion kit. A comparative analysis of the performance and combustion characteristics of the engine was evaluated separately with gasoline and purified compressed biogas using electro-dynamometer as variable loads. The findings show that power output deterioration in compressed biogas was mainly due to high percentage of CO2 and other gases impurities. It also shows that because of the calorific value of biogas, the thermal efficiency is lesser than that of gasoline. It implies that the overall engine performance can be improved by removing undesirable gases in the mixture.

Micro-tubular flame-assisted fuel cells for micro-combined heat and power systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milcarek, Ryan J.; Wang, Kang; Falkenstein-Smith, Ryan L.; Ahn, Jeongmin

2016-02-01

Currently the role of fuel cells in future power generation is being examined, tested and discussed. However, implementing systems is more difficult because of sealing challenges, slow start-up and complex thermal management and fuel processing. A novel furnace system with a flame-assisted fuel cell is proposed that combines the thermal management and fuel processing systems by utilizing fuel-rich combustion. In addition, the flame-assisted fuel cell furnace is a micro-combined heat and power system, which can produce electricity for homes or businesses, providing resilience during power disruption while still providing heat. A micro-tubular solid oxide fuel cell achieves a significant performance of 430 mW cm-2 operating in a model fuel-rich exhaust stream.

Development of a Joint Hydrogen and Syngas Combustion Mechanism Based on an Optimization Approach.

PubMed

Varga, Tamás; Olm, Carsten; Nagy, Tibor; Zsély, István Gy; Valkó, Éva; Pálvölgyi, Róbert; Curran, Henry J; Turányi, Tamás

2016-08-01

A comprehensive and hierarchical optimization of a joint hydrogen and syngas combustion mechanism has been carried out. The Kéromnès et al. ( Combust Flame , 2013, 160, 995-1011) mechanism for syngas combustion was updated with our recently optimized hydrogen combustion mechanism (Varga et al., Proc Combust Inst , 2015, 35, 589-596) and optimized using a comprehensive set of direct and indirect experimental data relevant to hydrogen and syngas combustion. The collection of experimental data consisted of ignition measurements in shock tubes and rapid compression machines, burning velocity measurements, and species profiles measured using shock tubes, flow reactors, and jet-stirred reactors. The experimental conditions covered wide ranges of temperatures (800-2500 K), pressures (0.5-50 bar), equivalence ratios ( ϕ = 0.3-5.0), and C/H ratios (0-3). In total, 48 Arrhenius parameters and 5 third-body collision efficiency parameters of 18 elementary reactions were optimized using these experimental data. A large number of directly measured rate coefficient values belonging to 15 of the reaction steps were also utilized. The optimization has resulted in a H 2 /CO combustion mechanism, which is applicable to a wide range of conditions. Moreover, new recommended rate parameters with their covariance matrix and temperature-dependent uncertainty ranges of the optimized rate coefficients are provided. The optimized mechanism was compared to 19 recent hydrogen and syngas combustion mechanisms and is shown to provide the best reproduction of the experimental data.

Development of a Joint Hydrogen and Syngas Combustion Mechanism Based on an Optimization Approach

PubMed Central

Varga, Tamás; Olm, Carsten; Nagy, Tibor; Zsély, István Gy.; Valkó, Éva; Pálvölgyi, Róbert; Curran, Henry. J.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT A comprehensive and hierarchical optimization of a joint hydrogen and syngas combustion mechanism has been carried out. The Kéromnès et al. (Combust Flame, 2013, 160, 995–1011) mechanism for syngas combustion was updated with our recently optimized hydrogen combustion mechanism (Varga et al., Proc Combust Inst, 2015, 35, 589–596) and optimized using a comprehensive set of direct and indirect experimental data relevant to hydrogen and syngas combustion. The collection of experimental data consisted of ignition measurements in shock tubes and rapid compression machines, burning velocity measurements, and species profiles measured using shock tubes, flow reactors, and jet‐stirred reactors. The experimental conditions covered wide ranges of temperatures (800–2500 K), pressures (0.5–50 bar), equivalence ratios (ϕ = 0.3–5.0), and C/H ratios (0–3). In total, 48 Arrhenius parameters and 5 third‐body collision efficiency parameters of 18 elementary reactions were optimized using these experimental data. A large number of directly measured rate coefficient values belonging to 15 of the reaction steps were also utilized. The optimization has resulted in a H2/CO combustion mechanism, which is applicable to a wide range of conditions. Moreover, new recommended rate parameters with their covariance matrix and temperature‐dependent uncertainty ranges of the optimized rate coefficients are provided. The optimized mechanism was compared to 19 recent hydrogen and syngas combustion mechanisms and is shown to provide the best reproduction of the experimental data. PMID:27840549

Phase Transformations of Cobalt Oxides in CoxOy-ZnO Multipod Nanostructures via Combustion from Thermopower Waves.

PubMed

Lee, Kang Yeol; Hwang, Hayoung; Choi, Wonjoon

2015-09-01

The study of combustion at the interfaces of materials and chemical fuels has led to developments in diverse fields such as materials chemistry and energy conversion. Recently, it has been suggested that thermopower waves can utilize chemical-thermal-electrical-energy conversion in hybrid structures comprising nanomaterials and combustible fuels to produce enhanced combustion waves with concomitant voltage generation. In this study, this is the first time that the direct phase transformation of Co-doped ZnO via instant combustion waves and its applications to thermopower waves is presented. It is demonstrated that the chemical combustion waves at the surfaces of Co3O4-ZnO multipod nanostructures (deep brown in color) enable direct phase transformations to newly formed CoO-ZnO(1-x) nanoparticles (olive green in color). The oxygen molecules are released from Co3O4-ZnO to CoO-ZnO(1-x) under high-temperature conditions in the reaction front regime in combustion, whereas the CoO-ZnO multipod nanoparticles do not undergo any transformations and thus do not experience any color change. This oxygen-release mechanism is applicable to thermopower waves, enhances the self-propagating combustion velocity, and forms lattice defects that interrupt the charge-carrier movements inside the nanostructures. The chemical transformation and corresponding energy transport observed in this study can contribute to diverse potential applications, including direct-combustion synthesis and energy conversion. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Energy Conversion and Combustion Sciences

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-08

Rotational /Continuous Detonation • Only Single Initiation needed (Circumvent Initiation/DDT difficulty/loss in PDE ) • 10-100x cycle rate increase • Near...new fuels: 1. Rotational or Continuous Detonation (intense/concentrated combustion); 2. Flameless combustion (distributed combustion process...Steady Exit Flow *CFD Courtesy of NRL Rotational Detonation : (PI: Schauer, AFRL/RZ, working with NRL) Rotational Approach Allows Continuous

Characterizing dilute combustion instabilities in a multi-cylinder spark-ignited engine using symbolic analysis

DOE PAGES

Daw, C. Stuart; Finney, Charles E. A.; Kaul, Brian C.; ...

2014-12-29

Spark-ignited internal combustion engines have evolved considerably in recent years in response to increasingly stringent regulations for emissions and fuel-economy. One new advanced engine strategy utilizes high levels of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) to reduce combustion temperatures, thereby increasing thermodynamic efficiency and reducing nitrogen oxide emissions. While this strategy can be highly effective, it also poses major control and design challenges due to the large combustion oscillations that develop at sufficiently high EGR levels. Previous research has documented that combustion instabilities can propagate between successive engine cycles in individual cylinders via self-generated feedback of reactive species and thermal energy inmore » the retained residual exhaust gases. In this work, we use symbolic analysis to characterize multi-cylinder combustion oscillations in an experimental engine operating with external EGR. At low levels of EGR, intra-cylinder oscillations are clearly visible and appear to be associated with brief, intermittent coupling among cylinders. As EGR is increased further, a point is reached where all four cylinders lock almost completely in phase and alternate simultaneously between two distinct bi-stable combustion states. From a practical perspective, it is important to understand the causes of this phenomenon and develop diagnostics that might be applied to ameliorate its effects. We demonstrate here that two approaches for symbolizing the engine combustion measurements can provide useful probes for characterizing these instabilities.« less

Overview of the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wright, Mary Etta

1999-01-01

MSG is a third generation glovebox for Microgravity Science investigations: SpaceLab Glovebox (GBX); Middeck/MIR Gloveboxes (M/MGBX); and GBX and M/MGBX developed by Bradford Engineering (NL). Previous flights have demonstrated utility of glovebox facilities: Contained environment enables broader range of science experiments; Affords better control of video and photographic imaging (a prime data source); Provides better environmental control than cabin atmosphere; and Useful for contingency operations. MSG developed in response to demands for increased work volume, increased capabilities and additional resources. MSG is multi-user facility to support a wide range of small science and technology investigations: Fluid physics; Combustion science; Material science; Biotechnology (cell culturing and protein crystal growth); Space processing; Fundamental physics; and Technology demonstrations. Topics included in this viewgraph are: MSG capabilities; MSG hardware items; MSG, GSE, and OSE items; MSG development approach; and Science utilization.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Michelsen, H. A.; Schulz, C.; Smallwood, G. J.

The understanding of soot formation in combustion processes and the optimization of practical combustion systems require in situ measurement techniques that can provide important characteristics, such as particle concentrations and sizes, under a variety of conditions. Of equal importance are techniques suitable for characterizing soot particles produced from incomplete combustion and emitted into the environment. Also, the production of engineered nanoparticles, such as carbon blacks, may benefit from techniques that allow for online monitoring of these processes.

Flotation of oil-agglomerated coal for ash and pyrite removal -- Simultaneous grinding and agglomeration

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Song, S.; Perkson, A.; Trass, O.

1996-12-31

Oil agglomeration is an excellent technique for the beneficiation of fine coal. For separation of the spherical agglomerates by screening, a high level of oil must be used, however. When the subsequent separation is done by flotation, this disadvantage is eliminated. Better pyrite removal is also possible. In this paper, such a fine coal beneficiation process, also called hydrophobic flocculation-flotation (HFF), is described. It features low non-polar oil consumption, intensive mechanical energy input, and smaller agglomerates or looser flocs. This process can be simplified by grinding the coal in water with small amounts of oil added. The excess grinding energymore » is then used for agglomerating the coal. The Prince coal from Nova Scotia contained 13.3% ash and 3.3% total sulfur, 1.4% pyritic. After four stages of flotation, ash and pyrite removal were 93% and 66% respectively, with 87% combustibles recovery. The parameters affecting the HFF process, such as particle size, dosage of non-polar oil, pH value of the slurry and duration of agitation, were investigated. Simultaneous grinding and agglomeration (SGA) utilizing the Szego Mill was also explored at the very low oil levels used. The intensive agitation/preconditioning step prior to flotation was eliminated. When the other parameters established from the sequential process were used with the SGA process, virtually identical beneficiation results were obtained, but with slightly lower combustibles recovery. While further testing is required to properly optimize the SGA process conditions, significant equipment simplification and energy savings are possible.« less

The technique for Simulation of Transient Combustion Processes in the Rocket Engine Operating with Gaseous Fuel “Hydrogen and Oxygen”

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zubanov, V. M.; Stepanov, D. V.; Shabliy, L. S.

2017-01-01

The article describes the method for simulation of transient combustion processes in the rocket engine. The engine operates on gaseous propellant: oxygen and hydrogen. Combustion simulation was performed using the ANSYS CFX software. Three reaction mechanisms for the stationary mode were considered and described in detail. Reactions mechanisms have been taken from several sources and verified. The method for converting ozone properties from the Shomate equation to the NASA-polynomial format was described in detail. The way for obtaining quick CFD-results with intermediate combustion components using an EDM model was found. Modeling difficulties with combustion model Finite Rate Chemistry, associated with a large scatter of reference data were identified and described. The way to generate the Flamelet library with CFX-RIF is described. Formulated adequate reaction mechanisms verified at a steady state have also been tested for transient simulation. The Flamelet combustion model was recognized as adequate for the transient mode. Integral parameters variation relates to the values obtained during stationary simulation. A cyclic irregularity of the temperature field, caused by precession of the vortex core, was detected in the chamber with the proposed simulation technique. Investigations of unsteady processes of rocket engines including the processes of ignition were proposed as the area for application of the described simulation technique.

Acoustic measurements for the combustion diagnosis of diesel engines fuelled with biodiesels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhen, Dong; Wang, Tie; Gu, Fengshou; Tesfa, Belachew; Ball, Andrew

2013-05-01

In this paper, an experimental investigation was carried out on the combustion process of a compression ignition (CI) engine running with biodiesel blends under steady state operating conditions. The effects of biodiesel on the combustion process and engine dynamics were analysed for non-intrusive combustion diagnosis based on a four-cylinder, four-stroke, direct injection and turbocharged diesel engine. The signals of vibration, acoustic and in-cylinder pressure were measured simultaneously to find their inter-connection for diagnostic feature extraction. It was found that the sound energy level increases with the increase of engine load and speed, and the sound characteristics are closely correlated with the variation of in-cylinder pressure and combustion process. The continuous wavelet transform (CWT) was employed to analyse the non-stationary nature of engine noise in a higher frequency range. Before the wavelet analysis, time synchronous average (TSA) was used to enhance the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the acoustic signal by suppressing the components which are asynchronous. Based on the root mean square (RMS) values of CWT coefficients, the effects of biodiesel fractions and operating conditions (speed and load) on combustion process and engine dynamics were investigated. The result leads to the potential of airborne acoustic measurements and analysis for engine condition monitoring and fuel quality evaluation.

Laser ignition - Spark plug development and application in reciprocating engines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pavel, Nicolaie; Bärwinkel, Mark; Heinz, Peter; Brüggemann, Dieter; Dearden, Geoff; Croitoru, Gabriela; Grigore, Oana Valeria

2018-03-01

Combustion is one of the most dominant energy conversion processes used in all areas of human life, but global concerns over exhaust gas pollution and greenhouse gas emission have stimulated further development of the process. Lean combustion and exhaust gas recirculation are approaches to improve the efficiency and to reduce pollutant emissions; however, such measures impede reliable ignition when applied to conventional ignition systems. Therefore, alternative ignition systems are a focus of scientific research. Amongst others, laser induced ignition seems an attractive method to improve the combustion process. In comparison with conventional ignition by electric spark plugs, laser ignition offers a number of potential benefits. Those most often discussed are: no quenching of the combustion flame kernel; the ability to deliver (laser) energy to any location of interest in the combustion chamber; the possibility of delivering the beam simultaneously to different positions, and the temporal control of ignition. If these advantages can be exploited in practice, the engine efficiency may be improved and reliable operation at lean air-fuel mixtures can be achieved, making feasible savings in fuel consumption and reduction in emission of exhaust gasses. Therefore, laser ignition can enable important new approaches to address global concerns about the environmental impact of continued use of reciprocating engines in vehicles and power plants, with the aim of diminishing pollutant levels in the atmosphere. The technology can also support increased use of electrification in powered transport, through its application to ignition of hybrid (electric-gas) engines, and the efficient combustion of advanced fuels. In this work, we review the progress made over the last years in laser ignition research, in particular that aimed towards realizing laser sources (or laser spark plugs) with dimensions and properties suitable for operating directly on an engine. The main envisaged solutions for positioning of the laser spark plug, i.e. placing it apart from or directly on the engine, are introduced. The path taken from the first solution proposed, to build a compact laser suitable for ignition, to the practical realization of a laser spark plug is described. Results obtained by ignition of automobile test engines, with laser devices that resemble classical spark plugs, are specifically discussed. It is emphasized that technological advances have brought this method of laser ignition close to the application and installation in automobiles powered by gasoline engines. Achievements made in the laser ignition of natural gas engines are outlined, as well as the utilization of laser ignition in other applications. Scientific and technical advances have allowed realization of laser devices with multiple (up to four) beam outputs, but many other important aspects (such as integration, thermal endurance or vibration strength) are still to be solved. Recent results of multi-beam ignition of a single-cylinder engine in a test bench set-up are encouraging and have led to increased research interest in this direction. A fundamental understanding of the processes involved in laser ignition is crucial in order to exploit the technology's full potential. Therefore, several measurement techniques, primarily optical types, used to characterize the laser ignition process are reviewed in this work.

Particulate matter emissions from combustion of wood in district heating applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ghafghazi, S.; Sowlati, T.; Sokhansanj, Shahabaddine

2011-01-01

The utilization of wood biomass to generate district heat and power in communities that have access to this energy source is increasing. In this paper the effect of wood fuel properties, combustion condition, and flue gas cleaning system on variation in the amount and formation of particles in the flue gas of typical district heating wood boilers are discussed based on the literature survey. Direct measurements of particulate matter (PM) emissions from wood boilers with district heating applications are reviewed and presented. Finally, recommendations are given regarding the selection of wood fuel, combustion system condition, and flue gas cleaning systemmore » in district heating systems in order to meet stringent air quality standards. It is concluded that utilization of high quality wood fuel, such as wood pellets produced from natural, uncontaminated stem wood, would generate the least PM emissions compared to other wood fuel types. Particulate matter emissions from grate burners equipped with electrostatic precipitators when using wood pellets can be well below stringent regulatory emission limit such as particulate emission limit of Metro Vancouver, Canada.« less

Recent Developments Of Optical Fiber Sensors For Automotive Use

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sasayama, Takao; Oho, Shigeru; Kuroiwa, Hiroshi; Suzuki, Seikoo

1987-12-01

Optical fiber sensing technologies are expected to apply for many future electronic control systems in automobiles, because of their original outstanding features, such as high noise immunity, high heat resistance, and flexible light propagation paths which can be applicable to measure the movements and directions of the mobiles. In this paper, two typical applications of fiber sensing technologies in automobiles have been described in detail. The combustion flame detector is one of the typical applications of a fiber spectroscopic technology which utilizes the feature of high noise and heat resistibility and remote sensibility. Measurements of engine combustion conditions, such as the detonation, the combustion initiation, and the air-fuel ratio, have been demonstrated in an experimental fiber sensing method. Fiber interferometers, such as a fiber gyroscope, have a lot of possibilities in future mobile applications because they are expandable to many kinds of measurements for movements and physical variables. An optical fiber gyroscope utilizing the single polarized optical fiber and optical devices has been developed. Quite an accurate measurement of vehicle position was displayed on a prototype navigation system which installed the fiber gyroscope as a rotational speed sensor.

Simultaneous sensing of temperature, CO, and CO2 in a scramjet combustor using quantum cascade laser absorption spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spearrin, R. M.; Goldenstein, C. S.; Schultz, I. A.; Jeffries, J. B.; Hanson, R. K.

2014-07-01

A mid-infrared laser absorption sensor was developed for gas temperature and carbon oxide (CO, CO2) concentrations in high-enthalpy, hydrocarbon combustion flows. This diagnostic enables non-intrusive, in situ measurements in harsh environments produced by hypersonic propulsion ground test facilities. The sensing system utilizes tunable quantum cascade lasers capable of probing the fundamental mid-infrared absorption bands of CO and CO2 in the 4-5 µm wavelength domain. A scanned-wavelength direct absorption technique was employed with two lasers, one dedicated to each species, free-space fiber-coupled using a bifurcated hollow-core fiber for remote light delivery on a single line of sight. Scanned-wavelength modulation spectroscopy with second-harmonic detection was utilized to extend the dynamic range of the CO measurement. The diagnostic was field-tested on a direct-connect scramjet combustor for ethylene-air combustion. Simultaneous, laser-based measurements of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide provide a basis for evaluating combustion completion or efficiency with temporal and spatial resolution in practical hydrocarbon-fueled engines.

Effect of diluted and preheated oxidizer on the emission of methane flameless combustion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hosseini, Seyed Ehsan; Salehirad, Saber; Wahid, M. A.; Sies, Mohsin Mohd; Saat, Aminuddin

2012-06-01

In combustion process, reduction of emissions often accompanies with output efficiency reduction. It means, by using current combustion technique it is difficult to obtainlow pollution and high level of efficiency in the same time. In new combustion system, low NOxengines and burners are studied particularly. Recently flameless or Moderate and Intensive Low oxygen Dilution (MILD) combustion has received special attention in terms of low harmful emissions and low energy consumption. Behavior of combustion with highly preheated air was analyzed to study the change of combustion regime and the reason for the compatibility of high performance and low NOx production. Sustainability of combustion under low oxygen concentration was examined when; the combustion air temperature was above the self-ignition temperature of the fuel. This paper purposes to analyze the NOx emission quantity in conventional combustion and flameless combustion by Chemical Equilibrium with Applications (CEA) software.

Process for Making Carbon-Carbon Turbocharger Housing Unit for Intermittent Combustion Engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Northam, G. Burton (Inventor); Ransone, Philip O. (Inventor); Rivers, H. Kevin (Inventor)

1999-01-01

An improved. lightweight, turbine housing unit for an intermittent combustion reciprocating internal combustion engine turbocharger is prepared from a lay-up or molding of carbon-carbon composite materials in a single-piece or two-piece process. When compared to conventional steel or cast iron, the use of carbon-carbon composite materials in a turbine housing unit reduces the overall weight of the engine and reduces the heat energy loss used in the turbo-charging process. This reduction in heat energy loss and weight reduction provides for more efficient engine operation.

Method of removing sulfur emissions from a fluidized-bed combustion process

DOEpatents

Vogel, Gerhard John; Jonke, Albert A.; Snyder, Robert B.

1978-01-01

Alkali metal or alkaline earth metal oxides are impregnated within refractory support material such as alumina and introduced into a fluidized-bed process for the combustion of coal. Sulfur dioxide produced during combustion reacts with the metal oxide to form metal sulfates within the porous support material. The support material is removed from the process and the metal sulfate regenerated to metal oxide by chemical reduction. Suitable pore sizes are originally developed within the support material by heat-treating to accommodate both the sulfation and regeneration while still maintaining good particle strength.

Gas separation process using membranes with permeate sweep to remove CO.sub.2 from gaseous fuel combustion exhaust

DOEpatents

Wijmans, Johannes G [Menlo Park, CA; Merkel, Timothy C [Menlo Park, CA; Baker, Richard W [Palo Alto, CA

2012-05-15

A gas separation process for treating exhaust gases from the combustion of gaseous fuels, and gaseous fuel combustion processes including such gas separation. The invention involves routing a first portion of the exhaust stream to a carbon dioxide capture step, while simultaneously flowing a second portion of the exhaust gas stream across the feed side of a membrane, flowing a sweep gas stream, usually air, across the permeate side, then passing the permeate/sweep gas back to the combustor.

77 FR 23399 - National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants From Coal- and Oil-Fired Electric...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-19

... Coal- and Oil-Fired Electric Utility Steam Generating Units and Standards of Performance for Fossil... Units and Standards of Performance for Fossil-Fuel-Fired Electric Utility, Industrial-Commercial... before March 1, 2005, means a 24-hour period during which fossil fuel is combusted in a steam-generating...

Identification and quantification analysis of nonlinear dynamics properties of combustion instability in a diesel engine

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yang, Li-Ping, E-mail: yangliping302@hrbeu.edu.cn; Ding, Shun-Liang; Song, En-Zhe

The cycling combustion instabilities in a diesel engine have been analyzed based on chaos theory. The objective was to investigate the dynamical characteristics of combustion in diesel engine. In this study, experiments were performed under the entire operating range of a diesel engine (the engine speed was changed from 600 to 1400 rpm and the engine load rate was from 0% to 100%), and acquired real-time series of in-cylinder combustion pressure using a piezoelectric transducer installed on the cylinder head. Several methods were applied to identify and quantitatively analyze the combustion process complexity in the diesel engine including delay-coordinate embedding, recurrencemore » plot (RP), Recurrence Quantification Analysis, correlation dimension (CD), and the largest Lyapunov exponent (LLE) estimation. The results show that the combustion process exhibits some determinism. If LLE is positive, then the combustion system has a fractal dimension and CD is no more than 1.6 and within the diesel engine operating range. We have concluded that the combustion system of diesel engine is a low-dimensional chaotic system and the maximum values of CD and LLE occur at the lowest engine speed and load. This means that combustion system is more complex and sensitive to initial conditions and that poor combustion quality leads to the decrease of fuel economy and the increase of exhaust emissions.« less

Identification and quantification analysis of nonlinear dynamics properties of combustion instability in a diesel engine.

PubMed

Yang, Li-Ping; Ding, Shun-Liang; Litak, Grzegorz; Song, En-Zhe; Ma, Xiu-Zhen

2015-01-01

The cycling combustion instabilities in a diesel engine have been analyzed based on chaos theory. The objective was to investigate the dynamical characteristics of combustion in diesel engine. In this study, experiments were performed under the entire operating range of a diesel engine (the engine speed was changed from 600 to 1400 rpm and the engine load rate was from 0% to 100%), and acquired real-time series of in-cylinder combustion pressure using a piezoelectric transducer installed on the cylinder head. Several methods were applied to identify and quantitatively analyze the combustion process complexity in the diesel engine including delay-coordinate embedding, recurrence plot (RP), Recurrence Quantification Analysis, correlation dimension (CD), and the largest Lyapunov exponent (LLE) estimation. The results show that the combustion process exhibits some determinism. If LLE is positive, then the combustion system has a fractal dimension and CD is no more than 1.6 and within the diesel engine operating range. We have concluded that the combustion system of diesel engine is a low-dimensional chaotic system and the maximum values of CD and LLE occur at the lowest engine speed and load. This means that combustion system is more complex and sensitive to initial conditions and that poor combustion quality leads to the decrease of fuel economy and the increase of exhaust emissions.

Discrete model of gas-free spin combustion of a powder mixture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klimenok, Kirill L.; Rashkovskiy, Sergey A.

2015-01-01

We propose a discrete model of gas-free combustion of a cylindrical sample which reproduces in detail a spin combustion mode. It is shown that a spin combustion, in its classical sense as a continuous spiral motion of heat release zones on the surface of the sample, does not exist. Such a concept has arisen due to the misinterpretation of the experimental data. This study shows that in fact a spinlike combustion is realized, at which two energy release zones appear on the lateral surface of the sample and propagate circumferentially in the opposite directions. After some time two new heat release zones are formed on the next layer of the cylinder surface and make the same counter-circular motion. This process continues periodically and from a certain angle it looks like a spiral movement of the luminous zone along the lateral surface of the sample. The model shows that on approaching the combustion limit the process becomes more complicated and the spinlike combustion mode shifts to a more complex mode with multiple zones of heat release moving in different directions along the lateral surface. It is shown that the spin combustion mode appears due to asymmetry of initial conditions and always transforms into a layer-by-layer combustion mode with time.

Modeling the combustion behavior of hazardous waste in a rotary kiln incinerator.

PubMed

Yang, Yongxiang; Pijnenborg, Marc J A; Reuter, Markus A; Verwoerd, Joep

2005-01-01

Hazardous wastes have complex physical forms and chemical compositions and are normally incinerated in rotary kilns for safe disposal and energy recovery. In the rotary kiln, the multifeed stream and wide variation of thermal, physical, and chemical properties of the wastes cause the incineration system to be highly heterogeneous, with severe temperature fluctuations and unsteady combustion chemistry. Incomplete combustion is often the consequence, and the process is difficult to control. In this article, modeling of the waste combustion is described by using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Through CFD simulation, gas flow and mixing, turbulent combustion, and heat transfer inside the incinerator were predicted and visualized. As the first step, the waste in various forms was modeled to a hydrocarbon-based virtual fuel mixture. The combustion of the simplified waste was then simulated with a seven-gas combustion model within a CFD framework. Comparison was made with previous global three-gas combustion model with which no chemical behavior can be derived. The distribution of temperature and chemical species has been investigated. The waste combustion model was validated with temperature measurements. Various operating conditions and the influence on the incineration performance were then simulated. Through this research, a better process understanding and potential optimization of the design were attained.

Discrete model of gas-free spin combustion of a powder mixture.

PubMed

Klimenok, Kirill L; Rashkovskiy, Sergey A

2015-01-01

We propose a discrete model of gas-free combustion of a cylindrical sample which reproduces in detail a spin combustion mode. It is shown that a spin combustion, in its classical sense as a continuous spiral motion of heat release zones on the surface of the sample, does not exist. Such a concept has arisen due to the misinterpretation of the experimental data. This study shows that in fact a spinlike combustion is realized, at which two energy release zones appear on the lateral surface of the sample and propagate circumferentially in the opposite directions. After some time two new heat release zones are formed on the next layer of the cylinder surface and make the same counter-circular motion. This process continues periodically and from a certain angle it looks like a spiral movement of the luminous zone along the lateral surface of the sample. The model shows that on approaching the combustion limit the process becomes more complicated and the spinlike combustion mode shifts to a more complex mode with multiple zones of heat release moving in different directions along the lateral surface. It is shown that the spin combustion mode appears due to asymmetry of initial conditions and always transforms into a layer-by-layer combustion mode with time.

Subframe Burst Gating for Raman Spectroscopy in Combustion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kojima, Jun; Fischer, David; Nguyen, Quang-Viet

2010-01-01

We describe an architecture for spontaneous Raman scattering utilizing a frame-transfer CCD sensor operating in a subframe burst-gating mode to realize time-resolved combustion diagnostics. The technique permits all-electronic optical gating with microsecond shutter speeds 5 J.Ls) without compromising optical throughput or image fidelity. When used in conjunction with a pair of orthogonally polarized excitation lasers, the technique measures single-shot vibrational Raman scattering that is minimally contaminated by problematic optical background noise.

Proceedings of the second US Department of Energy environmental control symposium. Volume 1. Fossil energy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

1980-06-01

These proceedings document the presentations given at the Second Environmental Control Symposium. Symposium presentations highlighted environmental control activities which span the entire DOE. Volume I contains papers relating to coal preparation, oil shales, coal combustion, advanced coal utilization (fluidized bed combustion, MHD generators, OCGT, fuel cells), coal gasification, coal liquefaction, and fossil resource extraction (enhanced recovery). Separate abstracts for individual papers are prepared for inclusion in the Energy Data Base. (DMC)

On-Site Fuel Cell Energy Systems: The U.S. Air Force Field Test Demonstration Plan.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-12-01

Continue on reverse -, de if necessary and identify by block number) Fuel cells Cogererati on Energy conversion ABSTRACT (Continue an reverse ide If...fuel electrode, water at the oxygen electrode, and to act as a mechanical barrier between the two gases to prevent mixing and direct combustion . When the...possibility of more effective utilization of hydrocarbon fuels, especially when compared with the alternative heat engine combustion technologies. Figure 12

Energy release properties of amorphous boron and boron-based propellant primary combustion products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Daolun; Liu, Jianzhong; Xiao, Jinwu; Xi, Jianfei; Wang, Yang; Zhang, Yanwei; Zhou, Junhu

2015-07-01

The microstructure of amorphous boron and the primary combustion products of boron-based fuel-rich propellant (hereafter referred to as primary combustion products) was analyzed by scanning electron microscope. Composition analysis of the primary combustion products was carried out by X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The energy release properties of amorphous boron and the primary combustion products were comparatively studied by laser ignition experimental system and thermogravimetry-differential scanning calorimetry. The primary combustion products contain B, C, Mg, Al, B4C, B13C2, BN, B2O3, NH4Cl, H2O, and so on. The energy release properties of primary combustion products are different from amorphous boron, significantly. The full-time spectral intensity of primary combustion products at a wavelength of 580 nm is ~2% lower than that of amorphous boron. The maximum spectral intensity of the former at full wave is ~5% higher than that of the latter. The ignition delay time of primary combustion products is ~150 ms shorter than that of amorphous boron, and the self-sustaining combustion time of the former is ~200 ms longer than that of the latter. The thermal oxidation process of amorphous boron involves water evaporation (weight loss) and boron oxidation (weight gain). The thermal oxidation process of primary combustion products involves two additional steps: NH4Cl decomposition (weight loss) and carbon oxidation (weight loss). CL-20 shows better combustion-supporting effect than KClO4 in both the laser ignition experiments and the thermal oxidation experiments.

Experimental Replication of an Aeroengine Combustion Instability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cohen, J. M.; Hibshman, J. R.; Proscia, W.; Rosfjord, T. J.; Wake, B. E.; McVey, J. B.; Lovett, J.; Ondas, M.; DeLaat, J.; Breisacher, K.

2000-01-01

Combustion instabilities in gas turbine engines are most frequently encountered during the late phases of engine development, at which point they are difficult and expensive to fix. The ability to replicate an engine-traceable combustion instability in a laboratory-scale experiment offers the opportunity to economically diagnose the problem (to determine the root cause), and to investigate solutions to the problem, such as active control. The development and validation of active combustion instability control requires that the causal dynamic processes be reproduced in experimental test facilities which can be used as a test bed for control system evaluation. This paper discusses the process through which a laboratory-scale experiment was designed to replicate an instability observed in a developmental engine. The scaling process used physically-based analyses to preserve the relevant geometric, acoustic and thermo-fluid features. The process increases the probability that results achieved in the single-nozzle experiment will be scalable to the engine.

Thermo-chemical modelling of a village cookstove for design improvement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Honkalaskar, Vijay H.; Sohoni, Milind; Bhandarkar, Upendra V.

2014-05-01

Cookstove operation comprises three basic processes, namely combustion of firewood, natural air draft due to the buoyancy induced by the temperature difference between the hearth and its surroundings, and heat transfer to the pot, stove body and surrounding atmosphere. Owing to the heterogenous and unsteady burning of solid fuel, there exist nonlinear and dynamic interrelationships among these process parameters. A steady-state analytical model of the cookstove operation is developed for its design improvement by splitting the hearth into three zones to study char combustion, volatile combustion and heat transfer to the pot bottom separately. It comprises a total of seven relations corresponding to a thorough analysis of the three basic processes. A novel method is proposed to model the combustion of wood to mimic the realities closely. Combustion space above the fuel bed is split into 1000 discrete parts to study the combustion of volatiles by considering a set of representative volatile gases. Model results are validated by comparing them with a set of water boiling tests carried on a traditional cookstove in the laboratory. It is found that the major thrust areas to improve the thermal performance are combustion of volatiles and the heat transfer to the pot. It is revealed that the existing design dimensions of the traditional cookstove are close to their optimal values. Addition of twisted-tape inserts in the hearth of the cookstove shows an improvement in the thermal performance due to increase in the heat transfer coefficient to the pot bottom and improved combustion of volatiles.

Liquid rocket performance computer model with distributed energy release

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Combs, L. P.

1972-01-01

Development of a computer program for analyzing the effects of bipropellant spray combustion processes on liquid rocket performance is described and discussed. The distributed energy release (DER) computer program was designed to become part of the JANNAF liquid rocket performance evaluation methodology and to account for performance losses associated with the propellant combustion processes, e.g., incomplete spray gasification, imperfect mixing between sprays and their reacting vapors, residual mixture ratio striations in the flow, and two-phase flow effects. The DER computer program begins by initializing the combustion field at the injection end of a conventional liquid rocket engine, based on injector and chamber design detail, and on propellant and combustion gas properties. It analyzes bipropellant combustion, proceeding stepwise down the chamber from those initial conditions through the nozzle throat.

Combustion Processes in Hybrid Rocket Engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Venkateswaran,S.; Merkle, C. L.

1996-01-01

In recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in the development of hybrid rocket engines for advanced launch vehicle applications. Hybrid propulsion systems use a solid fuel such as hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) along with a gaseous/liquid oxidizer. The performance of hybrid combustors depends on the convective and radiative heat fluxes to the fuel surface, the rate of pyrolysis in the solid phase, and the turbulent combustion processes in the gaseous phases. These processes in combination specify the regression rates of the fuel surface and thereby the utilization efficiency of the fuel. In this paper, we employ computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques in order to gain a quantitative understanding of the physical trends in hybrid rocket combustors. The computational modeling is tailored to ongoing experiments at Penn State that employ a two dimensional slab burner configuration. The coordinated computational/experimental effort enables model validation while providing an understanding of the experimental observations. Computations to date have included the full length geometry with and with the aft nozzle section as well as shorter length domains for extensive parametric characterization. HTPB is sed as the fuel with 1,3 butadiene being taken as the gaseous product of the pyrolysis. Pure gaseous oxygen is taken as the oxidizer. The fuel regression rate is specified using an Arrhenius rate reaction, which the fuel surface temperature is given by an energy balance involving gas-phase convection and radiation as well as thermal conduction in the solid-phase. For the gas-phase combustion, a two step global reaction is used. The standard kappa - epsilon model is used for turbulence closure. Radiation is presently treated using a simple diffusion approximation which is valid for large optical path lengths, representative of radiation from soot particles. Computational results are obtained to determine the trends in the fuel burning or regression rates as a function of the head-end oxidizer mass flux, G=rho(e)U(e), and the chamber pressure. Furthermore, computation of the full slab burner configuration has also been obtained for various stages of the burn. Comparisons with available experimental data from small scale tests conducted by General Dynamics-Thiokol-Rocketdyne suggest reasonable agreement in the predicted regression rates. Future work will include: (1) a model for soot generation in the flame for more quantitative radiative transfer modelling, (2) a parametric study of combustion efficiency, and (3) transient calculations to help determine the possible mechanisms responsible for combustion instability in hybrid rocket motors.

Thermogravimetric characterization of irrigated bermudagrass as a combustion feedstock

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The bioenergy production industry can benefit from a greater understanding of potential differences among the various feedstock materials and production influences on thermochemical conversion processes such as combustion. The thermal degradation of biomass during combustion can quickly be assessed ...

Preburner of Staged Combustion Rocket Engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yost, M. C.

1978-01-01

A regeneratively cooled LOX/hydrogen staged combustion assembly system with a 400:1 expansion area ratio nozzle utilizing an 89,000 Newton (20,000 pound) thrust regeneratively cooled thrust chamber and 175:1 tubular nozzle was analyzed, assembled, and tested. The components for this assembly include two spark/torch oxygen-hydrogen igniters, two servo-controlled LOX valves, a preburner injector, a preburner combustor, a main propellant injector, a regeneratively cooled combustion chamber, a regeneratively cooled tubular nozzle with an expansion area ratio of 175:1, an uncooled heavy-wall steel nozzle with an expansion area ratio of 400:1, and interconnecting ducting. The analytical effort was performed to optimize the thermal and structural characteristics of each of the new components and the ducting, and to reverify the capabilities of the previously fabricated components. The testing effort provided a demonstration of the preburner/combustor chamber operation, chamber combustion efficiency and stability, and chamber and nozzle heat transfer.

Source diagnostics of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urban road runoff, dust, rain and canopy throughfall.

PubMed

Zhang, Wei; Zhang, Shucai; Wan, Chao; Yue, Dapan; Ye, Youbin; Wang, Xuejun

2008-06-01

Diagnostic ratios and multivariate analysis were utilized to apportion polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) sources for road runoff, road dust, rain and canopy throughfall based on samples collected in an urban area of Beijing, China. Three sampling sites representing vehicle lane, bicycle lane and branch road were selected. For road runoff and road dust, vehicular emission and coal combustion were identified as major sources, and the source contributions varied among the sampling sites. For rain, three principal components were apportioned representing coal/oil combustion (54%), vehicular emission (34%) and coking (12%). For canopy throughfall, vehicular emission (56%), coal combustion (30%) and oil combustion (14%) were identified as major sources. Overall, the PAH's source for road runoff mainly reflected that for road dust. Despite site-specific sources, the findings at the study area provided a general picture of PAHs sources for the road runoff system in urban area of Beijing.

A Novel Application of Ultrasonic Imaging to Study Smoldering Combustion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tse, S. D.; Anthenien, R. A.; Fernandez-Pello, A. Carlos; Miyasaka, K.

1997-01-01

An ultrasonic imaging technique has been developed to examine the propagation of a smolder reaction within a porous combustible material. The technique provides information about the location of a propagating smolder front, as well as line-of-sight average permeability variations of the smoldering material. The method utilizes the observation that transmission of an ultrasonic signal through a porous material increases with permeability. Since a propagating smolder reaction leaves behind char with a higher permeability than the original material, ultrasound transmission can be employed to monitor smolder progress. The technique can also be used to track the char evolution as it continues to react. Experiments are presented where the technique is applied to smoldering combustion in a two-dimensional geometry. The results have furthered the understanding of two-dimensional smolder, especially in identifying the controlling mechanisms leading to the transition from smoldering to flaming. The applicability of ultrasonic tomography to smoldering combustion has also been investigated.

Experiments Developed to Study Microgravity Smoldering Combustion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vergilii, Franklin

2001-01-01

The overall objective of the Microgravity Smoldering Combustion (MSC) research program is to understand and predict smoldering combustion under normal and microgravity (near-zero-gravity) conditions to help prevent and control smolder-originated fires, in both environments. Smoldering is defined as a nonflaming, self-sustaining, propagating, exothermic surface reaction. If a material is sufficiently permeable, smoldering is not confined to its outer surface, but can propagate as a reaction wave through the interior of the material. The MSC program will accomplish its goals by conducting smolder experiments on the ground and in a space-based laboratory, and developing theoretical models of the process. Space-based experiments are necessary because smoldering is a very slow process and, consequently, its study in a microgravity environment requires extended periods of time that can only be achieved in space. Smoldering can occur in a variety of processes ranging from the smolder of porous insulating materials to underground coal combustion. Many materials can sustain smoldering, including wood, cloth, foams, tobacco, other dry organic materials, and charcoal. The ignition, propagation, transition to flaming, and extinction of the smolder reaction are controlled by complex, thermochemical mechanisms that are not well understood. As with many forms of combustion, gravity affects the availability of the oxidizer and the transport of heat, and therefore, the rate of combustion. The smoldering combustion of porous materials has been studied both experimentally and theoretically, usually in the context of fire safety. Smoldering encompasses a number of fundamental processes, including heat and mass transfer in a porous media; endothermic pyrolysis of combustible material; ignition, propagation, and extinction of heterogeneous exothermic reactions at the solid-gas pore interface; and the onset of gas phase reactions (flaming) from existing surface reactions. Smoldering presents a serious fire risk because the combustion can propagate slowly in a material's interior and go undetected for long periods of time. It typically yields a substantially higher conversion of fuel to toxic compounds than does flaming (though more slowly), and may undergo a sudden transition to flaming.

40 CFR 98.242 - GHGs to report.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... paragraphs (a) through (c) of this section: (a) CO2 CH4, and N2O process emissions from each petrochemical process unit. Process emissions include CO2 generated by reaction in the process and by combustion of...), report under this subpart the calculated CO2, CH4, and N2O emissions for each stationary combustion...

40 CFR 98.242 - GHGs to report.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... paragraphs (a) through (c) of this section: (a) CO2 CH4, and N2O process emissions from each petrochemical process unit. Process emissions include CO2 generated by reaction in the process and by combustion of...), report under this subpart the calculated CO2, CH4, and N2O emissions for each stationary combustion...

40 CFR 98.242 - GHGs to report.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... paragraphs (a) through (c) of this section: (a) CO2 CH4, and N2O process emissions from each petrochemical process unit. Process emissions include CO2 generated by reaction in the process and by combustion of...), report under this subpart the calculated CO2, CH4, and N2O emissions for each stationary combustion...

40 CFR 98.242 - GHGs to report.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... paragraphs (a) through (c) of this section: (a) CO2 CH4, and N2O process emissions from each petrochemical process unit. Process emissions include CO2 generated by reaction in the process and by combustion of...), report under this subpart the calculated CO2, CH4, and N2O emissions for each stationary combustion...

40 CFR 98.242 - GHGs to report.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... paragraphs (a) through (c) of this section: (a) CO2 CH4, and N2O process emissions from each petrochemical process unit. Process emissions include CO2 generated by reaction in the process and by combustion of...), report under this subpart the calculated CO2, CH4, and N2O emissions for each stationary combustion...

A combustion model of vegetation burning in "Tiger" fire propagation tool

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giannino, F.; Ascoli, D.; Sirignano, M.; Mazzoleni, S.; Russo, L.; Rego, F.

2017-11-01

In this paper, we propose a semi-physical model for the burning of vegetation in a wildland fire. The main physical-chemical processes involved in fire spreading are modelled through a set of ordinary differential equations, which describe the combustion process as linearly related to the consumption of fuel. The water evaporation process from leaves and wood is also considered. Mass and energy balance equations are written for fuel (leaves and wood) assuming that combustion process is homogeneous in space. The model is developed with the final aim of simulating large-scale wildland fires which spread on heterogeneous landscape while keeping the computation cost very low.

Analysis of the combustion and pyrolysis of dried sewage sludge by TGA and MS.

PubMed

Magdziarz, Aneta; Werle, Sebastian

2014-01-01

In this study, the combustion and pyrolysis processes of three sewage sludge were investigated. The sewage sludge came from three wastewater treatment plants. Proximate and ultimate analyses were performed. The thermal behaviour of studied sewage sludge was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis with mass spectrometry (TGA-MS). The samples were heated from ambient temperature to 800 °C at a constant rate 10 °C/min in air (combustion process) and argon flows (pyrolysis process). The thermal profiles presented in form of TG/DTG curves were comparable for studied sludges. All TG/DTG curves were divided into three stages. The main decomposition of sewage sludge during the combustion process took place in the range 180-580 °C with c.a. 70% mass loss. The pyrolysis process occurred in lower temperature but with less mass loss. The evolved gaseous products (H2, CH4, CO2, H2O) from the decomposition of sewage sludge were identified on-line. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Determination of the Volume of Water for Suppressing the Thermal Decomposition of Forest Combustibles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Volkov, R. S.; Zhdanova, A. O.; Kuznetsov, G. V.; Strizhak, P. A.

2017-07-01

From the results of experimental studies of the processes of suppressing the thermal decomposition of the typical forest combustibles (birch leaves, fir needles, asp twigs, and a mixture of these three materials) by water aerosol, the minimum volumes of the fire-extinguishing liquid have been determined (by varying the volume of samples of the forest combustibles from 0.00002 m3 to 0.0003 m3 and the area of their open surface from 0.0001 m2 to 0.018 m2). The dependences of the minimum volume of water on the area of the open surface of the forest combustible have been established. Approximation expressions for these dependences have been obtained. Forecast has been made of the minimum volume of water for suppressing the process of thermal decomposition of forest combustibles in areas from 1 cm2 to 1 km2, as well as of the characteristic quenching times by varying the water concentration per unit time. It has been shown that the amount of water needed for effective suppression of the process of thermal decomposition of forest combustibles is several times less than is customarily assumed.

Novel designs of fluidized bed combustors for low pollutant emissions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lin, W.; Bleek, C.M. van den; Dam-Johansen, K.

1995-12-31

It is known that NH{sub 3}, released during the devolatilization of fuel, is an important precursor for NO formation in fluidized bed combustors. On the other hand, NH{sub 3} may be used as a reducing agent in the thermal DeNO{sub x} process to reduce NO{sub x} emission levels. In this paper, a new concept of fluidized bed combustors is proposed based on the idea of in situ reduction of NO{sub x} by self-produced NH{sub 3} from fuel without lowering the sulfur capture level. This design is intended to separate the NH{sub 3} release process under reducing conditions from the charmore » combustion process under oxidizing conditions; this self-released NH{sub 3}, together with some combustibles, is mixed with gaseous combustion products in the upper part of the combustor for a further reduction of the NO{sub x} formed during combustion. Furthermore, the combustion of the combustibles may cause the temperature to rise in this upper zone and thereby reduce the emission of N{sub 2}O. The applications of this design to bubbling and circulating fluidized bed combustors are described and the mechanisms of the main reactions involved discussed.« less

Internal and Surface Phenomena in Heterogenous Metal Combustion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dreizin, Edward L.

1997-01-01

The phenomenon of gas dissolution in burning metals was observed in recent metal combustion studies, but it could not be adequately explained by the traditional metal combustion models. The research reported here addresses heterogeneous metal combustion with emphasis on the processes of oxygen penetration inside burning metal and its influence on the metal combustion rate, temperature history, and disruptive burning. The unique feature of this work is the combination of the microgravity environment with a novel micro-arc generator of monodispersed metal droplets, ensuring repeatable formation and ignition of uniform metal droplets with a controllable initial temperature and velocity. Burning droplet temperature is measured in real time with a three wavelength pyrometer. In addition, particles are rapidly quenched at different combustion times, cross-sectioned, and examined using SEM-based techniques to retrieve the internal composition history of burning metal particles. When the initial velocity of a spherical particle is nearly zero, the microgravity environment makes it possible to study the flame structure, the development of flame nonsymmetry, and correlation of the flame shape with the heterogeneous combustion processes.

Influences of diesel pilot injection on ethanol autoignition - a numerical analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burnete, N. V.; Burnete, N.; Jurchis, B.; Iclodean, C.

2017-10-01

The aim of this study is to highlight the influences of the diesel pilot quantity as well as the timing on the autoignition of ethanol and the pollutant emissions resulting from the combustion process. The combustion concept presented in this paper requires the injection of a small quantity of diesel fuel in order to create the required autoignition conditions for ethanol. The combustion of the diesel droplets injected in the combustion chamber lead to the creation of high temperature locations that favour the autoignition of ethanol. However, due to the high vaporization enthalpy and the better distribution inside the combustion chamber of ethanol, the peak temperature values are reduced. Due to the lower temperature values and the high burning velocity of ethanol (combined with the fact that there are multiple ignition sources) the conditions required for the formation of nitric oxides are not achieved anymore, thus leading to significantly lower NOx emissions. This way the benefits of the Diesel engine and of the constant volume combustion are combined to enable a more efficient and environmentally friendly combustion process.

Injection system used into SI engines for complete combustion and reduction of exhaust emissions in the case of alcohol and petrol alcohol mixtures feed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ispas, N.; Cofaru, C.; Aleonte, M.

2017-10-01

Internal combustion engines still play a major role in today transportation but increasing the fuel efficiency and decreasing chemical emissions remain a great goal of the researchers. Direct injection and air assisted injection system can improve combustion and can reduce the concentration of the exhaust gas pollutes. Advanced air-to-fuel and combustion air-to-fuel injection system for mixtures, derivatives and alcohol gasoline blends represent a major asset in reducing pollutant emissions and controlling combustion processes in spark-ignition engines. The use of these biofuel and biofuel blending systems for gasoline results in better control of spark ignition engine processes, making combustion as complete as possible, as well as lower levels of concentrations of pollutants in exhaust gases. The main purpose of this paper was to provide most suitable tools for ensure the proven increase in the efficiency of spark ignition engines, making them more environmentally friendly. The conclusions of the paper allow to highlight the paths leading to a better use of alcohols (biofuels) in internal combustion engines of modern transport units.

Numerical Investigation Into Effect of Fuel Injection Timing on CAI/HCCI Combustion in a Four-Stroke GDI Engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Li; Zhao, Hua; Jiang, Xi; Kalian, Navin

2006-02-01

The Controlled Auto-Ignition (CAI) combustion, also known as Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI), was achieved by trapping residuals with early exhaust valve closure in conjunction with direct injection. Multi-cycle 3D engine simulations have been carried out for parametric study on four different injection timings in order to better understand the effects of injection timings on in-cylinder mixing and CAI combustion. The full engine cycle simulation including complete gas exchange and combustion processes was carried out over several cycles in order to obtain the stable cycle for analysis. The combustion models used in the present study are the Shell auto-ignition model and the characteristic-time combustion model, which were modified to take the high level of EGR into consideration. A liquid sheet breakup spray model was used for the droplet breakup processes. The analyses show that the injection timing plays an important role in affecting the in-cylinder air/fuel mixing and mixture temperature, which in turn affects the CAI combustion and engine performance.