CONCEPT OF COMBUSTION

Pulverized coal dispersed in primary air is fed to the boiler through the nozzles then heated directly by flame or by radiant heat from high temperature slag adhered to the boiler wall and starts ignition then forms primary combustion zone. Primary combustion zone is the one where combustion of volatile matter primarily takes place. CH4, He and CO evaporated from volatile matters combine with O2 in primary air and form flame around the coal particles. Secondary combustion zone is for char combustion where char and unburned gas from primary combustion zone is burned dispersed by secondary air. Time required for char combustion accounts for 80% 90% of total coal burnout.
Secondary air burnout

Coal + Primary air

Ash (10~20 W%) ignition

Primary Combustion Zone

Secondary Combustion Zone

Volatile ( 30 ~ 50W% )

Char ( 60 ~ 30W% )

Ignition Pulverized coal fed through nozzles receives heat from flame directly or radiant heat from other heat sources then temperature around surface of coal particles goes up and ignition takes place. Ignition characteristics would be largely affected by coal properties. Depending on coal properties, type of nozzles, design of nozzles, necessity of auxiliary fuel and maximum load are to be considered. The temperature when ignition takes place is defined as radiant ignition temperature. As shown in Fig. 2 radiant ignition temperature goes down as volatile matter of the coal increases. Volatile matters of the coal which Japanese power companies would normally consume are in the range of 30% - 50% on dry ash free basis, so range of radiant ignition temperature would be 600oC 700oC.

Figure 1. demonstrate the relationship between boiler temperature and distance from nozzle where ignition takes place. It is generally noted that as boiler temperature goes down the distance increases and that ignition becomes unstable.

FIGURE. 1

800

Low Volatile

Anthracite 600

Distance (m/m)

400

Medium Volatile

High Volatile 200

600

700

800

900

1000

1100

Furnace (boiler) Temperature (oC)

FIGURE. 2.

900

Low Volatile

Radiant Ignition Temperature (oC)

800

Medium Volatile
700

600

High Volatile
500

10

20

30

40

50

60

Volatile Matter (dry ash free) (%)