It is of great importance to clarify the effect of the combustion temperature in actual boilers on air-staging combustion of coals. In this work, a novel vertical tandem-type drop-tube furnace system was setup, in which a temperature of as high as 1600 °C can be achieved. Experimental investigations were performed thoroughly with particular attention to NO_x formation and unburned carbon in ash. The results indicate that, to maximize NO_x removal efficiency by air-staged combustion, the reducing zone should be under high temperature and strong reducing atmosphere (HT&SRA) conditions. A remarkably low . NO_x, emission and high coal burnout can be attained concurrently by creating HT&SRA conditions in the fuel-rich zone. The NO_x emission for high-volatile coals can be below 150 mg/m~3. The special role of the temperature is discussed in detail in terms of the difference of NO_x formation between the reducing zone exit and burnout zone exit. For comparison, the NO_x emission in Ar/O2- and oxy-fuel-staged combustion was also studied. Staged combustion is as effective for NO_x, reduction in Ar/O2 and oxy-fuel as in air combustion. However, for oxy-fuel-staged combustion, the effect of HT&SRA conditions presents some differences, which are closely related with the oxygen proportion in the gas atmosphere. In addition, it is also found that the temperature in the burnout zone (800—1200 °C) has a weak effect on NO_x generation, but CO emission would drastically increase when it is below 1100 °C.
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