Application of Reburning for NO(x) Control to a Firetube Package Boiler

摘要

The paper describes the use of a 730-kW (2.5 million Btu/hr) firetube package boiler, to demonstrate the application of reburning for NOx emission control. An overall reduction of 50 percent from an uncontrolled NOx emission of 200 ppm was realized by diverting 15 percent of the total boiler load to a natural-gas-fired second stage burner. Tests indicate that the overall order of destruction (with respect to initial NOx) is greater than one; thus, larger reductions can be expected from reburning applications to systems with higher initial NOx. Rich zone stoichiometry has been identified as the dominant process variable. Primary zone stoichiometry and rich zone residence time are parameters that can be adjusted to maximize NOx reduction. Reburning applied to firetube package boilers requires minimal facility modification. Natural gas would appear to be an ideal reburning fuel, because nitrogen in the reburning fuel has been shown to inhibit NOx reduction.