Burner for operating gas turbines with minimal NOx emissions

摘要

A porous, low-conductivity material formed of metal or ceramic fibers provides the burner face of a gaseous fuel combustor for gas turbines capable of minimizing nitrogen oxides (NO_X) emissions in the combustion product gases. A preferred burner face, when fired at atmospheric pressure, yields radiant surface combustion with interspersed areas of blue flame combustion. A rigid but porous mat of sintered metal fibers with interspersed bands of perforations is illustrative of a preferred burner face that can be fired at pressures exceeding 3 atmospheres at the rate of at least about 500,000 BTU/hr/sf/atm. By controlling the excess air admixed with the fuel in the range of about 40% to 150% to maintain an adiabatic flame temperature in the range of about 2600° F. to 3300° F., the NO_X emissions are suppressed to 5 ppm and even below 2 ppm. At all times, carbon monoxide and unburned hydrocarbons emissions do not exceed 10 ppm, combined.