The recirculation of CO2 from coal combustion is a potential means of reducing harmful greenhouse gases. Many questions remain to be answered regarding the application of these techniques, however. How do conventional burners and flames perform under these conditions and which measures can be taken to adapt them? How significant is the influence on fuel conversion and heat removal from the process? What is the influence on dust removal and on the formation and destruction of nitric oxides? What efficiencies can be achieved, and which is the most efficient plant configuration?
This project evaluated the technological and economic feasibility of pressurized pulverized coal combustion (PPCC) with a mixture of recycled flue gas and oxygen. PPCC systems were compared with atmospheric and catalytic pulverized coal-fired units and with other more advanced combustion technologies.
The main goal was to analyse and describe the strongly coupled processes of pollutant formation, radiation and heat transfer, dust removal, pyrolysis and char burnout. Investigations of the effect of nitrogen replacement by carbon dioxide and of increased pressure on gas phase formation and destruction of the nitrogen oxides were carried out, and the empirical data generated was used to validate mathematical models of these processes.