Application of NOx Emissions Control Technologies to Achieve NOx Emissions Less than 200 mg/Nm3 on Coal Fired Boilers

Mogens Christensen David Moyeda Roy Payne GE Energy

International DeNOx Symposium Athens, Greece 23 June 2005

Available NOx emissions control technologies vary in performance and cost

NOx Control Technologies Components Involved Replace or Modify burners Staged Air Injection Staged Fuel Injection Nitrogen Agent Injection Catalyst Reactor Nominal NOx Reduction LNB X X X X X 30-50% 20-30% 50-60% X X OFA Reburning SNCR SCR

15-35% 80-90%

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Technology layering is one solution for EU LCPD compliance

SNCR
Combustion Sensors CO Sensors

Overfire Air Reburn Fuel Main Fuel

Fuel & Air Controls

Low-NOx Burners

Air
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Layering of technologies can provide significant reduction of NOx

NOx Emissions, mg/Nm3
1,200 1,000 800 600 400 200 0 ~50% ~20% ~60% ~30%

Typical coal-fired boiler with wall-fired burner design

Baseline

LNB

LNB & OFA

LNB & Reburn

LNB & Reburn & SNCR

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Reburning process consists of both fuel and air staging

NOx generated in the main combustion zone reacts with fuel fragments injected into the reburn zone, reducing it to molecular nitrogen.
CH4 CH CH + NO HCN HCN + OH NH2 NH2 + NO N2

Overfire Air Reburn Fuel Main Fuel Air

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Reburn zone stoichiometric ratio is optimum around 0.9

700

Exhaust NOx, ppm (0% O2)

600 500 400 300 200 100 0 0.6

Primary NOx = 630 ppm Primary SR = 1.1

Reburn Fuel Utah Coal Colstrip Coal Beulah Coal Yallourn Coal Propane

0.7

0.8

0.9

1.0

1.1

1.2
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Reburn Zone SR

Selective non-catalytic reduction consists of nitrogen agent injection

SNCR

At the proper temperature, the SNCR agent (for example, ammonia or urea) selectively reduces NO to molecular nitrogen.
NH3 + OH NH2 + H2O NH2 + NO H + OH + N2 H + OH H2O

Main Fuel Air

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Optimum gas temperature for SNCR is around 1,800F (~1,000C)

100
Reagent

(NOx)Out/(NOx)In, %

80 60 40 20 0 800 900

Ammonia Urea Solid Urea Spray

(NO)In = 700 ppm NSR = 2

1,000 1,100 1,200

Temperature, deg. C
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Opposed wall-fired boiler retrofit with low-NOx burners and coal reburn
Plant:
Combustion Optimization Sensors

Overfire Air Injectors Reburn Fuel Injectors Low-NOx Burners

Green Station Capacity: 120 MW x 2 Fuel: Bituminous coal Integrated NOx Control Solution: Low-NOx Burners Coal Reburn System Combustion Sensors

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Advanced models are applied to ensure optimal performance

Boiler Model Duct Model

LNB

Reburn & OFA Jet Pathlines

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Coal Reburn provides effective NOx control with minimal boiler impacts
NOx Emissions, mg/Nm3
600
LNB

200

20 15 10
CO

500 400 300 200 100 0 0 10

OFA

CO Emissions, ppm

150 100 50 0

Optimized Coal Reburn

5 0

20

30

10

20

30

Reburn Fuel or OFA, %

Reburn Fuel, %
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Fly Ash LOI, %

Coal Reburn

LOI

Tangentially fired boiler retrofit with low-NOx burners, reburn, & SNCR
Plant:
SNCR System (not shown)

Overfire Air Injectors Reburn Fuel Injectors Low-NOx Burners

Somerset Station Capacity: 120 MW Fuel: Bituminous coal Integrated NOx Control Solution: Low-NOx Burners Gas Reburn System Urea Injection System

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Performance results with low-NOx burners, Gas Reburn, & SNCR

NOx Emissions, mg/Nm3
700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 0 10 20 30
GR + SNCR Gas Reburn Baseline OFA

Reburn Fuel or OFA, %

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Impacts of SOFA, Reburn, & SNCR on NOx emissions

NOx Emissions, mg/Nm3
400 300 200 100 0 0.80 0.85 0.90 0.95 1.00
SOFA Reburn, SR1 > 1.05 Reburn, SR1 < 1.05

NOx Emissions, mg/Nm3

500

400 300 200 100 0 0.80 0.85 0.90 0.95 1.00

Reburn

Reburn + SNCR

SR Below SOFA

Reburn Zone SR
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Summary
Layering of combustion modification technologies (low-NOx burners, overfire air, Reburn), with SNCR trim, provides a costeffective approach to NOx emissions control. Reburning with either natural gas or coal is effective for coal-fired boilers. Layering of NOx emissions control technologies can permit both short term and long term EU LCPD compliance
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