Numerical Investigation of Combustion Characteristics in a 330 MW Coal-Fired Boiler with Preheating Combustion Devices at Half Load Operation

Siyuan Wang (), Hong Tang, Zuodong Liu, Lingfang Sun and Zhiming Xu
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Siyuan Wang: School of Energy and Power Engineering, Northeast Electric Power University, Jilin 132012, China
Hong Tang: School of Energy and Power Engineering, Northeast Electric Power University, Jilin 132012, China
Zuodong Liu: School of Energy and Power Engineering, Northeast Electric Power University, Jilin 132012, China
Lingfang Sun: School of Energy and Power Engineering, Northeast Electric Power University, Jilin 132012, China
Zhiming Xu: School of Energy and Power Engineering, Northeast Electric Power University, Jilin 132012, China

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 18, 1-19

Abstract: To reduce the impact of renewable energy generation on power grid stability, preheating combustion technology is introduced to maintain coal-fired boiler efficiency at low loads. A 330 MW coal-fired boiler is retrofitted with preheating combustion devices to improve combustion performance and lower NO x emissions. The device is installed in the reduction zone between the furnace burnout zone and the burner zone. The combustion characteristics of the boiler with and without these devices are examined at 50% rated load. Numerical simulations are conducted to analyze the effects of preheating coal input and burner arrangement on temperature and species distribution within the boiler. Results show that increasing preheating coal input from 0 to 30 t/h enhances NO x reduction due to a higher flow rate of preheated products. At a preheating coal input of 20 t/h, the combustion efficiency reaches 96.9%. The NO x concentration at the furnace exit rises from 122.4 to 171.3 mg/Nm 3 as the height of the burner arrangement increases. The middle three-layer burner arrangement achieves a uniform temperature distribution and a peak combustion efficiency of 97.6%. The bottom and middle three-layer burner arrangements are recommended for efficient and clean combustion. Compared to the original boiler, the retrofitted boiler’s combustion efficiency increases from 96.3% to a maximum of 97.6%, while the NO x concentration at the furnace outlet drops from 168.1 to 93.2 mg/Nm 3 , showing that installing preheating combustion devices promotes efficient and clean combustion.

Keywords: preheating combustion; low load; burner arrangement; NO x emission (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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