title: Plasma-assisted combustion technology for NOx reduction in industrial burners.
abstract: Stronger regulations on nitrogen oxide (NOx) production have recently promoted the creation of a diverse array of technologies for NOx reduction, particularly within the combustion process, where reduction is least expensive. In this paper, we discuss a new combustion technology that can reduce NOx emissions within industrial burners to single-digit parts per million levels without employing exhaust gas recirculation or other NOx reduction mechanisms. This new technology uses a simple modification of commercial burners, such that they are able to perform plasma-assisted staged combustion without altering the outer configuration of the commercial reference burner. We embedded the first-stage combustor within the head of the commercial reference burner, where it operated as a reformer that could host a partial oxidation process, producing hydrogen-rich reformate or synthesis gas product. The resulting hydrogen-rich flow then ignited and stabilized the combustion flame apart from the burner rim. Ultimately, the enhanced mixing and removal of hot spots with a widened flame area acted as the main mechanisms of NOx reduction. Because this plasma burner acted as a low NOx burner and was able to reduce NOx by more than half compared to the commercial reference burner, this methodology offers important cost-effective possibilities for NOx reduction in industrial applications.
authors.affiliation: Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials , 104 Sinseong-ro, Yusong-gu, Daejeon 305-343, Korea.
authors.forename: Dae Hoon
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kwan-Tae
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hee Seok
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Young-Hoon
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Jae Eon
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000737:chemistry; D007220:Industrial Waste; D009589:Nitrogen Oxides / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D018505:Waste Management / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D007220:Industrial Waste; D009589:Nitrogen Oxides; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D002248:Carbon Monoxide; D006859:Hydrogen