Emission Characteristics of the Shell Low-NO_x Burner

ABSTRACT

At the Koninklijke/Shell-Laboratorium in Amsterdam a low-NO_x burner is being developed for the combustion of heavy fuel oil, asphalt, natural gas and refinery gas, as well as for combinations of liquid and gaseous fuels in dual fuel firing mode. The NO_x reduction is accomplished by air staging, while the particulate emission is simultaneously kept low using intense steam atomisation (40%w steam on fuel intake). The emission characteristics have been determined experimentally in a vertical test furnace, which can accommodate a maximum thermal input of 15 MW. The experiments so far indicate that the NO_x emission limits for new equipment, as proposed in the amendment to the draft decree of the Dutch clean air act, cannot be met with any of the burners considered. As the projected NO_x emission limits for existing equipment are not exceeded, the application of the Shell low-NO_x burner should primarily be regarded as a solution for retrofit situations

Key Words:

• Oil combustion
• NO_x reduction
• low-NO_x burner technology