THE COMPARISON OF TWO COMPREHENSIVE COMBUSTION CODES TO SIMULATE LARGE-SCALE, OIL-FIRED BOILERS

Abstract

This article compares numerical predictions made by two independent comprehensive numerical codes for the radiant section of a 250 MWe, oil-fired boiler of the Setúbal Power Plant in Portugal. Local properties predicted by the two different models are also compared to experimental data obtained for the same boiler. The two numerical codes are finite-volume based, but they employ different mesh arrangements, optical properties, radiation, and oil vaporization submodels. In general, despite the different submodels used, both predictions were in good agreement. The predictions were also within engineering accuracy of the available experimental data. Detailed analysis of the predictions for the near burner region showed moderate differences in the results of the two models. This implies that, although of fundamental relevance for pollutant formation, the uncertainties on the prediction of the near-burner region do not affect significantly the predicted results far from the burners. This result is expected, since local equilibrium and chemical balance are achieved at the less reactive regions, such as the ones for which the predictions were compared to the available experimental data.

Keywords:

• Mathematical modeling
• utility bailers
• combustion in practical systems