NOx Reduction and Improvement of Heat Transfer for Glass Melting Furnaces with Regenerative Air Preheating

Axel Scherello1), Michael Flamme1) and Hans Kremer1), 2)

1) 2)

Gaswrme-Institut e. V., Hafenstr. 101, 45356 Essen, Germany Lehrstuhl fr Energieanlagentechnik, Ruhr-Universitt Bochum, Universittsstr. 150, 44780 Bochum, Germany

ABSTRACT
This paper contains the results of research work realized at Gaswrme-Institut (GWI), Essen, Germany, in order to minimize the NOx production rates and at the same time to increase the heat transfer characteristics. The investigations concerning burner lances for glass melting furnaces operated with regenerative air preheating (1350 C) have shown that it is possible to lower NOx-emissions strongly by adjusting the flames to the applications boundary conditions. Key words: Combustion, Glass melting furnaces, NOx Control and Reduction

INTRODUCTION
In order to reduce the heat-loss in glass melting processes the energy of the exhaust gases is returned into the process by preheating the combustion air. The increased levels of the process air and the high wall and furnace temperatures are responsible for the higher production rates of NOx. Depending on glass tank design, the compounds of the used fuel and the air preheating temperature flue gas NOx concentrations are measured between 4001 and 4000 mg/m3. Concerning future glass melting furnaces the aim is to reach a limit of 500 mg/m3 already prescribed for furnaces used in other industries.

All concentrations given as NO2 (8 % O2, dry)

GWI TEST FACILITIES AND MEASUREMENT EQUIPMENT

The test furnace used for the test program is designed for a maximum wall temperature of 1600 C. The furnace chamber consists of sections to vary the furnace length between 2 and 5 m. If the total length of the furnace is used, burners designed for a total maximum heat input of 1.5 MW can be tested. It is therefore feasible to examine small sized burners for regenerative glass tanks.

Hot Air Duct

Test Furnace

Pre-Combustion Chamber
Fig. 1: GWI Testing facilities

Rotating Bed Regenerator

NOx emission from glass melting furnaces with regenerative systems which achieve air preheating temperatures of up to 1350 C are higher compared to recuperative systems. During the last years different methods for NOx reduction have been developed. These methods have been tested at glass melting furnaces under production conditions. In order to make fundamental tests with these new combustion technologies, GWI has launched a research project in co-operation with glass industry partners listed at [3]. These tests are aimed at an optimization of the burners at a test furnace under glass melting furnace

conditions. That means 1600 C furnace wall temperature, 1350 C air preheating temperature and burner loads of up to 1 MW. The test furnace front wall is modified to simulate a typical underport arrangement (see Fig. 2). The air duct is connected with a direct fired air preheater to ensure a constant process air temperature.

Furnace Wall with Underport Arrangement

Hot Air Duct

20 15

Burner a

Nozzle Brick

Natural Gas Inlet

Fig. 2:

Experimental set-up for burner investigations with 1350 C regenerative air preheating

As heat transfer from the flame to the molten glass is critical in glass furnaces, total radiation and forward directed radiation were measured in addition to pollutant concentrations and furnace temperatures. An ellipsoidal radiometer was used to determine total radiation originated from the half-sphere of the furnace inside, while the forward directed radiative heat transfer was measured by a Narrow Angle Radiometer described at Lallemant et al. [2]. The principle of radiation detection is shown in Fig. 3.

These measurements at different locations along the furnace center line in the burner level were carried out to examine the influence of the different NOx control techniques on heat transfer from the flame to the molten glass.

Total Radiation Furnace Wall Ellipsoid

Purge

Probe

Konvection

Detektor

N2-Purge Shutter Collimating Tube

Fig. 3:

Mirror

Water Cooling

Detector Sensor

Radiation Detection Principle of Ellipsoidal (top) and Narrow Angle Radiometer (bottom)

During last years structural alterations were realized at the test furnace. It was equipped with viewports used for camera and laser detection. The equipment for temperature and pressure detection as well as for flue gas analysis completes the measurement devices at the GWI test furnace.

BURNER TESTS WITH REGENERATIVE AIR PREHEATING

In the first step three different commercial burners so called adjustable gas lances were tested. Due to control devices it is possible to change the injection area and the momentum of the gas jets. In addition the burner load, the burner upward angle, and the air preheating temperature were varied during the tests. Heat transfer measurements, determination of the flame expansion and detailed concentration measurements of flue gas emissions were carried out.

1600 1400
NOx [ mg / mN, 8% O2, dry ]
a = 6 min. Mom. a = 6 max. Mom.

1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0

a = 10 min. Mom. a = 10 max. Mom.

1100

1300 Preheated Air Temperature [ C ]

Fig. 4:

Comparison of NOx emissions in dependence of momentum and burner angle (a)

As an example Fig. 4 shows the NOx emissions of burner B in dependence of the burner angle (a), the air preheating temperature and gas jet momentum. For a high speed jet there is almost no difference if the burner is inclined upwards. In the case of a minimum momentum the NOx emissions are high if the injection is steep. On the other hand NOx production is reduced remarkably at a flat burner angle of 6. The different burners are varying in flame shapes as well as in their structure of radiation. Fig. 5 shows the straight ahead radiation signals measured with the Narrow Angle Radiometer.

1200

1100

Load: ~850 kW = 1,1 TAir = 1300 C

Radiation [ kW/m ]

1000

Burner A, Angle 6 max. Momentum Burner B, Angle 10 high Momentum Burner C, Angle 9 max. Momentum

900

800

700

600 0 1 2 3 4 5

Position [ m ]

Fig. 5:

Variations of radiative heat flux detected with the narrow angle radiometer at the centerline of the furnace

The differences are based on different flame characteristics as well as on the fact, that the signals were detected only in center line of the furnace. On the other hand the flames are burning under and over this line in dependence of
700

Radiative Heat Flux [kW/m ]

650

= 1,1 Tair = 1300 C Pnatural gas = ~850 kW

Burner A, a = 6, max. Mom Burner B, a = 10, max. Mom Burner C, a = 9, max. Mom

600

550

500

450 0 1 2 3 4 5

Furnace Position [m]

Fig. 6:

Variations of radiative half-sphere heat flux detected with the ellipsoidal radiometer

the fuel injection angle. The graph representing the measured signals using the ellipsoidal radiometer (Fig. 6) shows that detecting signals not only two- but three-dimensional the differences are erased. Fig. 6 shows flat curves for the half-sphere radiation values for burner A, B and C. It is obvious that there is a leak of heat flux in the middle of the furnace, where the signals of burner B and C were decreased about 5 %. The reasons for the different radiation characteristics are shown in varying flame shapes. Due to the fact that the furnace is equipped with viewports and windows it is possible to operate camera detection equipment to visualize the

200

400

600

800 [mm]

Fig. 7: flames.

OH Radiation Intensity of Burner A, Load 860 kW, Angle 3, low Momentum

Fig. 7 9 represent images of the detection of OH combustion radicals within the ultra violet radiation spectrum. The figures are assembled from images

Fig. 8:

OH Radiation Intensity of Burner B, Load 900 kW, Angle 10, low Momentum

taken under different detection angles and show the first meter of the flames. Using an light intensified CCD-camera system together with a small band UVfilter it is possible to detect the distribution of the combustion radical OH. The flames and their expansion can be observed in front of the hot and bright shining furnace walls. OH radicals are formed by high temperature dissociation effects and are mainly responsible for the oxidation of CO. The application of this UV-visualizationtechnique allows to describe the contours and local temperature peaks of a flame and therefore it is possible to optimize the combustion and to reduce the pollutant emissions.

Fig. 9:

OH Radiation Intensity of Burner C, Load 740 kW, Angle 9, low Momentum

The intensity of OH radiation correlates with the NOx emissions measured at the furnace exit. If the OH radiation intensity is bright and the areas of its detection are large the measured NOx emissions were high. Figure 9 shows an intensive OH spot at the right hand side of the image that corresponds with the high radiation value of burner C detected at the beginning of the flame with the Narrow Angle Radiometer (Fig. 5).

LASER DIAGNOSTICS
In addition in-flame concentration measurements of major as well as minor species were tried to carry out by using advanced laser diagnostics in order to obtain a basic knowledge about the combustion process and its pollutant formation. The measurements were realized by Laser Labor Gttingen. The applied techniques were not carried out with the achieved success. The reason was the strong laser light absorbing soot formation of the flames so that they were almost impenetrable for the laser light. However the laser measurements could be used to visualize unburned fractions and soot transport phenomena inside the flames.

CONCLUSIONS
During this research project finished successfully in summer 1999 the experimental set-up was realized to investigate burners for glass melting furnaces operated with regenerative air preheating. At the test furnace of GWI it is possible to simulate flow mixture and combustion conditions in a realistic way. It was not possible to find an operation mode for the different test burners that runs with good emission and heat flux results for all given boundary conditions. If the air preheating temperature changes it is necessary to operate the burners with different burner angles and gas inlet momentums. These adjustments are not transferable to another burner type. For each combination of combustion conditions and furnace load the burners have to be adjusted in a special and unique way.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors would like to express their gratitude to the industrial Partners and to the Arbeitsgemeinschaft industrieller Forschungsvereinigungen AiF (Proj, No. 11113N) for the financial support by the German Bundesmisterium fr Wirtschaft BMWi.

We also thank the industrial Partners, the Research Institutes and the measurement supplying companies for their friendly co-operation.

REFERENCES
[1] [2] Kircher, U.: NOx-Minderung von Glasschmelzfen. Gaswrme International 42 (1993) Nr. 1/2. Lallemant, N.; Sayre, A. and Weber, R.: Evaluation of emissivity correlations of H2O-CO2-N2/air mixtures and coupling with solution methods of the radiative transfer equation. Prog. Energy Combust. Sci. Vol. 22, S. 543 574, 1996. Scherello, A.: Experimentelle Untersuchung und Optimierung von Brennersystemen fr Glasschmelzwannen mit regenerativer Luftvorwrmung. AiF Project No. 11113N, 1997. Scherello, A.; Flamme, M.; Kremer, H.: Experimentelle Untersuchung und Optimierung von Brennersystemen fr Glasschmelzwannen mit regenerativer Luftvorwrmung, Verbrennung und Feuerungen, 19. Deutscher Falmmentag, VDI Berichte 1492, S.589 596, 1999. Scherello, A.; Flamme, M.; Kremer, H.: New Approaches to NOx Control for Glass Melting Furnaces resulting from advanced Burner and Process Design. Report on the 5th int. conference on technology and combustion for a clean environment, S. 705 708, Lisbon, Portugal, 1999. Scherello, A.; Konold, U.; Lorra, M.: Optimierung von Industrieofenfeuerungen mittels moderner Metechnik und mathematischer Modellierung. Erdgaseinsatz in Industriellen Thermoprozessanlagen. Tagungsband zum 4. GWI-Kolloquium, VulkanVerlag, ISBN 3-8027-5612-6, Essen, 1999. Scherello, A.; Kremer, H. und Wirtz, S.: Mathematische Modellierung der Stickstoffoxidbildung in querbeheizten Glasschmelzfen. Gaswrme International 43, Heft 9, S. 427, 1994. Scherello, A.; Lorra, M.; Flamme, M.; Kremer, H.: Neue Mglichkeiten zur NOxMinderung an Glasschmelzwannen. Tagungsband zur 73. Glastechnischen Tagung, S. 16 19, Halle (Saale), 1999. Schwarz, G.: Feuerungstechnik fr Glasschmelzwannen gestern und heute. Tagungsband der 68. Glastechnischen Tagung, Bad Salzdetfurth, 1994.

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