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US4297093A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Combustion method for reducing NOx and smoke emission

Assignee: Kobe Steel Ltd
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Filing: 1979-08-31
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Granted: 1981-10-27
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Expires: 1999-08-31
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Abstract

Abstract A combustion method which can reduce the emission of NOx and smoke. In sharp contrast to the conventional combustion method, the method of the invention can remarkably reduce the emission of both of NOx and the smoke simultaneously, by adopting a specific flow pattern of fuel and combustion air in the combustion chamber, the pattern has been obtained as a result of studies and experiments concerning the influence of the intensity of mixing of the fuel and the combustion air on the emission of NOx.

Inventors

  • 👤 Kotaro Morimoto
  • 👤 Tomio Suzuki

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 23:49
CPC Classifications
F; F23; F23C; F23C7/00; F23C7/002; F23C7/004; F23C2201/00; F23C2201/20

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim 179 words
A combustion method for reducing the emission of NOx and smoke in a boiler or furnace having a combustion chamber, a burner and a passage of combustion air around said burner, comprising: injecting fuel from a fuel injector into a fuel rich zone of said combustion chamber and with a predetermined spread angle; introducing combustion air with low velocity into said fuel rich zone; and utilizing a swirler located in said passage for combustion air at a distance of not greater than 200 mm from said fuel injector to swirl combustion air into a fuel lean zone surrounding said fuel rich zone, wherein said swirler is adjusted to provide the swirled air with a mean velocity between 10 m/sec and 30 m/sec, with a swirl number between 0.35 and 1.5 and with a spread angle greater than said spread angle of said fuel, wherein said fuel and said low velocity combustion air in said fuel rich zone are enveloped by said swirled air, whereby the rapid mixing of fuel and air in the initial stage of combustion is suppressed.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 179 words
A combustion method for reducing the emission of NOx and smoke in a boiler or furnace having a combustion chamber, a burner and a passage of combustion air around said burner, comprising: injecting fuel from a fuel injector into a fuel rich zone of said combustion chamber and with a predetermined spread angle; introducing combustion air with low velocity into said fuel rich zone; and utilizing a swirler located in said passage for combustion air at a distance of not greater than 200 mm from said fuel injector to swirl combustion air into a fuel lean zone surrounding said fuel rich zone, wherein said swirler is adjusted to provide the swirled air with a mean velocity between 10 m/sec and 30 m/sec, with a swirl number between 0.35 and 1.5 and with a spread angle greater than said spread angle of said fuel, wherein said fuel and said low velocity combustion air in said fuel rich zone are enveloped by said swirled air, whereby the rapid mixing of fuel and air in the initial stage of combustion is suppressed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 63 words
A combustion method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said low velocity combustion air is primary air passing through a diffuser and the combustion air passing through said swirler is secondary air, the ratio of amount of secondary air to the amount of the entire combustion air being not smaller than 65%, and wherein the position of injection of said fuel is adjusted.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 21 words
A combustion method as claimed in claim 2, wherein a guide ring is disposed around the end portion of said diffuser.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 21 words
A combustion method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inlet angle α of said swirler is not greater than 15°.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 39 words
A combustion method as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one of the end of said burner and the end of the combustion air swirler is located in close proximity of the inner end of the combustion chamber.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 40 words
A combustion method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the injection direction of fuel is at an angle of 5° to 45° to the air stream axis, and the mixing of fuel and air in the combustion zone is limited.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 25 words
A combustion method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the swirl number of the combustion air falls within the range of between 0.4 an 1.0.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 28 words
A combustion method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mean velocity of flow of the combustion air falls within the range of between 13 and 23 m/s.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3904349A Cited
US4050879A Cited
US4106890A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1984-10-26 1985-04-27 1985-10-27 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1988-10-26 1989-04-27 1989-10-27 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1992-10-26 1993-04-27 1993-10-27 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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