rexresearch.com
David GOODSON, et al.
Electrodynamic Combustion Control
Electrodynamic Combustion Control
http://www.clearsign.com/
Electrodynamic Combustion Control
Electrically charged molecules, or ions, are a natural product of the combustion process. ClearSign’s Electrodynamic Combustion Control technology introduces computer-controlled electric fields to manipulate the movement of these ions and precisely control flame shape and the transfer of heat to, through, or away from a surface.
When applied to boilers, kilns, furnaces and/or turbines, this approach provides system operators with a powerful new set of tools to increase efficiency and reduce emissions:
Better combustion – less unburned fuel and better fuel/air mixing increases efficiency and reduces pollutant formation.
Superior flame quality – optimized flame shape and flame stability to maximize energy efficiency.
Precise control of heat transfer – increased thermal efficiency and fuel efficiency.
Flame attachment – safe “anchoring” of the flame where the operator requires, reducing NOx and lowering the risk of unstable flame conditions.
Control over combustion reaction chemistry – promote, suppress, retard or accelerate chemical reactions as desired to minimize formation of pollutants and significantly reduce pollution.
Agglomeration of particulate – particulate matter in exhaust is formed into large clusters, which can be easily and efficiently removed.
In testing with multiple fuel types, our ECC technology has shown reductions in visible particulate matter (PM) of over 90%, with significant, simultaneous reductions in carbon monoxide (CO) and exit gas—and without increased NOX emissions. Because the formation of pollutants is greatly reduced at the source, the ‘load’ placed on downstream pollution control equipment is also reduced, lowering both capital and operating expense and yielding a positive return on investment for system operators.
Components
Our technology consists, in its simplest form, of four major components:
A computer controller consisting of a standard PC
Software delivering proprietary algorithms
A power amplifier (resident outside the combustion chamber)
Electrodes (placed inside the combustion chamber)
ClearSign’s ECC technology enables a powerful and cost-effective set of solutions to address a broad range of fundamental challenges associated with coal combustion.
In the presence of a pulsed electrostatic field, we can achieve dramatic reductions in particulate matter, NOx, SOx, carbon monoxide (CO), and total hydrocarbons and we can distribute temperature more uniformly, improve flame patterns and reduce troublesome hot spots.
For example, a typical furnace flame tends to congregate and elongate in the center of the furnace, creating a temperature profile that is hotter in the middle and cooler at the edges. Flames that channel toward the center of the furnace can overheat boiler tubes, especially in the vicinity of the superheater near the top of the furnace. Flame impingement or overheating may lead to boiler tube fouling and eventual tube failure, imposing unplanned maintenance shutdowns or worse.
However, ClearSign has demonstrated that an electric field can be used to tailor the flame shape to a more desired profile – for example, the flame may be stretched horizontally and compressed vertically. This makes temperatures more uniform and allows the furnace capacity to be potentially increased without overheating the superheater tubes. This dramatic reshaping has the potential to eliminate the hotspots that limit boiler capacity.
Clearsign’s ECC technology employs computer-controlled electrostatic force manipulation of the flame and the surrounding gas cloud to stabilize flames, improve flame shape, deflect flames from sensitive burner parts and ionize escaping particulates for easier collection and removal. ECC can be used to selectively promote, suppress, retard or accelerate chemical reactions as desired to minimize formation of pollutants and enhance pollution abatement. ECC is suitable for all types of fuels and only requires about .1% of the total energy output of a given system while offering improvements to overall efficiency and process throughput.
ECC technology prevents or inhibits the formation of pollutants by better controlling the combustion process itself. In doing so, we can reduce or avoid significant capital, operating and maintenance costs typically associated with after-treatment systems.
ClearSign delivers retrofit solutions and new designs that substantially improve both the environmental performance and operating economics of industrial and utility scale combustion systems that use coal.
With ECC Technology, we target improvements in thermal performance, energy efficiency and process throughput along with reductions in criteria pollutants including particulate matter and PM2.5, carbon monoxide (CO) and NOx.
Summary
Clearsign’s ECC Technology completely revolutionizes the combustion of coal. With more stringent regulatory demands being placed on the plant operators, ClearSign offers the world’s only emissions reduction solution which can:
Meet or exceed regulatory requirements
Offer a return on investment through:
Improved fuel economy
Increased process throughput
Improve radiant heat transfer to boiler tubes
Reduce after-treatment equipment and expense
Offer a simple retrofit strategy
Eliminate flame impingement
Reduce stress on burner parts
Reduce planned maintenance frequency and duration
Reduce the occurrence of unplanned shutdowns
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