A study on the combustion stability performance of a novel burner suitable for application in the wide load range of power plant pulverized coal boilers

This study investigates the application of new-type centralized particle concentrating swirl combustor (NCPCSC) to enhance the flame stability of a 350 MW boiler at low-load conditions. Using numerical simulations investigates the combustion performance of a 350 MW boiler using NCPCSC under varying load conditions through numerical simulations. The results reveal a significant improvement in the uniformity of the temperature field and combustion stability, with NCPCSC enhancing the burnout effect and reducing pollutants. Under 100% load, the furnace forms a symmetrical high-temperature main combustion zone, with the average temperature across the cross-section reaching 1500°C. The flue gas temperature at the furnace outlet rises from 1040.52°C to 1106.4°C, while NOx emissions are reduced from 735.94 mg/m3 @6%O2 to 572.27 mg/m3 @6%O2, and the combustible matter in fly ash decreases from 4.79% to 3.17%. At 47% load, the furnace maintains a stable high-temperature combustion zone with a peak temperature of 1300°C and a significant decrease in NOx emissions from 832.19 mg/m3 @6%O2 to 517.81 mg/m3 @6%O2. Even under extreme low-load conditions of 30% and 20%, stable combustion is achieved, with an average peak temperature above 1300°C and the boiler operating without fuel oil assistance at 20% load. These findings demonstrate that NCPCSC offers strong adaptability to load variations, ensuring efficient, clean, and stable combustion, while significantly reducing unburned losses and NOx emissions, making it a promising solution for improving boiler performance across a wide load range.