Gasification

Many of the burners in kilns across North America lack the necessary momentum to satisfy the fundamental macro mixing requirements for combustion.  This has come about over time as manufacturers have found ways of pushing production well beyond the original design capacity of the system.  In many cases, the kiln burner remains unchanged from its original design and often linked to inflexible direct fired coal systems.

Now for a minute consider a plant that wishes to incorporate alternative fuels to lower fuel costs, establish a carbon credit and possibly lower NOx levels all at the same time.   The concept may sound straight forward, however, in practice the larger size particle distribution along with moisture has a difficult time competing with a pulverized coal flame.  This, in addition to plugged pneumatic systems, higher maintenance items and inconsistent feed rates can cause operator fits.  The AF system becomes unreliable and in time not used.

The solution could very well be linked to gasification of the alternative fuels.   Generating a syngas from the non-hazardous waste materials that would otherwise end up in landfills would satisfy the goal of energy and the environment on many fronts.  The manufacturer could realize savings in fuel costs while establishing a carbon credit on the biomass/biogenic content.

Getting back to the original burner question - now instead of a fuel stream comprised of larger particles, we have a gas that can contribute to the overall burner performance.  If designed correctly, increased momentum is possible, Gyrotherm technology is possible, both of which may also have the added benefit of NOx reduction. 

Gasification has been around for a long time, but now with the focus on energy and the environment, the time may right to reconsider this process to enhance existing systems and use alternative fuels at the same time.