Numerical investigation using two different CFD codes of pulverized-coal combustion process characteristic in an industrial power plant boiler

¹ AGH University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Department of Power Systems and Environmental Protection Facilities, Al. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Kraków, Poland
² Wrocław University of Technology, Faculty of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Division of Boilers, Combustion and Energy Processes, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland

^* Corresponding author: madejski@agh.edu.pl

Abstract

Steam boilers using the coal as a basic fuel are still one of the most important techniques used to generate electricity in Power Plants. Many activities connected with optimization of steam boilers operation, investigation of combustion efficiency using different fuels, control and reducing pollutants emission are observed. Numerical modeling of large steam boilers using Computational Fluid Dynamic method can be a very way to develop and verify effects of all activities regarding combustion process optimization. Numerical modeling results of the coal combustion process in the front wall coal-fired boiler are presented in the paper. The behavior of the flow of pulverized coal through the burners was analyzed, and the temperature and velocity distribution in the combustion chamber were reproduced in the simulation. Despite the fact that the attention has been focused on boiler simulation at nominal load, it is possible to perform numerical studies concerning the analysis of coal combustion at different boiler loads (minimum load and flexible boiler operation). Analysis of different fuels and their impact on the combustion process, as well as analysis of coal mills operation, coal particles size distribution and they impact on boiler operation can be performed using developed models.