Experimental study and numerical simulation of low calorific fuel combustion at different oxygen content in the oxidizer

Abstract

Paper presented at the 8th International Conference on Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics, Mauritius, 11-13 July, 2011.

This study presents results of gas fuels combustion - propane and low calorific fuel. Low calorific fuel is produced during e.g. biomass gasification, which has got of 13% H2, 4% CH4, 30% CO, 13% CO2, 40% N2. This composition is very similar to composition of fuel obtained from wood pellets gasification. Investigations have been performed at room temperature and at conditions typical for High Temperature Air Combustion, i.e. high temperature of the oxidizer (above the level of autoignition) and low oxygen content (lower than 21 % as for conventional combustion). Such environment has been created on the base of exhaust gases coming from conventional gas burner in small scale single fuel jet furnace. The temperature of the exhaust gas as well as oxygen content has been adjusted in order to achieve test conditions. Experimental results show difficulties with burning of low calorific fuel at room temperature and stable combustion at high temperature.