PLASMATRON IGNITION OF PULVERIZED COAL FOR UTILITY BOILERS

IN THIS PROJECT, THE USE OF A PLASMATRON TO IGNITE PULVERIZED COAL (PC) FOR UTILITY BOILERS IS BEING EXPLORED. AIR IS PASSED THROUGH THE ARC OF THE PLASMATRON, CREATING A HIGH TEMPERATURE PLASMA (8,500 K) WITH HIGHLY REACTIVE OXYGEN RADICALS THAT EASILY COMBINE WITH AND IGNITE PULVERIZED COAL. PHASE I OF THIS PROJECT ADDRESSES THE TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY OF THE CONCEPT AND ALSO ALLOWS ASSESSMENT OF ITS MARKET ATTRACTIVENESS. IN PARTICULAR, THECOLD START IGNITION OF PC USING A PLASMATRON (THUS COMPLETELY AVOIDING THE USE OF PREMIUM FUELS) IS BEING EXPERIMENTALLY ASSESSED. IN ADDITION, THE COMBUSTION IMPROVEMENT AND PARTICULATE EMISSION REDUCTION BROUGHT ABOUTBY USE OF THE PLASMATRON IS BEING DETERMINED BY MEASURING THE CARBON BURNOUT; THE MARKETABILITY OF THE PLASMATRON IS BEING ASSESSED BASED ON THE EXPERIMENTAL TEST RESULTS AND A MARKET SURVEY; AND VARIOUS WAYS TO MEASURE THE ARC TEMPERATURE ARE BEING INVESTIGATED IN PREPARATION FOR THE PHASE II WORK, BECAUSE THIS MEASUREMENT SHEDS LIGHT ON THE DEGREE OF OXYGEN DISSOCIATION, WHICH IS CRITICAL FOR THE PC IGNITION PROCESS.