Study on Combustion and NOx Emission Characteristics of Low-Quality Coal with Wide Load Based on Fuel Modification

作者：Hongliang Ding, Shuyun Li, Ziqu Ouyang, Shujun Zhu, Xiongwei Zeng, Hongshuai Wang, Kun Su, Zhaoyang Li · 发表于：Energies · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.3390/en18112798 · 被引用次数：6 · 研究领域：Geoscience and Mining Technology、Industrial Technology and Control Systems、Geomechanics and Mining Engineering

Enhancing the operational flexibility and environmental performance of coal-fired boilers under wide-load conditions presents a critical challenge in China’s low-carbon transition, particularly for low-quality coals (LQCs) with abundant reserves, poor combustibility, and high NOx emissions. To overcome the intrinsically low reactivity of LQC, peak-shaving performance and combustion behavior were systematically investigated on an MW-grade pilot-scale test platform employing the fuel modification strategy in this study. Stable fuel modification was achieved without any auxiliary energy for LQCs and Shenmu bituminous coal (SBC) across a load range of 20~83% and 26~88%, respectively, demonstrating the excellent fuel reactivity and strengthened release control of volatile and nitrogenous species. The modified LQC exhibited ignition, combustion, and burnout characteristics comparable to Shouyang lean coal (SLC), enabling a “dimensionality-reduction utilization” strategy. The double-side fuel modification device (FMD) operation maintained axially symmetric temperatures (<1250 °C) in horizontal combustion chambers, while single-side operation caused thermal asymmetry, with peak temperatures skewed toward the FMD side (<1200 °C). Original NOx emissions were effectively suppressed, remaining below 106.89 mg/m3 (@6%O2) for LQC and 122.76 mg/m3 (@6%O2) for SBC over broad load ranges, and even achieved ultra-low original NOx emissions (<50 mg/m3). Distinct load-dependent advantag...