Development of a vortex combustor (VC) for space/water heating applications (combustion tests)

This is the final report for Interagency Agreement DE-AI22-87PC79660 on Combustion Test'' for vortex combustor (VC) development for commercial applications. The work culminated in the successful demonstration of a 2 MB/H proof-of-concept (POC) model firing coal-water fuel (CWF). This development is concerned with a new concept in combustion, and was a general lack of relevant information. The work therefore began (in addition to the companion cold flow modeling study) with the design and test of two subscale models (0.15 and 0.3 MB/H) and one full scale model (3 MB/H) to obtain the needed information. With the experience gained, the 2 MB/H POC model was then designed and demonstrated. Although, these models were designed somewhat differently from one another, they all performed well and demonstrated the superiority of the concept. In summary, test results have shown that VC can be fired on several coal fuels (CWF, dry ultrafine coal, utility grind pulverized coal) at high combustion efficiency (>99%), high firing intensity (up to 0.44 MB/H-ft[sup 3]), and at temperatures sufficiently low or dry ash removal. The combustion process is completed totally inside the combustor. Conventional combustion enhancement techniques such as: preheating (air and/or fuel), pre-combustion, and post combustion are not needed.