Development and testing of a commercial-scale coal-fired combustion system: Phase 2, Quarterly technical progress report No. 7, April 1, 1992--June 20, 1992

The objective of this program is to demonstrate the technical and economic viability of a coal-fired combustion system for the commercial sector. The commercial-scale coal-water slurry (CWS) fired space heating system will be a scale-up of a CWS-fired residential warm-air heating system developed by Tecogen Inc. under contract to the Department of Energy (DOE), Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center. This system included a patented nonslagging combustor known as IRIS, for Inertial Reactor with Internal Separation. This combustion technology, which has demonstrated high combustion efficiency using CWS fuels at input rates of 100,000 Btu/hr. will be scaled to operate at 2 to 5 million Btu/hr. Along with the necessary fuel storage and delivery, heat recovery, and control equipment, the system will include pollution control devices to meet targeted values of NO{sub x}, SO{sub 2}, and particulate emissions. In general, the system will be designed to match the reliability, safety, turndown, and ignition performance of gas or oil-fired systems. This report documents the work carried out in the seventh quarter of the program. During this period, proof-of-concept tests aimed at eliminating ash accumulation in the combustor and boiler were conducted. A compressed air soot blower system was installed on the boiler and combustor design changes implemented to reduced direct impingement of slurry on the upper chamber partition. As part of this testing, emission performance goals using Kentucky Hazard Prince Mine coal water slurry were met. Also, during this period the automatic control system for the system was installed and operation with this system was implemented