Abstract: In a method of reducing NO.sub.x a water-fixed nitrogen solution is injected into a furnace near the exit from the furnace where the temperatures exceed 2000.degree. F. and combustion is occurring. Preferably the solution is injected through a combination of atomizing nozzles and spray jets into a region of the furnace which does not exceed 2700.degree. F. A calcium compound to react with sulfur dioxide may also be added.

Abstract: An improved pulverized coal burner that reduces the formation of nitrogen oxides. The coal burner includes fuel splitters that separate a mixture of primary air and coal into a plurality of streams while the mixture is discharged through a diffuser having a plurality of partially open areas and a plurality of blocked areas. After passing through the diffuser, the plurality of streams are discharged into a furnace to be burned. The plurality of partially open areas and blocked areas are created by removing sections of the diffuser and replacing the removed sections with fuel spiders. Creation of these discrete streams delays mixing with secondary air. Because primary air is supplied in sub-stoichiometric quantities, the coal in these split streams will be burned under fuel-rich conditions for the first 100 to 200 milliseconds of combustion, until the delayed mixing of secondary air occurs. Combustion in a fuel-rich environment retards formation of nitrogen oxides in two ways.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for supplying combustion air in a roof-fired furnace. Part of the combustion air, overfire air, enters through the roof of a roof-fired furnace at positions separate from the coal burners. The separated entry of overfire air ensures that the initial stages of combustion occur in a fuel-rich environment. A fuel-rich environment during the early stages of combustion favors the formation of molecular nitrogen and disfavors the formation of nitrogen oxides during combustion. The overfire air flows roughly parallel to the flow of combustion products emanating from the coal burners. The overfire air can be angled by vanes either slightly towards or slightly away from the combustion products, depending on how long combustion needs to be retarded in order to inhibit the formation of nitrogen oxides.

Abstract: An improved pulverized coal burner that reduces the formation of nitrogen oxides. The coal burner includes fuel splitters that separate a mixture of primary air and coal into a plurality of streams while the mixture is discharged through a diffuser having a plurality of partially open areas and a plurality of blocked areas. After passing through the diffuser, the plurality of streams are discharged into a furnace to be burned. The plurality of partially open areas and blocked areas are created by removing sections of the diffuser and replacing the removed sections with fuel splitters. Creation of these discrete streams delays mixing with secondary air. Because primary air is supplied in sub-stoichiometric quantities, the coal in these split streams will be burned under fuel-rich conditions for the first 100 to 200 milliseconds of combustion, until the delayed mixing of secondary air occurs. Combustion in a fuel-rich environment retards formation of nitrogen oxides in two ways.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing the formation of nitrogen oxides during combustion in a roof-fired furnace is disclosed. By blocking at least some of the fuel nozzles associated with a roof-fired burner while leaving open the secondary air openings associated with the blocked fuel nozzles, reduction in NOX emissions from roof-fired furnaces is accomplished. This blocking results in the creation of a localized fuel-rich or just slightly fuel-lean environment near open fuel nozzles because part of the secondary air needed for combustion is being added at a location distant from where the initial combustion occurs. By creating a localized fuel-rich or slightly fuel-lean environment near the open fuel nozzles, the initial stages of combustion occur with little or no excess oxygen present. Because much of the fuel-bound nitrogen is liberated during the initial stages of combustion, it will preferentially react to form molecular nitrogen rather than nitrogen oxides because of the lack of available oxygen.