Journal of Environment

and Engineering

Vol. 2, No. 1, 2007
183

Advantages of Low Air-Ratio Combustion in a
Stoker-Type Incinerator
(With High Temperature Air Combustion Technology)
*

Yasuhiro MIYAGOSHI
**
Teruo TATEFUKU
***
Masaaki NISHINO
**

Takashi YOKOYAMA
**
and Satoshi KADOWAKI
****

** Department of Environmental Engineering, JFE Environmental Solutions Corporation,
2-1 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama 230-8611, Japan
E-mail: miyagoshi-yasuhiro@jfe-eng.co.jp
***Tsurumi Division Tsurumi Technology Dept., JFE KANKYO Corporation,
3-1 Benten-cho, Tsurumi -ku, Yokohama 230-0044, Japan
****Department of System Safety Graduate School of Management of Technology,
Nagaoka University of Technology,
1603-1 Kamitomioka, Nagaoka 940-2188, Japan


Abstract
Low air-ratio combustion has become the major subject with enormous attention as
a measure to reduce the amount of substances with environment impact from the
waste incineration process, and to make the most effective use of energy. However,
it has been thought that there would be considerable difficulty in utilizing low
air-ratio combustion on the classic grate furnace due to fundamental problems in its
process, which treats the wide range and heterogeneity of waste materials. The
application of high temperature air combustion technology for enhancing sound
combustibility provided solutions to these problems. In practice, a mixture of
high-temperature air and flue gas is injected at high velocity from both sides of the
furnace walls to form a stable high-temperature zone in the combustion initiation
region above the waste. This prevents fluctuations or localized extinguishing of the
flame, while heating the waste directly with the flame to promote gasification at the
same time. A practical study was conducted at a 105-ton/day municipal solid waste
stoker type incineration plant. The test demonstrated that stable low excess-air
combustion operation is possible at a combustion air stoichiometry of 1.3 with
EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) and high temperature air combustion technology
resulting in a 17% decrease in flue gas flow, an energy efficiency improvement of
10%, and more than 50% reduction in NOx emissions when compared with an air
stoichiometry of 1.6.
Key words: Environmental Engineering, Combustion, Pollutant, Municipal Waste
Incineration, Low Air Ratio Combustion, High Temperature Air
Combustion

1. Introduction
In order to treat the continually increasing amount of waste which accompanied the
high economic growth of the 1960s, Japan adopted incineration treatment policies which
emphasized safe and sanitary reduction of the volume of waste and constructed a large
number of waste incineration treatment facilities. These facilities are now established in the
everyday lives of the population as a necessary and indispensable part of the social
*Received 15 Dec., 2006 (No. T-04-0856)
Japanese Original : Trans. Jpn. Soc. Mech.
Eng., Vol.71, No.704, B (2005),
pp.1205-1211 (Received 23 July, 2004)
[DOI: 10.1299/jee.2.183]



Journal of Environment
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Vol. 2, No. 1, 2007
184
infrastructure. However, with heightened concern about environmental and energy problems
and rapidly changing social conditions, their role is becoming increasingly more
sophisticated and diverse with each passing year. In particular, the most important issues are
reduction of emissions of harmful substances such as NOx and dioxins, which originate
mainly from flue gas, higher efficiency in energy utilization, and reduction of life cycle
costs. Although a variety of technical efforts are being made to deal with these problems,
among these, low air-ratio combustion in waste incinerators is one technology which has
attracted the strongest interest considering the potential magnitude of its effects.
(1)-(2)
Low air-ratio combustion offers numerous advantages, including reduction of flue gas
emissions, suppression of NOx generation, and efficient waste heat recovery, and is
considered applicable to all types of incinerators. In particular, when safety and economy of
operation are considered, introduction in stoker-type incinerators, which account for more
than 80% (treatment capacity base) of municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration treatment
facilities in Japan,
(3)
is considered most effective. Europe, which has the same orientation
toward incineration treatment of wastes as Japan, is also exploring the possibility of
introducing new types of incinerators such as gasifying and melting furnaces, but on the
other hand, high efficiency in waste heat utilization with the existing stoker-type incinerator
by low air-ratio combustion and high temperature, high pressure operation of the
boiler-turbine has been highly evaluated as an effective method, not only from the
viewpoint of energy conservation and the environment, but also economy.
(4)
At present, the theoretical combustion air ratio (hereinafter, air stoichiometry) of
stoker-type incinerators is approximately 1.6-2.0 in actual operation at waste incineration
treatment facilities in Japan. In the combustion process in stoker-type incinerators, which
continuously incinerate wastes with heterogeneous properties without pretreatment, air is
mainly used for combustion reaction, and excess air is required for functions, such as drying
of the waste and temperature control in the furnace, and for this reason, the air
stoichiometry is high in comparison with that in petroleum and coal-fired combustion
furnaces in power plants and similar facilities. In waste incinerators, an unconsidered
reduction in the air ratio can have various harmful effects, such as damage of the
refractories due to abnormally high temperatures and dioxins generation as a result of
incomplete combustion. Accordingly, it had been considered difficult to realize low air-ratio
operation with the conventional combustion control technology.
One existing technology which realizes low air-ratio combustion is exhaust gas
recirculation (EGR). EGR is widely known as a combustion technology which suppresses
the formation of NOx by returning inactive combustion exhaust gas to the combustion
chamber, thereby reducing the combustion flame temperature. In Europe, application to
waste incinerators began in the 1950s, and in Japan, introduction in actual incinerators was
carried out on a trial basis as a method of reducing NOx, prompted by the establishment of
Total Load Regulatory Standards for Nitrogen Oxides based on the Air Pollution
Prevention Law in 1982. As a result, the effectiveness of this technique in controlling the
combustion temperature, reducing flue gas and NOx, and improving waste heat recovery
was confirmed.
(5)
However, with low air-ratio combustion using only EGR, the
concentration of uncombusted gas components such as CO, etc. fails to satisfy the
regulatory values
(6)
under the current Guidelines for Prevention of Generation of Dioxins,
Etc. in Waste Treatment. Thus, the problem of realizing perfect combustion remained to be
solved. In addition, increased ignition loss in ash due to reduction of the combustion
temperature was a concern, and the equipment damage due to sulfuric acid dew corrosion
was also a problem. For these various reasons, this technology had not reached the level of
practical application.
Orita et al.
(7)
compensated for imperfect combustion with EGR and realized low air-ratio
combustion by combined use of EGR and oxygen-enriched combustion in an actual



Journal of Environment
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Vol. 2, No. 1, 2007
185
stoker-type incinerator. Oxygen-enriched combustion is a technology which activates
combustion of the waste fuel bed and reduces the uncombusted components in the flue gas
and ash by increasing the oxygen concentration of the primary combustion air which is
supplied from the furnace bottom under the fire grate, resulting in a relative reduction in the
percentage of nitrogen, which does not contribute to the oxidation reaction. However, this
process requires oxygen production equipment such as a pressure fluctuation absorbing
device, etc. as well as energy for oxygen production. Moreover, because the combustion
temperature is intentionally increased by increasing the oxygen concentration in the primary
combustion field, the NOx reduction effect which could normally be expected with low
air-ratio combustion cannot be adequately obtained.
The authors focused on high temperature air combustion technology as a means of
reducing the air ratio without impairing the stable combustion performance which is an
intrinsic advantage of the stoker-type incinerator. High temperature air combustion is a
combustion technology which aims at stabilization of the flame and an accompanying
improvement in combustion performance by heating the combustion air to a temperature at
which sustained self-igniting combustion is possible, and supplying this air to the furnace
after dilution to a low oxygen concentration.
(8)
The low oxygen atmosphere in the
combustion field makes it possible to avoid localized high temperature combustion, and
thus greatly reduces formation of NOx,
(9)
and because the combustion air is preheated by
waste heat recovery, this technology has the feature of improving thermal efficiency in the
system as a whole.
Figure 1 shows a conceptual diagram of flame stabilization in the combustion initiation
region of a stoker-type incinerator when high temperature air combustion technology is
applied. After mixing the air and exhaust gas and adjusting the oxygen concentration, the
mixed gas is heated to a high temperature (hereinafter, high temperature mixed gas). Prior
to EGR, a stable combustion field characterized by a high temperature, low oxygen state is
formed above the waste fuel bed by blowing this high temperature mixed gas into the
furnace at high speed from the two side walls, causing a stable flame to exist steadily in this
area. This solves the problem of instability in the combustion initiation region under low
air-ratio conditions, and as a result, stable combustion without flame blow-out or local
combustion can be expected.
To date, the authors have carried out systematic research from an investigation of the
fundamental properties of waste to simulated waste combustion experiments with a pilot
plant.
(10)-(14)
The results demonstrated that, in a pilot plant with an incineration capacity of
12 ton/day, stable combustion is possible at an air stoichiometry of 1.3 using high
temperature mixed gas blowing and exhaust gas circulation. Based on the knowledge
obtained in these fundamental investigations,
(14)
a stoker-type incinerator which is currently
in commercial operation was revamped with an application of high temperature air

Stagnation space
Stabilized counter flow
Diffusion flame
Pyrolysis
Radiation
High Temperature air
EGR
Combustion air
Waste fuel bed
Fire grate
Improvement of flame stability
Well mixed reactive gas
To secondly combustion chamber
Primly combustion chamber
Stagnation space
Stabilized counter flow
Diffusion flame
Pyrolysis
Radiation
High Temperature air
EGR
Combustion air
Waste fuel bed
Fire grate
Improvement of flame stability
Well mixed reactive gas
To secondly combustion chamber
Primly combustion chamber

Fig. 1 Flame stabilization image in the combustion beginning region



Journal of Environment
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Vol. 2, No. 1, 2007
186
combustion technology, and a demonstration test of low air-ratio combustion was
conducted. This research confirmed that it is possible to obtain perfect combustion with a
low CO concentration, equivalent to that with the conventional air stoichiometry, under a
low air-ratio condition of an air stoichiometry of 1.3 in an actual incinerator with a scale of
105 ton/day. The state of combustion in this incinerator was observed in detail, and
reduction of emissions of dioxins, NOx, and other harmful substances, improvement of
waste heat recovery efficiency, and changes in other parameters were compared with those
in conventional combustion, verifying the effectiveness of low air-ratio combustion.
2. Experimental Plant and Experimental Procedure
2.1 Experimental Plant
Experiments were conducted using the equipment at No. 1 Unit, Numanohata Clean
Center,
(15)
Tomakomai City, which is a commercial waste incineration plant. An outline of
this facility and the flow of the experimental plant are shown in Table 1 and Fig 2,
respectively. The plant comprises a two-way gas flow-type stoker furnace
(16)
equipped with
a moving grate (furnace width: 3.2m, height: 6.2m, length: 8.0m), and a waste heat recovery
boiler, cooling tower, bag filter, induced draft fan, and other equipment. Combustion air is
supplied in the form of (1) primary air, (2) cooling air, and (3) secondary air. In order to
reduce NOx and prevent damage to the refractory walls due to excessive temperature rise in
the furnace, an in-furnace water spray device is provided at the top of the primary
combustion chamber. The plant is not equipped with flue gas denitrification equipment for
spraying a reducing agent such as ammonia. Process control parameters such as the waste
feed rate, grate drive speed, combustion air rate, and furnace water spray rate necessary to
optimize combustion are controlled by an Automatic Combustion Control (ACC) system.
Table 1 Specifications of the commercial plant


Numanohata Clean Center
Tomakomai City
Furnace type JFE HYPER stoker-type incinerator
Capacity 105 t/d 2 lines
Heat recovery boiler (2.8MPa,300)
and cooling tower
Bag house
with lime and activated carbon supply
Steam turbine2.6MPa,295
and generator (2000kW)
Plant
Flue gas cooling
Flue gas treatment
Heat utilization


Primary
combustion chamber
boiler
Oil burner
Bag house
Exhaust gas recirculation system
Cooling
tower
R.D.F
2
Air
Steam turbogenerator
O2,CO,NOx
Sampling position
High temperature
mixed-gas generator
Cooling air
Bottom ash
Municipal
Solid Waste
Secondary
combustion chamber
Lime,Activated carbon
Fire grate
Dioxins
Sampling position
*1) Induced Draft Fan
*2) Exhaust gasRecirculated Draft Fan
Water
spray
Stack
Secondary
combustion air
Primary
combustion air
(5)
(1)
(3)
(2)
I.D.F
1
(4)
DA1
DA2
Primary
combustion chamber
boiler
Oil burner
Bag house
Exhaust gas recirculation system
Cooling
tower
R.D.F
2
Air
Steam turbogenerator
O2,CO,NOx
Sampling position
High temperature
mixed-gas generator
High temperature
mixed-gas generator
Cooling air
Bottom ash
Municipal
Solid Waste
Secondary
combustion chamber
Lime,Activated carbon
Fire grate
Dioxins
Sampling position
*1) Induced Draft Fan
*2) Exhaust gasRecirculated Draft Fan
Water
spray
Stack
Secondary
combustion air
Primary
combustion air
(5)
(1)
(3)
(2)
I.D.F
1
(4)
DA1
DA2


Fig. 2 Schematic flow of the experimental plant advanced stoker system



Journal of Environment
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Vol. 2, No. 1, 2007
187
The equipment which was added to this existing facility in order to carry out low
air-ratio combustion experiments comprised (4) an EGR line for use in supplying
recirculated exhaust gas and (5) a high temperature mixed gas generator for supply of high
temperature mixed gas. The following describes the functions and supply method in the
respective combustion processes related to combustion air and gas (1) through (5).
(1) Primary combustion air (PA)
Air required for primary combustion from drying of the waste to pyrolysis and char
combustion is supplied from below the fire grate.
(2) Cooling air (CA)
Air required to promote primary combustion and maintain the correct combustion
chamber temperature is supplied from nozzles provided in the two side walls of the
primary combustion chamber.
(3) Secondary combustion air (SA)
Secondary combustion air is supplied from the bottom of the secondary combustion
chamber in order to achieve perfect combustion of the uncombusted components in the
pyrolysis gas.
(4) Recirculated gas (RG)
During low air-ratio combustion, after removal of chlorine compounds and dust from
the combustion exhaust gas by the bag filter, this exhaust gas is supplied to the primary
combustion chamber by the exhaust gas recirculation draft fan (RDF) in place of (2)
cooling air by opening/closing operation of dampers DA1 and DA2.
(5) High temperature mixed gas (HG)
High temperature mixed gas is produced by adjusting the oxygen concentration and
temperature of the recirculated gas and air by direct heating/mixing of RG and air by the
kerosene burner in the high temperature mixed gas generator. As shown in Fig 1, HG is
blown basically horizontally into the space immediately above the waste fuel bed from
nozzles provided at the bottom of the furnace temperature cooling air nozzles.
The composition of the exhaust gas is measured by continuous O
2
, CO, and NOx
analyzers installed permanently at the bag filter outlet. The concentration of dioxins in the
flue gas is measured at the boiler outlet and stack.
2.2 Experimental Conditions
Experiments were performed under two conditions, conventional combustion by normal
operation (Conventional) and low air-ratio combustion utilizing a combination of high
temperature mixed gas blowing and EGR (Advanced), and the exhaust gas properties of
CO, NOx, and dioxins concentration in the flue gas, amount of flue gas, and heat recovery
rate (boiler evaporation rate) were compared. The combinations of air and gas supplied
under each condition and the stoichiometric air ratio are shown in Table 2. In low air-ratio
combustion, the supply distribution of primary and secondary air and recirculated gas was
adjusted while monitoring the condition of combustion so as to make it possible to maintain
proper combustion at an air stoichiometry of 1.3. The recirculated gas supply rate after
adjustment was held constant at all times. The oxygen concentration in the recirculated gas
at this time was 6-7% on a dry base.
Table 2 Combination of supply combustion airs and gases

Supply source Advanced
PA
CA
SA
RG
HG
1.30
Dilution gas

Stoichiometric air ratio 1.63

Conventional
Combustion air




Journal of Environment
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Vol. 2, No. 1, 2007
188
Table 3 shows the characteristics of the high temperature mixed gas blown during low
air-ratio combustion. The high temperature mixed gas blowing rate and temperature and
oxygen concentration conditions were decided based on the results of the pilot plant tests.
(14)

Table 4 shows the supply control methods used with the supplied air/gas and water
spray in the furnace with each type of combustion. Here, manual operation (Manual) was
adopted as the control method for primary and secondary combustion air in low air-ratio
combustion because the ACC logic used in the conventional method was not compatible
with low air-ratio combustion without modification. Water spray, which had been supplied
to the primary combustion chamber at a rate of approximately 1 ton/hour in conventional
combustion in order to prevent excessive temperature rise in the furnace, was not necessary
during low air-ratio combustion because of the cooling effect of EGR.
3. Experimental Results and Discussion
3.1 Form of Combustion Flame in Primary Combustion Chamber
Distinctive differences in the form of the combustion flame were confirmed in
conventional combustion and advanced (low air-ratio) combustion in the primary
combustion chamber. Figure 3 shows the condition of the combustion flame during
conventional combustion and advanced combustion.
During conventional combustion, the entire combustion chamber is filled with a long,
Table 3 Characteristic of the High-temperature gas

Item Unit
400
% 12
% 5-6
% 13-14
Gas Composition
(wet base)
CO
2
H
2
O
O
2
Temperature


Table 4 Operating means of combustion control

Item Advanced
Refuse feeding ACC
PA Manual
CA
SA Manual
RG const.
HG const.
Water spray ACC
Dilution gas

ACC
Combustion air
ACC
ACC
ACC
Conventional


Convent i onal Advanced

Fig. 3 Combustion flame in primary combustion chamber



Journal of Environment
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Vol. 2, No. 1, 2007
189
orange-colored flame, and it is not possible to observe conditions at the rear of the flame. In
contrast to this, during low air-ratio combustion, a short, high intensity flame exists stably
in the zone below the high temperature mixed gas blowing position, while at higher
positions, the flame intensity decreases sufficiently to allow a clear view of conditions in
the waste feed section. The following can be conjectured from this combustion flame form.
In the zone below the high temperature mixed gas blowing position, a stagnant region is
formed by the high temperature mixed gas which is blown above the waste fuel bed, and as
a result, pyrolysis of the waste is promoted and, simultaneously, the combustible gas is
homogenized immediately after pyrolysis. On the other hand, in the zone above the blowing
nozzles, combustion can be completed with a low air ratio because homogenization of the
combustion gas is promoted by EGR and combustion continues gradually at a uniform
temperature until secondary combustion is achieved. The reason why furnace water spray
becomes unnecessary with this method is considered to be because slow combustion
extends through the entire combustion chamber as a result of homogenization of the
combustion gas and local high temperature regions do not form.
3.2 Stability of Low Air Ratio Combustion
Time histories of the concentration of O
2
, CO, and NOx in the flue gas during
conventional combustion and advanced combustion are shown in Fig 4. At this time, the
incineration load condition was held constant at a boiler evaporation (steam generation) rate
of 15t/h with both types of combustion. The O
2
concentration shown in this graph is the
oxygen concentration at the boiler outlet, which was calculated by subtracting the oxygen
increment attributable to air supplied between the boiler outlet and the bag filter outlet (see
Appendix).
The O
2
concentration in the flue gas at the boiler outlet in conventional combustion
shows an average value of 8.1% (air stoichiometry: 1.63). In contrast, during advanced
combustion, the O
2
concentration averages 4.8% (air stoichiometry: 1.3). The CO
concentration, which is one index of perfect combustion, is substantially the same in
advanced combustion as in conventional combustion, confirming that stable combustion is
achieved at an air stoichiometry of 1.3.
Figure 5 shows the relationship between the O
2
and CO concentrations when imperfect
combustion occurs instantaneously due to an inadequate air supply in conventional
combustion and advanced combustion. In conventional combustion, a high concentration of
CO occurs when the O
2
concentration falls below approximately 5%. On the other hand, in
the case of low air-ratio combustion with high temperature mixed gas blowing and EGR, a
high concentration of CO does not occur until the O
2
concentration reaches approximately

0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
C
O
,

N
O
x

,


p
p
m
_
1
2
%
O
2
O2 8.1 %
Time , h
0:00 2:00 4:00 6:00 4:00 6:00 8:00 2:00
NOx 86.3 ppm
CO 3.2 ppm CO 4.7 ppm
NOx 46.2 ppm
O2 4.8 %
0
2
4
6
8
10
O
2

,

%
_
d
r
y
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
C
O
,

N
O
x

,


p
p
m
_
1
2
%
O
2
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
C
O
,

N
O
x

,


p
p
m
_
1
2
%
O
2
O2 8.1 %
Time , h
0:00 2:00 4:00 6:00 4:00 6:00 8:00 2:00
Time , h
0:00 2:00 4:00 6:00 4:00 6:00 8:00 2:00
NOx 86.3 ppm
CO 3.2 ppm CO 4.7 ppm
NOx 46.2 ppm
O2 4.8 %
0
2
4
6
8
10
O
2

,

%
_
d
r
y
0
2
4
6
8
10
O
2

,

%
_
d
r
y

Convent i onal Advanced

Fig. 4 Ti me hi st or i es of O
2
, CO and NOx i n fl ue gas



Journal of Environment
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Vol. 2, No. 1, 2007
190
3%. Thus, it can be understood that the imperfect combustion region shifts to the low
oxygen concentration side, in other words, the low air-ratio side. This is the same tendency
as that observed in the experiments with the 12t/d pilot plant.
(10)
Thus, it can be said that the
combustion improvement effect of high temperature mixed gas blowing could also be
confirmed with the actual incinerator.
The amount of flue gas generated during incineration of waste shows a positive
correlation to the total heating value of the combustible inputs to the incinerator. Therefore,
the amount of flue gas during conventional combustion and low air-ratio combustion was
compared holding the total heating value of the waste charged into the incinerator constant
at 43,400MJ/h. (However, in the case of low air-ratio combustion, the heating value of the
fuel used to produce high temperature mixed gas was added to the heating value of the
waste). As a result, the amount of flue gas decreased by approximately 17%, from
26km
3
N/h with conventional combustion to 21.7km
3
N/h with low air-ratio combustion.
Figure 6 shows the relationship between the gas temperature in the primary combustion
chamber and the NOx concentration in the flue gas. The NOx concentration during
conventional combustion averages 86ppm. In contrast, in advanced combustion, the NOx
concentration is reduced by approximately one-half, to an average value of 46ppm, without
water spraying in the furnace. This is assumed to be the result of prevention of the
formation of thermal NOx, together with suppression of the reaction by which the nitrogen
fraction in the waste is converted to fuel NOx. Prevention of thermal NOx is attributed to
the fact that high temperature mixed gas blowing and EGR realize a uniform temperature in
the combustion chamber, and as a result, local high temperature combustion can be avoided,
whereas suppression of the fuel NOx reaction is attributed to the reduced O
2
concentration
in the primary combustion process.

0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
C
O
,


p
p
m

_

1
2
%
O
2
O
2
conc. at Boiler outlet , %
Conventional
Advanced
0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
C
O
,


p
p
m

_

1
2
%
O
2
O
2
conc. at Boiler outlet , %
0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
C
O
,


p
p
m

_

1
2
%
O
2
O
2
conc. at Boiler outlet , %
Conventional
Advanced
Conventional
Advanced


Fig. 5 Relationship between O
2
and CO concentrations in the flue gas

ave. 46 ppm
ave. 86 ppm
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
N
O
x

,


p
p
m

_

1
2
%
O
2
800 850 900 950 1000
Gas temp. in primary combustion chamber ,
Conventional
Advanced
ave. 46 ppm
ave. 86 ppm
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
N
O
x

,


p
p
m

_

1
2
%
O
2
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
N
O
x

,


p
p
m

_

1
2
%
O
2
800 850 900 950 1000
Gas temp. in primary combustion chamber ,
800 850 900 950 1000
Gas temp. in primary combustion chamber ,
Conventional
Advanced
Conventional
Advanced


Fig. 6 Relationship between gas temperature in the primary combustion
chamber and NOx concentration in the flue gas



Journal of Environment
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Vol. 2, No. 1, 2007
191
3.3 Suppression of Dioxin Emissions
The concentrations of dioxins in the flue gas at the boiler outlet are shown in Table 5.
As a result of combustion improvement by EGR and high temperature mixed gas blowing,
the concentration of dioxins during advanced combustion was reduced by approximately
40% in comparison with conventional combustion. Various theories have been proposed
regarding the factors in the formation of dioxins, but soot and polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons (PAH) may be mentioned as main causative substances.
(17)
It may be
conjectured that the factors in the reduction achieved here with advanced combustion are
related to the effect of high temperature mixed gas blowing in suppressing soot formation in
the combustion initiation region. It may be noted that the concentration of dioxins in the
flue gas at the stack was a low value, at the 0.001ng-TEQ/m
3
N level, with both
conventional combustion and advanced combustion.
3.4 Improvement of Waste Heat Recovery Rate (Increase of Boiler Evaporation Rate)
The effect of low air-ratio combustion in improving waste heat recovery is shown
in Fig 7. When the total heating value of the waste charged into the incinerator and the fuel
used in production of high temperature mixed gas is 43,400MJ/H, the evaporation rate of
the waste heat boiler increases by approximately 10% in comparison with conventional
combustion. This is attributed to the fact that the heat input to the boiler heat transfer zone
(heating surface) increases due to the reduction in the latent heat of evaporation associated
with furnace water spraying and the use of recirculated gas instead of furnace cooling air.
4. Conclusion
An experimental study of low air-ratio combustion using high temperature air
combustion technology was carried out with an actual stoker-type waste incinerator, with
the following results. This research demonstrated that application of high temperature
mixed gas combustion technology to the stoker-type incinerator greatly reduces
environmental loads in waste incineration treatment and is also an extremely effective
means of improving energy efficiency.
1) In a 105-ton/day scale stoker-type incinerator, combustion in the primary combustion
region was improved by high temperature mixed gas blowing. Although low air-ratio
30,000 35,000 40,000 45,000 50,000 55,000
Total heat input *, MJ/h
11
12
13
14
15
16
E
v
a
p
o
r
a
t
i
o
n
,


t
o
n
/
h
15.0 ton/h
13.5 ton/h
gain 10%
Conventional
Advanced
43,400 MJ/h
30,000 35,000 40,000 45,000 50,000 55,000
Total heat input *, MJ/h
30,000 35,000 40,000 45,000 50,000 55,000
Total heat input *, MJ/h
11
12
13
14
15
16
E
v
a
p
o
r
a
t
i
o
n
,


t
o
n
/
h
11
12
13
14
15
16
E
v
a
p
o
r
a
t
i
o
n
,


t
o
n
/
h
15.0 ton/h
13.5 ton/h
gain 10%
Conventional
Advanced
Conventional
Advanced
43,400 MJ/h


Fig. 7 Waste heat recovery gain by low air-ratio combustion
Table 5 DXNs concentrations in flue gas at boiler outlet

Conventional Advanced
DXNs conc.
(ng-TEQ/m
3
N
_12%O
2
)
0.71 0.43




Journal of Environment
and Engineering

Vol. 2, No. 1, 2007
192
operation had been difficult with only exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), low air-ratio
combustion with an air stoichiometry of 1.3 was realized by applying high temperature
mixed gas blowing in combination with EGR, and a reduction of approximately 17%
in the amount of flue gas in comparison with the conventional technique was
confirmed.
2) Large reductions in NOx and dioxins, which are harmful components contained in
combustion exhaust gas, were confirmed.
3) A substantial increase in the boiler evaporation rate as a result of low air-ratio
combustion was confirmed.

The tasks for the future are as follows.
1) Construction of a total automation logic for low air-ratio combustion control by ACC.
2) Investigation of the relationship between high temperature mixed gas blowing
conditions (temperature, oxygen concentration, blowing rate) and combustion
characteristics (furnace temperature, flue gas properties), and further optimization
of combustion.
3) Reduction of use of external energy (fuel) in the production of high temperature mixed
gas.

The authors wish to express their sincere thanks to all those concerned in Tomakomai
City and to the staff and operators of the Numanohata Clean Center, Tomakomai City, for
their understanding and cooperation in the use of the facilities and implementation of tests
in these actual plant experiments.

References
1) Sugishima,W. et al., Proceedings of Research Institute of Environmental Technology, No.
110 (2002), pp 4-41.
2) Fujiyoshi,H. et al., Shigen Kankyo Taisaku (in Japanese) April 2002, (2002), pp29-78.
3) Gomi Shokyaku Daicho (in Japanese), Japan Waste Research Foundation (2001).
4) G.Brem, Proceedings of the 4th international Symposium on Waste Treatment Technologies
(2003), Wed. Session 2.
5) Yoshino, et al., Proceedings of the 6th Japan Waste Management Symposium (1985),
pp172-175.
6) News Release, Environmental Health Bureau, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Guidelines
for Prevention of Generation of Dioxins, Etc. in Waste Treatment, Reduction of Dioxin
Generation, Study Committee for Dioxin Reduction Measure (1997).
7) Orita,N., et al., Journal of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers, Series B, Vol.68,
No.668 (2002), pp 1253-1259.
8) Katsuki,M., Hasegawa,T., Proceedings of the 27th Combustion Institute (1998),
pp.3135-3146.
9) Wang,J., Niioka,T., Proceedings of the 40th Combustion Symposium (2002), pp. 287-288.
10) NEDO, Report for Research and Development of High-temperature Air Combustion
Control Technology (2002), pp.235-295.
11) Tatefuku,T. et al., Proceedings of the 38th Combustion Symposium (2000), pp.273-274.
12) Tatefuku,T. et al., Proceedings of the 39th Combustion Symposium (2001), pp.105-106.
13) Tatefuku,T. et al., Proceedings of the 40th Combustion Symposium (2002), pp.63-64.
14) Denda,T. et al., Proceedings of The 41st Combustion Symposium (2003), pp.403-404.
15) Obara,I., NKK Technical Review, Vol.166 (1999), pp.51-53.
16) Nagaseki,M. et al., NKK Technical Review, Vol.147 (1994), pp.25-26.
17) Niioka,T. et al., Nensho No Kiso (in Japanese), (2001), pp.281-289, Ohmsha.



Journal of Environment
and Engineering

Vol. 2, No. 1, 2007
193
Appendix
The equations used in calculating the O
2
concentration at the boiler outlet are as
follows:
Eq.:
100
) 100 / 1 (
21 . 0
2 2
2


+
=
b b
p e O O
b
W F
F F F
O
p w e o b
F F F F F + =
18
4 . 22

( ) 100 / 100 / 1
2 2
O W F F
o o O
=
( ) 100 / 100 / 1
2 2 e o e e O
O W F F =

The meanings of the symbols used in the above equations are as follows:
O
2
: O
2
concentration of flue gas at bag filter outlet (% dry base) (value obtained
by continuous analyzer)
O
2b
: O
2
concentration at boiler outlet (% dry base)
O
2e
: O
2
concentration of recirculated exhaust gas (% dry base)
F
o
: Flue gas flow rate at bag filter outlet (m
3
N/h)
F
b
: Flue gas flow rate at boiler outlet (m
3
N/h)
F
e
: Exhaust gas recirculation rate (m
3
N/h)
F
p
:Air flow rate for slaked lime and activated carbon blowing (m
3
N/h)
F
w
: Cooling tower water spray rate (m
3
N/h)
F
O2
: O
2
content in flue gas at bag filter outlet (m
3
N/h)
F
O2e
: O
2
content in recirculated exhaust gas (m
3
N/h)
W
o
: Water concentration in flue gas at bag filter outlet (%)
W
b
: Water concentration in flue gas at boiler outlet (%)