Patent ID: 6418865
Filing Date: 2002-07-16
Classification: F23C,F23D,F23L,Y02E

Abstract:
A method of operating a steam-generating boiler including a radiation zone and a convection zone comprising:introducing fuel into a combustion space within the boiler; introducing oxygen-enriched air into the combustion space, wherein the oxygen-enriched air contains about 21% to about 100% by volume oxygen; combusting the fuel and oxygen-enriched air to generate thermal energy in the combustion space; and collecting at least a portion of flue gases and recirculating at least a portion of the flue gases through the boiler, such that the relationship RC=1&it;â€ƒ-â€ƒ&it;FS&it;â€ƒ&it;Î˜oÎ˜bc&it;â€ƒis maintained, where RC is a flow rate ratio of oxygen-enriched air to recirculated flue gas, FS is the ratio of fuel consumption between oxygen-enriched air combustion and air combustion, and &THgr;bc represents the flow rate ratio between fuel and air, and fuel, for air combustion and &THgr;o represents the flow rate ratio between fuel and oxygen-enriched air and fuel for oxygen-enriched combustion.