Patent EA-004027-B1 (EA)
Title: Oxy-fuel combustion system and uses therefor
Inventor: GROSS DIETRICH M
IPC: F27D7/06
Filed: 2002-03-22
Abstract: 1. An oxygen fueled combustion system comprising: a furnace having at least one burner, and configured to substantially prevent the introduction of air; an oxygen supply for supplying oxygen having a purity of at least about 85 percent; a carbon based fuel supply for supplying a carbon based fuel; means for feeding the oxygen and the carbon based fuel into the furnace in a stoichiometric proportion to one another; means for limiting an excess of either the oxygen or the carbon based fuel to less than 5 percent over the stoichiometric proportion; and means for controlling the combustion of the carbon based fuel to produce a flame temperature in excess of about 2480 degree C, and to produce an exhaust gas stream from the furnace having a temperature of not more than about 593 degree C. 2. The oxygen fueled combustion system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the carbon based fuel is a gas. 3. The oxygen fueled combustion system in accordance with claim 2 wherein the gas is natural gas. 4. The oxygen fueled combustion system in accordance with claim 1 including a cryogenic plant for producing the oxygen. 5. The oxygen fueled combustion system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the carbon based fuel is a solid fuel. 6. The oxygen fueled combustion system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the carbon based fuel is a liquid fuel. 7. An oxygen fueled combustion system comprising: a furnace having a controlled environment, the furnace having substantially no in-leakage from an external environment, and configured to substantially prevent the introduction of air; an oxidizing agent supply for supplying oxygen having a predetermined purity; a carbon based fuel supply for supplying a carbon based fuel; means for feeding the oxygen and the carbon based fuel into the furnace in a stoichiometric proportion to one another; means for limiting an excess of either the oxygen or the carbon based fuel to less than 5 percent over the stoichiometric proportion; and means for controlling the combustion of the carbon based fuel to produce a flame temperature in excess of about 2480 degree C, and to produce an exhaust gas stream from the furnace having substantially zero nitrogen-containing combustion produced gaseous compounds from the oxidizing agent. 8. The oxygen fueled combustion system in accordance with claim 7 wherein the carbon based fuel is a gas. 9. The oxygen fueled combustion system in accordance with claim 8 wherein the gas is natural gas. 10. The oxygen fueled combustion system in accordance with claim 7 including an oxygen producing plant. 11. The oxygen fueled combustion system in accordance with claim 7 wherein the carbon based fuel is a solid fuel, and wherein any nitrogen-containing combustion produced gaseous compounds are formed from the solid fuel. 12. The oxygen fueled combustion system in accordance with claim 7 wherein the carbon based fuel is a liquid fuel, and wherein any nitrogen-containing combustion produced gaseous compounds are formed from the liquid fuel. 13. The oxygen fueled combustion system in accordance with claim 7 wherein the controlled environment has substantially no nitrogen. 14. A furnace comprising: a combustion region; a burner; a carbon based fuel supply for supplying a carbon based fuel into the combustion region through the burner; an oxidizing agent supply for supplying oxygen at a predetermined purity into the furnace for combustion with the carbon based fuel; means for controlling the combustion of the oxygen and the carbon based fuel to produce a flame temperature of more than about 1648 degree C and to produce an exhaust gas stream from the furnace having a temperature of not more than about 593 degree C, wherein the furnace is configured to substantially prevent the introduction of air. 15. The furnace in accordance with claim 14 including an air supply for supplying air containing oxygen to the combustion region for combustion with the carbon based fuel and the oxygen at a predetermined purity. 16. The furnace in accordance with claim 14 including a fuel conduit for supplying the carbon based fuel to the burner, and wherein the oxygen at the predetermined purity is supplied to the furnace through the fuel conduit. 17. The furnace in accordance with claim 14 wherein the oxygen at the predetermined purity is supplied to the furnace separate and apart from the carbon based fuel. 18. The furnace in accordance with claim 14 wherein the oxygen purity is at least about 85 percent. 19. An oxygen fueled combustion system comprising: a furnace having at least one burner, and configured to substantially prevent the introduction of air; an oxygen supply for supplying oxygen at a predetermine purity greater than 21 percent; a carbon based fuel supply for supplying a carbon based fuel; means for feeding the oxygen and the carbon based fuel into the furnace in controlled proportion to each other; and means for controlling the combustion of the carbon based fuel to produce a flame temperature in excess of 1648 degree F. 20. The oxygen fueled combustion system in accordance with claim 19 including means for producing a flame temperature in excess of 2480 degree C. 21. The oxygen fueled combustion system in accordance with claim 19 wherein the means for controlling produces an exhaust gas stream from the furnace having a temperature of not more than 593 degree C. 22. The oxygen fueled combustion system in accordance with claim 19 wherein an exhaust gas stream from the furnace exhibits a reduction of at least 20 percent of nitrogen-containing combustion produced gaseous compounds relative to an oxidizing agent of ambient air. 23. A combustion method comprising the steps of: providing a furnace having at least one burner, and configured to substantially prevent the introduction of air; supplying oxygen having a purity of at least about 85 percent; supplying a carbon based fuel; feeding the oxygen and the carbon based fuel into the furnace in a stoichiometric proportion to one another; limiting an excess of either the oxygen or the carbon based fuel to less than 5 percent over the stoichiometric proportion; and controlling the combustion of the carbon based fuel to produce a flame temperature in excess of about 2480 degree C, and to produce an exhaust gas stream from the furnace having a temperature of not more than about 593 degree C. 24. The combustion method in accordance with claim 23 including the step of supplying the carbon based fuel into the furnace at a rate that is dependent upon a feed rate of the oxygen. 25. The combustion method in accordance with claim 23 including the step of feeding the oxygen into the furnace at a rate that is dependent upon a feed rate of the carbon based fuel. 26. The combustion method in accordance with claim 23 including the step of controlling at least one of the fuel supply and the oxygen supply so as to maintain one or more temperatures in the furnace at or below one or more desired temperatures. 27. The combustion method in accordance with claim 26 wherein the one or more desired temperatures are based, in part, upon the heat transfer as affected by a geometry of the furnace. 28. A combustion method comprising the steps of: providing a furnace having a controlled environment, the furnace having substantially no in-leakage from an external environment, and configured to substantially prevent the introduction of air; supplying oxygen having a predetermined purity; supplying a carbon based fuel; feeding the oxygen and the carbon based fuel into the furnace in a stoichiometric proportion to one another; limiting an excess of either the oxygen or the carbon based fuel to less than 5 percent over the stoichiometric proportion; and controlling the combustion of the carbon based fuel to produce a flame temperature in excess of about 2480 degree C, and to produce an exhaust gas stream from the furnace having substantially zero nitrogen-containing combustion produced gaseous compounds from the oxidizing agent. 29. The combustion method in accordance with claim 28 including the step of supplying the carbon based fuel into the furnace at a rate that is dependent upon a feed rate of the oxygen. 30. The combustion method in accordance with claim 28 including the step of feeding the oxygen into the furnace at a rate that is dependent upon a feed rate of the carbon based fuel. 31. The combustion method in accordance with claim 28 including the step of controlling at least one of the fuel supply and the oxygen supply so as to maintain one or more temperatures in the furnace at or below one or more desired temperatures. 32. The combustion method in accordance with claim 31 wherein the one or more desired temperatures are based, in part, upon the heat transfer as affected by a geometry of the furnace. 33. A method for operating a furnace comprising the steps of: providing a furnace having a combustion region and having a burner, the furnace configured to substantially prevent the introduction of air; supplying a carbon based fuel into the combustion region through the burner; supplying oxygen at a predetermined purity into the furnace for combustion with the carbon based fuel; and controlling the combustion of the oxygen and the carbon based fuel to produce a flame temperature of more than about 2480 degree C and to produce an exhaust gas stream from the furnace having a temperature of not more than about 593 degree C. 34. The method for operating a furnace in accordance with claim 33 including the step of supplying the carbon based fuel into the furnace at a rate that is dependent upon a feed rate of the oxygen. 35. The method for operating a furnace in accordance with claim 33 including the step of feeding the oxygen into the furnace at a rate that is dependent upon a feed rate of the carbon based fuel. 36. The method for operating a furnace in accordance with claim 33 including the step of controlling one or more of the fuel supply and the oxygen supply so as to maintain