Patent ID: 7647204

Claim:
A method for estimating the impact of fuel distribution or furnace configuration on a fossil fuel-fired furnace, comprising the steps of: inputting fuel oil and air into said furnace; determining a separation number, S, wherein in a planar plot taking into account a load variable, S provides a linear relationship to multiple furnace process responses, said load variable indicative of an amount of NO x that is formed if all of said fuel oil and air were converted to said NO x ; locating emission measurement equipment at an inlet and outlet of selective catalytic reactor of said furnace and locating thermocouples in tubes of said furnace, wherein said multiple furnace process responses can be measured to obtain operating data; interpreting said operating data based on different modes of operation of said furnace; and, estimating a change in said multiple furnace process responses as a function of said separation number, wherein said change is quantified to determine an impact of said fuel distribution or said furnace configuration as a result of said operating data lying on said planar plot defined by said separation number and said load variable.