Combustion system and method for a coal-fired furnace utilizing a low load coal burner

A combustion system and method for a coal-fired furnace in which a splitter is provided in the main conduit leading from the pulverizer for splitting the stream of coal and air into two separate streams. One stream from the splitter is connected to a separator in which a quantity of air is separated from the mixture of air and coal. A low load burner assembly is provided which includes a first nozzle connected to the separator for discharging the bulk of the coal flow and some air into the furnace, and a second nozzle connected to the same separator for discharging the bulk of the air from the separator into the furnace. The other stream from the splitter is connected to a third nozzle which discharges its mixture of air and coal into the furnace to provide high load capability.