Development of the Radially Stratified Flame Core Low NOx Burner: From Fundamentals to Industrial Applications

Research and development of the low NOx radially stratified flame core (RSFC) burner is followed from its fundamental concept through prototype burner design, pilot scale experiments at M.I.T. and scale-up and commercial design by ABB-CE (now ALSTOM Power) to applications in industrial and utility plant boilers. The principle that turbulence can be significantly damped in a rotating flow field with a strong positive radial density gradient was used to increase the fuel rich zone residence time in internally staged low NOx burners. The continuous interaction of ideas from laboratory experimental and computational studies with those from the commercial design and industrial scale tests played a pivotal role in the development of the final product, the commercial RSFC burner. Examples of application in gas, oil, and coal fired industrial and utility boilers are discussed.