Optimization of Low

NOx Burner Installation

Through Simulation
Lanre
Lanre Oshinowo,
Oshinowo, Ph.D.,
Ph.D., P.Eng.
P.Eng. ANSYS-Fluent
ANSYS-Fluent
Christopher
Christopher Jian,
Jian, Ph.D.
Ph.D. John
John Zink
Zink Co.
Co.
David
David Schowalter,
Schowalter, Ph.D.
Ph.D. ANSYS-Fluent
ANSYS-Fluent

2006 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Regulatory Environment
Technology has led to drastic improvements in emission
performance in the process industry in the last 20 years
Air quality remains an issue of great public concern
Public health impacts
Ecosystem impacts
Federal, state, and local governments are creating ever
more stringent requirements
Ozone non-attainment in US
Canada and Kyoto
Profits to be made from trading credits!

2006 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Advanced Technology and

Pollution Abatement
Vast improvements in modern combustion
equipment
The proper combination of analysis and
testing leads to improved hardware
More efficient combustion
Less physical testing, lower cost
More physical insight for full scale
equipment

2006 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Combustion Applications
Until recently, combustion has been
considered more an art than a science
Improvements in analytical tools have
enhanced our understanding of combustion
processes
CFD is a reliable tool used by John Zink
Company to develop, design and troubleshoot combustion equipment

2006 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Combustion Applications
Environmental regulations are becoming
stricter
HGA Chemical/Petrochemical Industry
80% NOx reduction by 2007
SCR vs. Ultra-low NOx Burners

2006 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Combustion Challenges
Combined approaches
Staging
Internal flue gas recirculation
Flameless combustion
NOx vs. CO emissions
Flame length
Burner Spacing
Flame interaction

2006 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.

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What is CFD?

CFD, Computational Fluid Dynamics, is the science of

using mathematical equations to model physical problems
With advances in computer technology, CFD has become a
common tool for equipment design, R&D and process
optimization.

2006 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.

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What is CFD?
CFD process entails
subdividing the domain into smaller pieces
Solving general conservation (transport) equations for mass,
momentum, energy, species (gas components), etc.,

dV

V
dA

dA
SdV

t V
A
A
V
unsteady

Eqn.
continuity
x-mom.
y-mom.
energy

2006 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.

convection

diffusion

generation

1
u
v
h

control
volume

Fluid region of
pipe flow is
discretized into a
finite set of
control volumes
(mesh).

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What is CFD? (2)

A given CFD model contains:
Grid/Geometry
Physical Models
Turbulence
Chemistry
etc.
Boundary Conditions

Inlet
(pressure,
velocity, etc.)

Linear equations are solved iteratively

2006 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.

Wall (zero
velocity.)

Fluid Zone
(material
properties,
physical models)

Outlet
(pressure,
gradients.)

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Low NOx Burners in VC Heaters

Close-up view of
burner

2006 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Field Installation vs. Test Results

Installed
in field

Burner
interactions
significantly
increase
flame length
Test Furnace 7

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Temperature (F) results

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CFD Modeled Solution

CFD model indicated

proposed solution
would solve problem

2006 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Before and After Comparison

Modified burners interact differently = shorter

flame!
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PXMR Burner Model

Burner block

Primary and staged

tips

Burner air plenum

2006 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Flame shape colored by

temperature (F)
Flame
rolls
over
off the wall
and impinges on
tubes

2006 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Optimized flame shapes

Optimized flame
shape hugs the fired
wall

2006 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Flame shape colored by

temperature (F)

2006 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.

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CFD Simulation
Heat Flux for various tip designs
Furnace Height (m)

10
Base case
Nozzle 1
Nozzle 2
Nozzle 4a
Nozzle 5

8
6
4

2
0
0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

Relative Heat Flux

2006 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Ethylene Cracking Furnace

Optimization
Key Parameters
Heat Transfer to process tubes
Control of tube temperatures
Pollutant (NOx) reduction
Suspected that staged low-NOx
burners would have flame roll-over
Modeling included flow and reaction
in process tubes to get accurate
tube temperatures

Convection
Section

Wall
Burners

Cracking Coils

Hearth
Burners

Courtesy ABB Lummus Global

2006 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Suspicions confirmed
K
K

Original Burners

Process
Tubes

K
Courtesy ABB
Lummus Global

Initial Ultra-Low
NOx Design

2006 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Improvements Made After

Confirming with Simulation
K

Changes in wall
inlet angles and
floor burner
placement
New design is up
and running,
performing as
advertised at enduser site
2006 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.

Improved Ultra-Low
NOx Design

Original Burners

Courtesy ABB Lummus Global

22

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Summary
The use of detailed 3D engineering simulation for low
NOx in the oil & gas refining industry enables
maximizing energy efficiency through
Providing a clear understanding of what is
happening or will happen in a unit
Guides engineering solutions

Allowing trial and error process to take place in the

virtual realm, without cutting metal
Modeling from first principals, minimizing the use
of empirical assumptions that may not apply

2006 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.

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 2006 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.

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TOOLBOX

Optimization of Low
NOx Burner Installation
Through Simulation
Lanre
Lanre Oshinowo,
Oshinowo, Ph.D.,
Ph.D., P.Eng.
P.Eng. ANSYS-Fluent
ANSYS-Fluent
Christopher
Christopher Jian,
Jian, Ph.D.
Ph.D. John
John Zink
Zink Co.
Co.
David
David Schowalter,
Schowalter, Ph.D.
Ph.D. ANSYS-Fluent
ANSYS-Fluent

2006 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Five Critical Success Factors

Optimization

Optimization of
of Low
Low NOx
NOx Burner
Burner Installation
Installation Through
Through Simulation
Simulation

Reliability CFD is tool used by John Zink Company to develop,

design and trouble-shoot combustion equipment
Virtual Prototyping Visualization and quantitative evaluation of
burner operation prior to implementing changes to design
Model Validation Deploying validated CFD models for which burner
simulations have been compared to experimental results
Operational Performance Sensitivity analysis of important variables
geometric and operational to improve burner operation in furnaces
Information Management Obtaining relevant information about
furnace conditions before simulation
Collaboration Coupling engineering experience with simulation
results to guide any necessary furnace design improvements

2006 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.

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