A COMPREHENSIVE 3-DIMENSIONAL MODEL FOR SIMULATION OF COMBUSTION SYSTEMS - PCGC-3

A generalized, three-dimensional combustion model has been developed to simulate large-scale, steady-state, gaseous and particle-laden, reacting and nonreacting systems. The model, which is based on an earlier two-dimensional model, has been applied to turbulent, combustion systems, including pulverized-coal systems. It uses an Eulerian framework for the gas phase and a Lagrangian framework for the particles. The code assumes equilibrium gas-phase chemistry and couples the turbulent flow field with the chemical reactions by integrating the equations over a probability density function. The model uses advanced numerics and a differencing scheme capable of solving the large computational meshes required to simulate practical furnaces. Convective and radiative heat transfer are also modeled. Radiative heat transfer is modeled using the discrete ordinates method. The model has been evaluated by comparison of predictions with experimental data from a large-scale 85-ME(e) coal-fired utility boiler. The data include furnace profile measurements obtained with intrusive and laser-based optical probes. These comparisons show qualitative agreement of model predictions with observed trends, and indicate that the model can be used to provide insights into boiler operation.