Elucidation of NOx Generation Mechanism in Coal Combustion and Energy-Saving Design Software Idemitsu Kosan (1997)

Elucidation of NOx Generation Mechanism in Coal Combustion and Energy-Saving Design Software Idemitsu Kosan (1997)
In Japan in the 1990s, coal-fired power generation was being reevaluated as part of a policy to reduce dependence on oil, but the environmental burden caused by NOx emissions was a major issue. Idemitsu Kosan systematically clarified how nitrogen in coal is converted to NOx during combustion, and sorted out complex factors such as combustion temperature, volatile components, and differences in atmospheric coal types in the furnace. Energy-saving design software was developed to optimize mixed-coal design and boiler operating conditions by applying the results of this research. By simply entering coal composition, NOx emissions, combustion efficiency, unburned carbon heat loss, and other factors can be estimated, and operation optimization, which previously relied on the experience of skilled workers, can now be performed theoretically. In the 1990s, the diversity of imported coals and the wide variation in their quality made the optimization of coal blending important in term
s of both reducing environmental impact and improving economic efficiency. Internationally, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) came into effect and the reduction of greenhouse gases became a global issue, making it a practical measure to improve the efficiency of existing thermal power plants and reduce NOx emissions. Idemitsu's research spilled over into the development of combustion modeling technology and boiler design, and became the foundation for the evolution of Japan's thermal power generation technology toward an environmentally conscious approach.