| An investigation was performed to demonstrate that a high intensity acoustic field can enhance the convective transfer processes occurring during CWSF (coal water slurry fuel) combustion. It was carried out in a 300,000 Btu/h sonic combustor. For the runs conducted, SPLs of 156 dB and 145 dB, respectively, were measured below the fuel injection point and before the exit to the combustor. Frequency was held at 1400 Hz. Combustion efficiency was improved when the extent of burnout was well below 100% and when the droplet size distribution was relatively coarse. The maximum improvement in burnout was 7.9%, under the coarsest atomization conditions investigated.; Results from modelling show that sonically enhanced heat transfer plays a negligible role in improving the rate of combustion of CWSF. However, such enhancement may well be important for other applications (e.g. spray drying) involving longer drying times and/or small steady slip velocities. The application of a sonic field improves the rate of combustion of CWSF mainly through increased mass transfer rates, the enhancement being greatest for relatively coarse atomization. It is commonly accepted that the largest particles of fuel are the most likely to avoid full burnout in a practical combustor and thus contribute to erosion, slagging, and fouling via inertial mechanisms. By acting preferentially on these particles, operational difficulties can be minimized. |
