Numerical Investigation of Co-Firing of Palm Kernel Shell into Pulverized Coal Combustion

Abstract

Co-firing of palm kernel shell (PKS) into 7 MW existing pulverized-coal boiler has been modeled and analyzed using the computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Co-firing of coal and PKS is a complex chemical reaction involving both gas and solid phases with turbulence effect along the combustor. In numerical simulation, two-steps global reaction mechanisms for homogeneous (volatile matter) and heterogeneous (char) combustion, turbulence and radiation heat transfer are considered. Moreover, five different mass fractions of PKS to coal are observed: 0 (fully coal), 10, 15, 25 and 50 %, respectively. In this study, the analysis is focused on the comparative prediction related to the distribution of temperature, velocity and produced gases of CO₂, CO, SO₂. As the result, higher PKS mass fraction leads to a favorable combustion in terms of combustion temperature and produced gases exhausted from the combustor.