Oxides of Nitrogen and Unburned Hydrocarbons Produced During Controlled Combustion

Abstract

A diffusion flame burner was operated to determine the effect of several parameters on the quantity of NOx and unburned hydrocarbons produced. The statistical analysis indicated the unburned hydrocarbon emissions to be dependent upon the rate of heat release in the system, the amount of excess combustion air, the fuel molecular structure, and the interaction between the fuel structure and the amount of excess air. Analysis of the NOx emissions, after an adjustment to a common temperature to eliminate the temperature effect, showed them to be dependent upon the fuel molecular structure and the amount of excess air. The NOx emissions reached a maximum at the conditions which yielded minimum unburned hydrocarbon emissions. Multiple regressions were made which yielded predicting equations for both the unburned hydrocarbon and the NOx for the apparatus used.