Combustion Technology Research Articles

The Energy Potential of Agricultural Biomass Residues for Household Use in Rural Areas in the Department La Guajira (Colombia)

Cooking with firewood in inefficient stoves primarily affects the rural population in poor and developing countries, usually lacking access to clean and modern energy sources. La Guajira, Colombia, is especially affected, with 40% to 60% of the departmental households relying on firewood, which increases to 80% in rural areas. In the department, only 40.4% of the population have access to natural gas, which drops to 6% in the indigenous reservations, while 68.4% have access to electricity, which reduces to 22% in indigenous reservations. Rural areas with agricultural production in the department can benefit from biomass wastes to address firewood consumption. This study quantified the agricultural biomass waste inventory in La Guajira to assess their availability for energy valorization as cooking fuel or, when possible, for electricity generation. The geolocalization of biomass wastes and rural communities was developed to overlap biomass production with the demand for firewood. Moreover, briquetting, anaerobic digestion, and direct combustion were considered small- and medium-scale options for the energy valorization of biomass wastes. Results highlighted the department’s yearly production of 292,760 to 522,696 t of agricultural biomass wastes between 2010 and 2023. These wastes could yield an estimated 381 to 521 TJ/year of electricity using direct combustion, coinciding with some 21% to 28% of the electricity demand in 2022 in La Guajira. Furthermore, this electricity potential could replace 57% to 78% of the demand for firewood in the department using electric stoves. Moreover, anaerobic digestion could produce from 8.6 to 10 million m3/year, enough to replace between 16% and 18% of the demand for firewood using biogas stoves. Finally, briquettes could replace between 28% and 49% of the firewood demand, considering the adoption of improved biomass stoves. Considering that direct combustion and anaerobic digestion technologies would be efficient on the medium scale, briquettes surfaced as the most viable approach at the small scale to take advantage of agricultural wastes to replace firewood in households in rural areas.

Theoretical Study on the Kinetics of Secondary Oxygen Addition Reactions for N-Butyl Radicals.

Chemical kinetics for second oxygen addition reactions (·QOOH + O2) of long-chain alkanes are of great importance in low-temperature combustion technologies. However, kinetic data for key reactions of ·QOOH + O2 systems are often difficult to obtain experimentally and are primarily estimated or calculated by using theoretical methods. In this work, barrier heights (BHs), reaction energies (ΔEs), and relative energies (REs) of stationary points for key reactions of two representative ·QOOH + O2 systems in the low-temperature oxidation of n-butyl as well as pressure-dependent rate constants for the involved reactions are calculated with the high-level quantum chemical method CCSD(T)-F12b/CBS. These results can be employed in the development of low-temperature combustion mechanisms for n-butane and longer straight-chain alkanes. In addition, the performance of some quantum chemistry methods with a lower computational cost on BHs, ΔEs, and REs as well as rate constants is also investigated. Our results indicate that the maximum error on these energies with PNO-LCCSD(T)-F12a is within 1 kcal/mol, and rate constants with this method are in the best agreement with reference values, with a maximum relative error of about half the reference values. Due to its low computational cost and memory requirements, this method is strongly recommended for studying low-temperature combustion reactions involving larger hydrocarbon fuels.

Key Technologies to 50% Brake Thermal Efficiency for Gasoline Engine of Passenger Car

Review Key Technologies to 50% Brake Thermal Efficiency for Gasoline Engine of Passenger Car Xinke Miao, Bingxin Xu, Jun Deng, and Liguang Li * School of Automotive Studies, Tongji University, Shanghai 201804, China * Correspondence: liguang@tongji.edu.cn Received: 13 August 2024; Revised: 6 December 2024; Accepted: 17 December 2024; Published: 20 January 2025 Abstract: As fuel consumption and emissions regulations become increasingly stringent, various advanced strategies have been proposed to achieve higher efficiency in internal combustion engines. This paper reviews the advancements in thermal efficiency of gasoline engines and analyzes the key technological methods to achieve over 50% brake thermal efficiency (BTE). The technological routes proposed for high-efficiency gasoline engine are primarily focused on high compression ratios and lean combustion combined with novel combustion technologies. Supporting technologies mainly include Atkinson/Miller cycles, intake boosting, exhaust gas re-circulation (EGR), water injection, thermal barrier coatings, friction reduction, structural optimization, and combustion diagnostics and control.

Dual-fuel dual-direct injection: An efficient and clean combustion technology for diesel engines

Dual-fuel dual-direct injection: An efficient and clean combustion technology for diesel engines

An MgV3O8 anode exhibiting enhanced rate capability and stability for lithium storage applications.

The development of anode materials with high rate performance as well as favourable working durability is key for next-generation lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Here, MgV3O8 is reported as an advanced anode material, using a facile and scalable solution combustion technology. The MgV3O8 anode shows a "near-zero" volume change (<10% over 1000 cycles). This can be explained by a solid-solution Li+ storage mechanism, leading to superior cycling stability. Consequently, the MgV3O8 electrode achieves a remarkable capacity of approximately 102.6 mA h g-1 at 2.0 A g-1, along with a low fading rate of 0.001% per cycle over 3000 cycles.

Experimental and Numerical Study on NOx Emissions Characteristics in a Coaxial Staged Combustor

Abstract A deep understanding of NOx formation characteristics and correlations can significantly enhance the operational adjustment efficiency of gas turbine combustors. To reduce pollutants emissions, this study proposed a coaxial staged combustion technology, experimental and numerical work was further conducted to investigate the impact of fuel stage ratio on NOx formation in an industrial gas turbine combustor operating at different loads. The dome equivalence ratio was ranging from 0.455 to 0.635, the fuel stage ratio was ranging from 0.27 to 3.23. Experimental results show that NOx emissions can be controlled within 25 ppm at 15% O2 with the combustor outlet temperature up to 1673 K. There exists an optimal fuel stage ratio that leads to the lowest NOx emissions. Moreover, as the dome equivalence ratio increases, the optimal fuel stage ratio decreases. Numerical results indicate that NOx generation through the prompt mechanism is negligible. At low-power conditions, NOx is primarily generated at the flame front through the N2O intermediate pathway. In contrast, at high-power conditions, NOx is mainly produced in the burnout and recirculation zones through the thermal pathway. Thermal NOx is highly sensitive to fuel stage ratios, unlike the relatively stable NOx production via the N2O intermediate mechanism. Based on the experimental data, it was found that the inner stage flame temperature has a more significant impact on NOx emissions. Furthermore, a new NOx emissions prediction model within an error of 20% that considers the impact of two-stage swirl flames was proposed.

Thermodynamic model of coal direct chemical looping combustion

ABSTRACT Chemical looping combustion (CLC) technology offers cost-effective CO2 emission reduction. Coal direct chemical looping (CDCL) emerges as a promising solid fuel CLC technology owing to its ability to directly utilize coal without prior gasification, enhancing system integration and efficiency. Despite significant progress in CDCL, challenges persist, including carbon deposition and insufficient oxidation and reduction of oxygen carriers (OCs). This study conducted a thermodynamic equilibrium analysis of a CDCL combustion reactor using Cantera 3.0, a chemical calculation module developed at the California Institute of Technology. The analysis explored the impact of different temperatures, OC-to-coal molar ratios (θ), and OCs types on combustion products. By employing the minimum Gibbs function method and analyzing intrinsic reaction mechanisms, the study provides insights for predicting and optimizing system performance. Thermodynamic equilibrium analysis revealed that with CuO as the OC, insufficient OC (θ < 0.6) led to Cu as the reduction product, while sufficient OC (0.6 < θ < 1.3) yielded Cu and CuO, and excess OC (θ > 1.3) resulted in Cu2O. To optimize CO2 capture, a molar ratio of θ of at least 1.4 and a temperature of at least 800°C are recommended. When Fe2O3 served as the OC, insufficient OC (θ < 0.45) produced Fe and FeO, while excess OC generated FeO and Fe3O4. Optimal operational performance and CO2 capture efficiency required an OC-to-coal molar ratio exceeding 1.4 and a temperature higher than 700°C. This study demonstrates that in CDCL combustion systems, selecting appropriate OCs, temperatures, and OC-to-coal molar ratios ensures stable and efficient combustion and CO2 capture. These findings offer crucial guidance for optimizing system operation.

USING AMMONIA FUEL AS A MEASURE TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GASES

The presented work highlights the possibilities of using ammonia as an alternative fuel in order to achieve low-carbon development of the state and strengthen the fight against greenhouse gases. Since the Industrial Revolution, combustion has been the primary method of energy conversion for human activities, including power generation and transportation. Today, these sectors continue to rely heavily on hydrocarbon fuels. As a result, the largest absolute increase in carbon dioxide emissions in 2022 was from electricity and heat production. With global electricity demand increasing by 2.7%, emissions in the energy sector increased by 1.8% (or 261 Mt), reaching an all-time high of 14.6 Gt. Thus, a large part of CO2 emissions is produced through these sectors, which is the main culprit of global warming, undermining the fight against climate change. The need for decarbonization is taken into account by program documents, including government strategies, which not only warn but also prohibit the excessive formation of pollutants and stimulate the promotion of carbon-free technologies in energy sectors. It is common knowledge that the innovative development of fuel combustion technologies is necessary to achieve the future goals of a carbon-neutral system. Despite the considerable efforts made to reduce greenhouse gas emissions during the combustion of hydrocarbons, for example, by increasing the combustion efficiency, these efforts are not enough to achieve low greenhouse gas emissions. The progress in this field is analyzed and it is found that ammonia is receiving increasing attention as one of the most attractive energy carriers due to its carbon-free nature. However, the use of ammonia in combustion is not without problems, including low flame speed, narrow flammability limits, and tendency to NOx formation. Therefore, the further introduction of ammonia as a fuel in energy and industry requires comprehensive studies of the combustion working process. Research should be based on determining the influence of the main technological factors, the possibility of using mixed fuels, as well as establishing the optimal geometric and mode parameters of the fuel combustion system.

The Development and Future Trends in HCCI and DF-PCCI Engines for Sustainable Transportation

Internal combustion (IC) engines have long been the dominant technology in transportation, but their environmental impact, particularly in terms of air pollution, has become a growing concern. To address these challenges, advanced combustion technologies like homogeneous-charge compression ignition (HCCI) and dual-fuel premixed-charge compression ignition (DF-PCCI) engines have been developed. This paper explores the potential of HCCI and DF-PCCI engines to serve as more sustainable alternatives to conventional IC engines by analysing their combustion mechanisms, thermal efficiency, and emissions performance. While both engines offer significant environmental benefits, such as lower NOx, particulate matter, and CO2 emissions, they each face unique challenges in terms of fuel injection control, biofuel integration, and combustion stability. DF-PCCI demonstrates advantages in combustion phasing and high-load performance, while HCCI requires further development in fuel injection and exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) systems. Hybridization emerges as a promising solution to improve the flexibility and real-time control of both engines. Ultimately, this paper highlights the potential of HCCI and DF-PCCI engines to significantly reduce transportation-related emissions and contribute to global sustainability goals.

Combustion Characterization and Kinetic Analysis of Coupled Combustion of Bio-Syngas and Bituminous Coal

The coupled combustion of bio-syngas and bituminous coal is an effective technology to reduce pollutant emissions from coal-fired power plants and improve the utilization rate of biomass energy. However, the effects of bio-syngas blending on bituminous coal combustion characteristics and reaction kinetics remain unclear, restricting the development of bio-syngas and bituminous coal combustion technology. In this study, the experimental studies on the coupled combustion of bio-syngas and bituminous coal under different bio-syngas lower-heating-value-based blending ratio (BLBR) were carried out by Micro-Fluidized Bed Reaction Analyzer (MFBRA), the coupled combustion characteristics and kinetic reaction mechanism of coupled combustion of bio-syngas and bituminous coal were analyzed. The results indicated that the nucleation and growth model (F1 Model) provided a reasonable description of the bituminous coal combustion process on the coupled combustion of bio-syngas and bituminous coal in MFBRA. The blending of bio-syngas significantly reduces the apparent activation energy and pre-exponential factor of bituminous coal combustion reaction. In particular, when the BLBR is 5, 10, 20, and 30%, the apparent activation energy is 48.70, 45.45, 46.75, and 42.35 kJ·mol−1, and the pre-exponential factor is 9.26, 7.10, 8.95, and 6.70 s−1, respectively. This research is helpful for improving the coupled combustion efficiency and ensuring the efficient operation of the coupled combustion system.

Patterns of lean methane-air mixtures combustion in piston engine

The article is devoted to the study of the patterns of combustion of lean methaneair mixtures in marine internal combustion engine. Literature review shows that the implementation of combustion technology for a homogeneous lean methaneair mixture will increase the compression ratio, reduce fuel consumption and improve the environmental engine performance. However due to an increase in misfires and a decrease in the speed of flame propagation, the combustion of lean methaneair mixtures remains an unresolved problem. The article studies the influence of the excess air coefficient (from 1 to 1.4) on the turbulent combustion regime (assessed by the Karlowitz and Damkoehler criteria), the completeness and rate of fuel combustion. It was revealed that depletion of the air fuel mixture under conditions of intense turbulence leads to an increase in the Karlowitz criterion and a decrease in the Damköhler criterion. This indicates that the rate of chemical reactions in the flame front decreases, as a result of which the combustion process is characterized by stretching and rupture of the flame front. Therefore, to intensify the combustion of lean methaneair mixtures, it is advisable to increase the average speed of the vortex flow, and not the intensity of turbulence. A study of the influence of the excess air coefficient on the completeness and rate of fuel combustion showed that depletion of the mixture leads to a decrease in the completeness of fuel combustion from 93.5 % (at α=1) to 83 % (at α=1.4). The combustion rates also decrease and their maximum values shift from 13° (at α=1) to 24° (at α=1.4) degrees after top dead center. Therefore for efficient engine operation on lean mixtures, it is necessary to increase the fuel combustion rate through additional swirling of the gasair mixture or the use of combustion promoters.

Temperature-sensitive intelligent gel to prevent coal spontaneous combustion: Large-scale simulation fire extinguishing experimental study

Coal spontaneous combustion seriously endangers mine safety production. In this study, a temperature-sensitive intelligent gel was synthesised from methylcellulose (MC), polyethene glycol (PEG) and sodium chloride (NaCl). The flow characteristics of temperature-sensitive intelligent gel (abbreviated as TSIG) under different conditions were analyzed by viscosity test. An infrared spectrometer also analyzed the microscopic flame retardant mechanism of temperature-sensitive intelligent gel. A large-scale simulation fire extinguishing test bench was designed at the coal mine site to analyze the flame retardant effect of the temperature-sensitive intelligent gel on coal oxidation reaction at different injection temperatures. The results show that the temperature-sensitive intelligent gel undergoes a liquid–solid phase transition at a temperature higher than 60 °C. When MC: PEG: NaCl = 1: 6: 5, the temperature-sensitive intelligent gel showed the best flow characteristics. The large-scale simulation fire extinguishing experiments show that the CO concentration is significantly reduced after the temperature-sensitive intelligent gel is injected at the coal temperature of 300–900 ℃, and both show excellent fire extinguishing effects. The addition of temperature-sensitive intelligent gel can inhibit the number of free radicals in the process of coal oxidation, block the chain reaction of coal spontaneous combustion, and comprehensively inhibit the process of coal spontaneous combustion. The research results provided theoretical support for the application of temperature-sensitive intelligent gel in coal spontaneous combustion areas. Additionally, they guided the design of temperature-sensitive intelligent gel to prevent coal spontaneous combustion technology.

Characterization of gliding arc plasma ignition in aeroengine swirl combustion chamber

Gliding arc plasma-enhanced combustion is a relatively new combustion technology. This paper describes a gliding arc plasma combustion dome that improves the ignition characteristics of aeroengines. The ignition characteristics are studied using an experimental platform consisting of a single-combustion-dome swirl combustion chamber. A flame spontaneous radiation imaging technique is adopted to collect the C2* groups formed during the ignition process. We focus on the ignition mode, flame kernel propagation mechanism, ignition delay time, and ignition boundary of the gliding arc ignition process. The gliding arc ignition process has five stages with different characteristics: flame kernel stabilization, flame kernel expansion, intense combustion, combustion decay, and stable combustion. During the flame kernel propagation stage, the main flame kernel in the combustion dome splits into flame kernel 1, located in the recirculation zone of the upper wall, and flame kernel 2, located in the recirculation zone of the lower wall under the action of airflow. The main flame kernel reflects the direct action of the gliding arc. Unconsumed energy and active particles included in the main flame kernel are added to flame kernels 1 and 2 through sporadic splitting of the main kernel. This promotes the expansion rate of the fire nucleus in the combustion chamber. Compared with electric spark ignition, gliding arc plasma-enhanced combustion significantly widens the ignition boundary and shortens the ignition delay time of the combustion chamber. The ignition delay time can be shortened by up to 81.53% under an inlet flow rate of 55 m/s and a residual gas coefficient of 3; the ignition boundary can be widened by a maximum of 115.9% under an inlet flow rate of 5 m/s.

Novel CO2 capture pathway for SOFC-based distributed energy systems: Collaborative water-gas-shift membrane reactor and oxy-fuel combustion technologies

Novel CO2 capture pathway for SOFC-based distributed energy systems: Collaborative water-gas-shift membrane reactor and oxy-fuel combustion technologies

Flow characteristics analysis and combustion oscillation mitigation of a hydrogen industrial burner

With the promotion of carbon neutrality policies, hydrogen burners are widely used in the industrial field, and exploring the combustion characteristics and stable combustion technology of hydrogen industrial burners has important engineering application significance. This study investigates the flow characteristics and combustion oscillation mitigation of a specific hydrogen industrial burner for heating thermal oil through experiments and numerical simulations. The oscillating combustion with a frequency of 100 Hz is discovered during the field test. The dynamic characteristics are reproduced via large eddy simulation (LES), and the pressure amplitude is reduced by 22% via the active control strategy. LES results show that corner recirculation zone and main recirculation zone occur in the flame holding chamber, with maximum recirculation velocity and maximum temperature of −20 m/s and 2110 K, respectively. The unstable modes and key elementary reactions are revealed by modal analysis and eigen-analysis. The clustered neural network with horizons (CNNH) controller is constructed to suppress the combustion instability. The CNNH controller can effectively suppress the pressure oscillation by perturbing the inlet mass flow rate of main H2, reducing the peak amplitude in the frequency domain by 67%. By optimizing the controller parameters, the CNNH controller can be further applied to different scenarios of hydrogen industrial burners.

Effect of Reaction Conditions on Nitrogen Conversion During Char-O2/NO Combustion

ABSTRACT Nitrogen conversion during char-O2 combustion with a high initial-NO concentration (char-O2/NO combustion) is an important issue for low-NOx technologies and oxy-fuel combustion technologies, such as air/fuel-staged and flue gas recycling combustion. This study employed both experimental and numerical methods to investigate the mechanisms of N conversion and formation during char-O2/NO combustion. In the numerical model, the mass and heat transfer processes are governed by unsteady convection-diffusion partial differential equations. The numerical results agree well with the experimental findings, assuming NO is the sole primary N-containing product. Based on the numerical results, the effects of reaction conditions on N conversion were decoupled. As the O2/fuel stoichiometric ratio increases, the char-N release rate substantially rises, and the shrinkage of pore surface area becomes significant, leading to poorer NO reduction performance. With an increase in initial-NO concentration, the apparent conversion of char-N to NO decreases, while the NO reduction efficiency remains almost unchanged. Due to the lower temperature sensitivity of mass transfer limitations in the char-NO reaction compared to the char-O2 reaction, NO reduction performance is enhanced at higher reaction temperatures.

Investigation of the flow characteristics and NOx formation mechanism of hydrogen micromix diffusion combustion with vortex generator

It is well established that hydrogen has become one of the most promising fuels for achieving zero-carbon emissions. However, hydrogen combustion still faces many challenges, particularly the flashback issue and high NOx emissions, which necessitate the exploration of hydrogen combustion technologies and pollution control measures. This paper proposes a micromix diffusion combustion scheme with a disturbance vortex generator (DVG). The flow characteristics of the micromix element were analyzed, including the velocity distribution, penetration depth, jet vortex length, and vortex structure. It was found that DVG would create an air streamwise vortex within the main airflow, thus accelerating the axial velocity decay and facilitating the penetration of hydrogen. The hydrogen jet vortex rolls up the mainstream air, forming a coupled vortex system, which further enhances mixing. Sensitivity analysis was carried out to study the influences of the key parameters of the micromix element. The hydrogen injection hole diameter and the DVG height were found to be the most influential factors. The interactions between vortex, flame, and NOx were investigated to obtain the mechanism of NOx formation. By conducting a comparative analysis of the effects of the hydrogen orifice diameter and the vortex generator height, it has been observed that augmenting the length of the jet vortex can significantly promote the mixing of hydrogen with the mainstream air, playing an essential role in reducing emissions. This study establishes a solid foundation for future research endeavors in the development of micromix diffusion combustors.

Vacuum-dried precursor to combustion synthesis CuO- based oxygen carriers with less NOx pollutant and its cyclic performance in chemical looping combustion

Chemical-looping combustion (CLC) technology is considered a promising combustion method with inherent CO2 capture. In this study, the sol-gel method and combustion synthesis were employed to produce precursor materials (P) of CuO-based oxygen carriers (OCs). The effects of vacuum drying conditions on both NOx emissions from precursor combustion and oxygen carrier cycle reaction characteristics were investigated. Vacuum-dried precursors emitted less NOx during the precursor calcination process. At a heating rate of 1 °C/min, the vacuum-dried precursors exhibited an average reduction of 24.13 % in NOx emissions compared with those prepared through atmospheric pressure drying. An increased amount of Cu2(OH)3NO3 in the precursor results in greater heat release during the self-propagating high-temperature combustion synthesis used to synthesize the oxygen carrier. Furthermore, the complete combustion of the nitrogen-containing precursor leads to a reduction in the emission of NOx. CuO-based OCs exhibited stable redox reactions over 10 cycles. Vacuum drying enhanced CH4 conversion and CO2 yield of OC1 by 14.04 % and 13.21 %, respectively, compared to atmospheric pressure drying. The results indicate that the CuO-based OCs obtained through vacuum-dried significantly enhance redox properties. This study shows that vacuum-dried reduces NOx emissions from nitrogen precursors and enhances the cyclic efficiency of OCs from precursor combustion.

(Invited) A Retrospective View of the Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell from Renaissance to Commercialization

Initial development of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) by General Electric in the 1960s and subsequent development of the technology and materials through into the 1980s showed the possibility of commercial applications. However, application of the technology during this time was mainly limited to the Gemini space program with subsequent shelving of the technology for about 20 years. From the late 1980s onwards there has been increasing activity and progress towards commercialization of PEMFC technology in a number of applications. The advancement of PEM electrolysis has also certainly benefited from earlier work on the PEM fuel cell. In some commercial applications today fuel cell technology is already competitive on an economic basis with established and highly developed incumbent technologies such as combustion technologies and other forms of power generation and storage. However, PEM technology faces other implementation challenges such as distribution and infrastructure availability. As fuel cells and electrolyzers move into full commercialization other new opportunities are arising in connecting the “Chemical Economy” with the “Electricity Economy” such as grid energy storage using power to gas, penetration of renewables into the energy mix, and chemical conversion. This is particularly important for the Net Zero 2050 plan, where fuel cells and electrolyzers along with batteries will be key electrochemical engines for the 21st Century.Significant progress has been made with the PEMFC over the last 35 years in a number of technical areas including reliability, durability, cost reduction, operational flexibility, technology flexibility and integration, fundamental understanding, and life cycle impact. This presentation will cover some of the key developments and learnings over this period of time and provide perspectives on the progress that has been made towards commercialization. Technical progress would include such important areas as precious metal catalyst loading reduction and alternatives, reformate operation, increased power density, freeze start capability, cell reversal tolerance, and water management. In addition to a retrospective view, some of the potential future research and development directions being taken to modify conventional PEMFC technology will also be discussed.

Novel technology of electric combustion of pulverized coal and prospects of its use with small additions of hydrogen to ensure ignition of low-grade fuels

Coal-fired generation has long been, and still is, one of the leaders in global power generation. According to the International Energy Agency at the moment the share of coal-fired generation is about 39%.Despite the global trend of decarbonization, global coal-fired power generation is steadily growing. In 2019, coal-fired generation grew by about 1.5%. As of 2019, the world's proven coal reserves are concentrated in the United States (23%), the Russian Federation (15%), Australia (14%), and China (13%), amounting to about 1070 billion tons. In 2020, due to the pandemic of a new coronavirus infection, coal-fired power generation has been slightly reduced. Low-grade coals such as brown coals or lignite make up more than 40% of the world's reserves [4–6]. Which suggests the need to switch to burning these types of coals. Consumption of high-sulfur viscous fuel oils as starting, reserve or main fuel leads to emissions of such harmful substances as benz(a)pyrene and vanadium pentoxide in addition to toxic sulfur oxides, nitrogen and carbon. When sulfur oxides are formed, the dew point temperature of flue gases increases, which leads to the formation of sulfuric acid and, as a consequence, to frequent repairs of tail parts of boiler units due to their corrosion. Composition of flue gases at oil combustion also depends on its quality: its content of sulfur, nitrogen, metals, polycycloarenes, etc. The same replacement of liquid fuel at start-ups of pulverized coal-fired boiler units and maintenance of pulverized coal flare combustion will reduce the fire hazard of the production process, the operating costs of TPP, the environmental hazards of gaseous products of co-combustion of liquid and solid fuels. The article presents a review of modern technologies for firing up pulverized coal-fired boiler units, as well as presents the original technology of electric ignition and the results of tests on the laboratory bench.