Natural gas combustion furnaces with air and flue gas mixing: Numerical study and industrial application

Precise control of the outlet temperature in combustion furnaces is essential for optimizing energy utilization efficiency. This study develops a representative CFD model for a natural gas combustion furnace, considering the heat transfer during the mixing of air and flue gas. The model validation w...

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Main Authors: Zechen Lu, Xiang Li, Zhihao Tang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-09-01
Series:Case Studies in Thermal Engineering
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214157X25008986
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author Zechen Lu
Xiang Li
Zhihao Tang
author_facet Zechen Lu
Xiang Li
Zhihao Tang
author_sort Zechen Lu
collection DOAJ
description Precise control of the outlet temperature in combustion furnaces is essential for optimizing energy utilization efficiency. This study develops a representative CFD model for a natural gas combustion furnace, considering the heat transfer during the mixing of air and flue gas. The model validation was conducted, with numerical results showing excellent agreement with experimental data. The flow field characteristics of combustion furnaces with three different structures were investigated using the developed CFD model. Based on the simulation results, the optimization schemes are proposed. The simulation results demonstrated that in Case 1, the gases temperature gradients showing a radial increase from the peripheral region to the core zone, resulting in insufficient temperature regulation. For Case 2, the outlet thermal distribution presented significant heterogeneity, accompanied by moderate accuracy in temperature control. In comparison, Case 3 demonstrates that the gas forms a helical flow structure, which helps to promote gas heat exchange, thereby achieving more uniform thermal distribution and superior temperature regulation. Consequently, Case 3 was selected for industrial application. The operational data of commercial scale gas combustion furnaces indicate that the outlet temperature field exhibits a high degree of uniformity, while the emissions of nitrogen oxides meet environmental standards.
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institution Kabale University
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publishDate 2025-09-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Case Studies in Thermal Engineering
spelling doaj-art-8d23e984d36f4e3abb63fcd9ebe0c96c2025-08-20T03:50:22ZengElsevierCase Studies in Thermal Engineering2214-157X2025-09-017310663810.1016/j.csite.2025.106638Natural gas combustion furnaces with air and flue gas mixing: Numerical study and industrial applicationZechen Lu0Xiang Li1Zhihao Tang2Corresponding author.; School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Shenyang University of Chemical Technology, 110142, Shenyang, ChinaSchool of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Shenyang University of Chemical Technology, 110142, Shenyang, ChinaSchool of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Shenyang University of Chemical Technology, 110142, Shenyang, ChinaPrecise control of the outlet temperature in combustion furnaces is essential for optimizing energy utilization efficiency. This study develops a representative CFD model for a natural gas combustion furnace, considering the heat transfer during the mixing of air and flue gas. The model validation was conducted, with numerical results showing excellent agreement with experimental data. The flow field characteristics of combustion furnaces with three different structures were investigated using the developed CFD model. Based on the simulation results, the optimization schemes are proposed. The simulation results demonstrated that in Case 1, the gases temperature gradients showing a radial increase from the peripheral region to the core zone, resulting in insufficient temperature regulation. For Case 2, the outlet thermal distribution presented significant heterogeneity, accompanied by moderate accuracy in temperature control. In comparison, Case 3 demonstrates that the gas forms a helical flow structure, which helps to promote gas heat exchange, thereby achieving more uniform thermal distribution and superior temperature regulation. Consequently, Case 3 was selected for industrial application. The operational data of commercial scale gas combustion furnaces indicate that the outlet temperature field exhibits a high degree of uniformity, while the emissions of nitrogen oxides meet environmental standards.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214157X25008986Combustion furnaceNatural gasMixing of air and flue gasCFD modelIndustrial applications
spellingShingle Zechen Lu
Xiang Li
Zhihao Tang
Natural gas combustion furnaces with air and flue gas mixing: Numerical study and industrial application
Case Studies in Thermal Engineering
Combustion furnace
Natural gas
Mixing of air and flue gas
CFD model
Industrial applications
title Natural gas combustion furnaces with air and flue gas mixing: Numerical study and industrial application
title_full Natural gas combustion furnaces with air and flue gas mixing: Numerical study and industrial application
title_fullStr Natural gas combustion furnaces with air and flue gas mixing: Numerical study and industrial application
title_full_unstemmed Natural gas combustion furnaces with air and flue gas mixing: Numerical study and industrial application
title_short Natural gas combustion furnaces with air and flue gas mixing: Numerical study and industrial application
title_sort natural gas combustion furnaces with air and flue gas mixing numerical study and industrial application
topic Combustion furnace
Natural gas
Mixing of air and flue gas
CFD model
Industrial applications
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214157X25008986
work_keys_str_mv AT zechenlu naturalgascombustionfurnaceswithairandfluegasmixingnumericalstudyandindustrialapplication
AT xiangli naturalgascombustionfurnaceswithairandfluegasmixingnumericalstudyandindustrialapplication
AT zhihaotang naturalgascombustionfurnaceswithairandfluegasmixingnumericalstudyandindustrialapplication