Using vortex burner devices to reduce emissions of harmful substances in thermal power engineering
Askarova Georgiev A. Bolegenova S. Nugymanova A. Maximov V. Bolegenova S. Berdikhan K.
1 February 2026Elsevier Ltd
Energy
2026#344
A study examined the effect of a swirling pulverized-coal flow on heat and mass transfer in the furnace of the BKZ-75 boiler at the Shakhtinsk thermal power plant (Kazakhstan), operating on high-ash coal (ash content >35 %). Two air–fuel supply configurations were considered: a conventional straight-through scheme with burners on opposite walls and a modified swirling scheme with burners inclined at 30° toward the boilers center. The novelty of the work lies in the first application of an integrated systems-based approach that combines theory, digital modeling (digital twins), computational experiments, IT tools, and 3D visualization, validated against both experimental and theoretical data. This approach enabled a detailed evaluation of the impact of swirl on heat and mass transfer, as well as environmental performance, during high-ash coal combustion in a real industrial boiler. The results show that swirl significantly redistributes velocity, temperature, and species concentration fields in the furnace. It expands the high-temperature zone, increases flame core temperature, and lowers the outlet temperature, improving thermal performance and reducing local thermal loads. For the BKZ-75 boiler, pollutant emissions are reduced compared with the straight-through scheme: CO by ∼15 %, SO2 by 7 %, and NO2 by 20 %. The study confirms that optimizing flame aerodynamics through the use of pulverized-coal swirl enhances combustion efficiency and reduces environmental impact when using low-quality, high-ash coals at operating thermal power plants.
Carbon monoxide , Combustion , Direct-flow and vortex burners , Nitrogen and sulfur dioxide , Temperature , Thermal power plant
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Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Department of Thermal Physics and Technical Physics, Al-Farabi Av., 71, Almaty, 050040, Kazakhstan
University of Telecommunications and Posts, Department of General Engineering, 1 Akad. Stefan Mladenov str., Sofia, 1700, Bulgaria
Al-Farabi Kazakh National University
University of Telecommunications and Posts
10 лет помогаем публиковать статьи Международный издатель
Книга Публикация научной статьи Волощук 2026 Book Publication of a scientific article 2026