ClearSign Combustion has demonstrated the capabilities of its Duplex burner architecture at a scale that the emissions control technology company says can be applied across several segments of the industrial combustion market.
Operating at a heat release of 5mmBtu/h and temperatures above 1,600F, ClearSign says its Duplex burner limited nitrogen oxide emissions from natural gas to less than 5 parts per million and carbon monoxide to near-zero levels. This was accomplished with less than 3 percent oxygen in the stack, and without the use of any external flue gas recirculation, unlike existing Low NOx or UltraLow NOx burners, which typically require increased levels of one or both. The demonstration was conducted in a natural draft furnace in an up-fired configuration typical of refinery heaters.
The company says it is in negotiations with both prospective commercial partners and customers in each of these segments.
According to ClearSign chief technology officer Joe Colannino, the company’s mission has been to develop technologies and products that will set new standards for both environmental performance and cost effectiveness. Historically, reducing NOx has come with increased operating costs, he says, adding that the Duplex technology reduces NOx while providing savings in plant operations.
Late last year, the company demonstrated an 80 percent to 90 percent reduction in NOx emissions by retrofitting a conventional off-the-shelf commercial burner in a system designed to closely resemble a standard commercial firetube boiler.