Numerical study of coal particle ignition in air and oxy-atmosphere

The ignition and combustion of coal particles are investigated numerically under conventional and oxy-fuel atmospheres. Devolatilization is computed using the chemical percolation devolatilization (CPD) model. The CPD model is coupled with a Lagrangian particle tracking method in the framework of a multiphysics, multiscale Navier–Stokes solver. Combustion in the gas phase is described using finite rate chemistry. The numerical results for ignition are compared with available experimental data and a remarkably good agreement is observed. The effect on flame ignition of the different phases characterizing the release of volatile gases is assessed. These different phases manifest themselves in two distinct peaks in the devolatilization rate and it is observed that ignition can occur during the first volatile release or on the onset of the second, depending on the particle size and gas temperature. It is found that an increase of ignition delay time in oxy-atmosphere compared to the air case is related to the depletion of radicals that react with the abundant carbon dioxide of the oxy-atmosphere, while the increased heat capacity of the mixture does not play a role.