"Burnett" hydrogen turned safe fuel

Tame the irritating hydrogen and use it to burn the boiler? Many foreign companies are not doing well, but the 711th Institute of China Shipbuilding Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. has done it. The reporter learned from the unit that their self-designed, fully domestically produced hydrogen boilers have been operating safely for 16,000 hours in Shanghai chlor-alkali chemical subordinate factories, resulting in an economic benefit of 48 million yuan.

China is the largest chlor-alkali chemical country in the world with the highest capacity, and the by-product hydrogen produced by it is nearly 100 billion cubic meters per year. Because hydrogen is flammable and explosive, as long as the air-to-air mixing ratio is between 4 and 74%, explosions are very easy. Therefore, few people dare to use it as boiler fuel. Even the most advanced hydrogen boilers designed by foreign manufacturers exist. Insufficient combustion and other defects.

But the high calorific value of hydrogen is not a pity to let go. The 711 energy equipment division researchers who have always paid attention to the research and development of environmental protection and energy-saving technologies have "pulled on this piece of hard bones" since 2006 and have come up with a set of technical solutions.

First of all, to prevent hydrogen from coming into contact with air prior to combustion. Secondly, with specially designed nozzles, hydrogen and air are fully “closely contacted” in the furnace and burned as much as possible. Finally, the exhaust gas is discharged more smoothly, preventing residual hydrogen from accumulating in the atmosphere. Exhaust pipe "provoke trouble." The researchers also modified the traditional hearth and “wrapped” it with a “coat” that was “knitted” by a cooling water pipe to take full advantage of the heat radiated by hydrogen in the combustion process, generating more water vapor for chemical production.

The economic benefits of "taming" hydrogen are significant. In 2009, 711 provided two hydrogen boilers for the 150,000 tpa/year caustic soda plant of Huasheng Chemical Plant of Shanghai Chlor-Alkali Chemical Co., Ltd. The steam produced by the hydrogen boiler was put into caustic soda production. In the past two years, the boiler has been operating safely for more than 16,000 hours. According to the current market price of water vapor of 300 yuan/ton, it is equivalent to saving about 48 million yuan for chemical plants.

Today, the 711 researchers have begun to design more advanced hydrogen boilers, hoping to recycle the steam generated after the hydrogen is burned. This part of the water vapor temperature is as high as 150°C, and the use value is quite high. This will further enhance the ability of hydrogen boilers to turn waste into treasure.