Inthisstudy,aporousinsertedregenerativethermaloxidizer(PRTO)systemwasdevelopedfora125kWindustrialcopper-meltingfurnace,duetoitsadvantagesoflowNOxemissionsandhighradiantefficiency.Zirconiumdioxide(ZrO2)ceramicfoamswereplacedintothecombustionzoneofaregenerativethermaloxidizer(RTO).DifferentperformancecharacteristicsoftheRTOandPRTOsystems,includingpressuredrop,temperaturedistribution,emissions,andenergyefficiency,wereevaluatedtostudytheeffectsoftheporousinsertsonnon-premixedCH4combustion.ItwasfoundthatthePRTOsystemachievedasignificantreductionintheNOxemissionlevelandafuelsavingofapproximately30%comparedtotheRTOsystem.Itismostsuitableforaleancombustionprocessatanequivalenceratio<0.4withNOxandCOemissionlevelswithin0.002%-0.003%and0.001%-0.002%,respectively.
