Fuel oil atomizer and method for discharging atomized fuel oil

摘要

A two phase fuel oil atomizer is disclosed which utilizes a secondary media such as high pressure steam or air to assist in the atomization of fuel oil, such as heavy fuel oil, while reducing NOx and other polluting emissions. The fuel oil atomizer comprises a mixing plate (10) and a sprayer plate (50) which are configured to discharge atomized fuel oil at varying spray angles in order to provide staging of the atomized fuel as it exits the sprayer plate with the surrounding combustion chamber air to provide a fuel/air ratio that is appropriately rich and lean in order to allow lower flame temperatures. NOx generation is accordingly reduced at the lower flame temperatures. With atomized fuel droplet size small enough to enable rapid fuel evaporation and complete combustion, minimum CO and particulate generation is achieved with a minimum excess oxygen level required. This low oxygen level also prevents the conversion of organically bound fuel nitrogen to NOx emissions compared to a conventional atomizer, without any adverse impact (often improving) emissions of CO, particulates, and opacity. <IMAGE>