A validation of computational fluid dynamics temperature distribution prediction in a pulverized coal boiler with acoustic temperature measurement Norbert Modlinski a, * , Pawel Madejski b , Tomasz Janda b , Krzysztof Szczepanek b , Wlodzimierz Kordylewski a a Division of Boilers, Combustion and Energy Processes, Faculty of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Wroclaw University of Technology, Poland b Research and Development, EDF Polska S.A., Poland article info Article history: Received 15 December 2014 Received in revised form 25 April 2015 Accepted 21 May 2015 Available online xxx Keywords: Computational Fluid Dynamics Pulverized coal Front-fired boiler Acoustic Pyrometry abstract The main objective of this work was to examine the capability of CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) on properly predicting temperature distribution in the combustion chamber. Numerous approaches were employed to verify CFD models of large-scale utility boilers. Furnace Exit Gas Temperature is one of the key values used for verification studies. Harsh environment and large dimensions inside the furnace make temperature measurement a complex task. Traditionally used suction pyrometry provides only local information. With this technique, while extremely accurate, it is practically impossible to obtain a representative temperature distribution at the furnace exit as measurements in different locations are not taken at the same time. Acoustic Pyrometry technique is the most appropriate for comprehensive CFD flame shape prediction verification. Not only average temperature value in a certain boiler cross- section can be continuously measured but also its complete two-dimensional distribution. CFD code was used to simulate the OP-650 front-fired boiler operation. The boiler is equipped with Acoustic Gas Temperature Measuring system located in a horizontal plane approximately 4 m under the furnace exit. Comparison of simulation results with measurements proves good accuracy of CFD results. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction According to the International Energy Agency, coal will become the world's top source of energy, before oil, in the coming years [1]. Global coal consumption will grow by 1.1% per annum by 2035, driven mainly by non-OECD countries [2]. Although deployment of renewables, need to improve coal plant efficiency and increase in natural gas utilization tends to decrease coal consumption in OECD, coal will long remain a key energy fuel for electricity generation in a number of developed countries. Albeit pulverized-fuel firing technology was first established almost a century ago, researchers and boiler operators still look for a reliable tool able to describe complex phenomena inside the furnace, including gasesolid flow, combustion and heat transfer. Performance and environmental concerns as well as utility main- tenance issues have increased the use of CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) codes to investigate and understand processes inside large scale boilers. CFD application to pulverized coal combustion has been extensively applied. Boyd [3] presented a fully three-dimensional model of a tangentially-fired furnace almost 30 years ago. How- ever, detailed validation studies of pulverized coal combustion simulations have been mostly concerned with pilot scale combus- tors. Andre et al. [4] carried out a mathematical modeling of a 2.4 MW swirling pulverized coal flame. Experimental measure- ments provided comprehensive data on velocity components in the near-burner zone, temperature, radiative heat flux and species distribution along the furnace. Hashimoto et al. [5] proposed a novel approach to devolatilization modeling. Suggested tabulated- devolatilization-process model was validated by performing simulation of a pulverized coal combustion field behind a low-NO x burner in a 100 kg-coal/h test furnace. The results show that drastic differences in the gas flow patterns and coal particle behavior * Corresponding author. Division of Boilers, Combustion and Energy Processes, Faculty of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Wroclaw University of Technology, 27 Wybrzeze Wyspianskiego St, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland. Tel.: þ48 606 219 270; fax: þ48 71 328 38 18. E-mail address: norbert.modlinski@pwr.edu.pl (N. Modlinski). Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Energy journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/energy http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2015.05.124 0360-5442/© 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Energy xxx (2015) 1e10 Please cite this article in press as: Modlinski N, et al., A validation of computational fluid dynamics temperature distribution prediction in a pulverized coal boiler with acoustic temperaturemeasurement, Energy (2015), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2015.05.124