Research and development of natural draft ultra low emissions burners for gas appliances
Reducing emissions from residential cooking with a cost-effective and passive low NOx control technology
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Recipient
Berkeley, CA
Recipient Location
9th
Senate District
15th
Assembly District
$251,770
Amount Spent
Completed
Project Status
Project Result
The researcher adapted a simple, cost-effective, and passive low NOx control technology developed by LBNL for NASA's microgravity combustion program, a Ring-Stabilizer Burner, to residential cooking applications. This low emission burner technology can also be adapted to hot water heaters; furnaces, space heaters, and small boilers.
The Issue
This project targeted residential and commercial appliances because they have been exempt from stringent air emission regulations. These appliances emit about 80 to 90 parts per million (ppm) NOx (corrected to 3% oxygen (O2)), while ultra-clean industrial gas equipment emits less than 9 ppm NOx @ 3 % O2. This is due to the fact that these consumer-grade devices cannot afford the elaborate active and passive pollutant control technologies developed in the last three decades for the larger commercial and industrial systems.
Project Innovation
The contractor performed research to adopt a cost-effective passive NOx control technology developed by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Microgravity Combustion Program, called the ring stabilizer, for natural-draft operation. The research was able to develop and characterize a natural draft burner suited to residential and commercial cooking appliances that significantly reduces NOx emissions. This development will assist manufacturers to move towards the South Coast Air Quality Management District's (SCAQMD's) 80% NOx reduction target.
Project Benefits
This project provided a technical solution to significantly reducing NOx emissions for natural drat residential and commercial cooking and other appliances. This research resulted in a technology that can be cost-effectively commercialized for many applications. The benefit to California natural gas ratepayers is a reduction of NOx emissions, greatly improving air quality.
Environmental Sustainability
This project developed and characterized a natural draft burner suited to residential and commercial cooking appliances that significantly reduced NOx emissions, moving towards the South Coast Air Quality Management District's 80% NOx reduction target.
Key Project Members
