ClearSign Combustion has developed an innovative solution to reducing pollution at power plants — use electricity to control the plant’s combustion chamber fire.
Pollution at power plants is generally due to one of two reasons. Either the flame is too hot, which can lead to the formation of nitrogen oxides, which leads to smog. Or, on the other hand, if there is an incomplete burn (the result of a poor mixing of fuel and air), soot is created, which gets projected up and out the plant’s smokestack.
ClearSign’s solution is to put two electrodes in the combustion chamber. Doing this generates an electric field, which can be used to alter the path of positively and negatively charged ions in the flame, for the purpose of creating a more perfect burn.
So far in tests, the electrodes have proven capable of controlling the shape of flames, which can be used to burn more fuel, and leave less behind.
ClearSign’s technology requires high voltages, but just a little amount of current. According to the company, the electric power used is only a small percentage of what’s in the actual flame.
Now, given that the plant’s flames are burning with more efficiency, ClearSign’s technology will also likely eliminate the need for filters and other pollution control technologies. These tend to be very expensive to install and are often a hindrance in developing nations, where it can cost too much money to retrofit older plants with new filters. This, in turn, leads to the higher levels of pollution in these areas.
ClearSign has not done much in terms of commercializing their technology yet, though the company did recently sign a development agreement with Grandeg, a Eurpean company that makes wood-pellet burners.
The company’s quarterly report noted that ClearSign is in talks with several customers, most of which are power and waste disposal companies.
Story via: technologyreview.com
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