Combustion characteristics of different parts of corn straw and NO formation in a fixed bed

Experiments with five samples of corn straw were carried out on a one-dimensional bench combustion test rig. The bed temperature distribution and the mass loss of fuel and gas components such as O2, CO, CO2 and NO were measured in the bed. The combustion of corn straw occurred in two stages, ignition front propagation and char oxidation. The average burning rate increased with an increase in the primary air flow until a critical point was reached, beyond which a further increase in the primary air flow resulted in a decreased burning rate. The mean concentration of NO reached a minimum value and then increased with increased primary air flow. The time taken for the drying front to reach the bottom of the bed was 800 s, 700 s, and 500 s; the temperatures in the high bed temperature zones were 900–935 C, 800–850 C and 700–743 C; and the maximum concentrations of NO were 725 ppmv, 1287 ppmv, and 2730 ppmv, for whole corn stalks, hollow corn stalks and flaked corn stalks, respectively. The maximum concentrations of CO and NO were quite different between samples. There was only one peak in the distribution of NO concentration for sample B, but there were two peaks for whole corn stalks and sample A.