Method and apparatus for reducing emission of nitrogen oxides from a combustion system

An apparatus for controlling the emissions of nitrogen oxides from combustion systems, comprising:

• at least one nozzle assembly having an array of openings for delivering droplets of a fluid chemical agent to said combustion system, said openings being arranged to prevent droplet collisions, and wherein diameter of each droplet is controlled by the equation:
• D = 1.89 ⁢ D j ⁡ [ 1 + 3 ⁢ μ l ( σρ l ⁢ D j ) 1 / 2 ]
• where,
• D=droplet diameter
• Dj=jet diameter
• μl=liquid viscosity
• ρl=liquid density
• σ=liquid surface tension;
• and
• a controller operatively coupled to said at least one nozzle assembly for exciting the fluid delivered to the nozzle and providing additional control over the droplet size and distribution.

A method for controlling the emissions of nitrogen oxides from a combustion system, comprising:

• arranging the openings of a nozzle to prevent droplet collisions;
• controlling the fluid delivered to the nozzle;
• exciting the fluid delivered to the nozzle for controlling the droplet size and distribution;
• and
• delivering droplets of fluid chemical agent to the combustion system.

In a gas turbine of the type having a combustor, at least one nozzle assembly having an array of openings, a method for controlling the emissions of nitrogen oxides from the combustor comprising:

• arranging the openings of said array to prevent droplet collisions;
• controlling the fluid delivered to each nozzle;
• exciting the fluid delivered to said at least one nozzle for controlling the droplet size and distribution;
• and
• delivering droplets of fluid chemical agent to the combustor.