Oxygen control system for oxygen enhanced combustion of solid fuels

A combustion system comprising:

• a burner system having at least one burner elements configured to combust solid fuel;
• more than one oxygen providing devices configured to receive oxygen from an oxygen source and to introduce oxygen into the near burner zone of burner flames;
• a sensor arranged and disposed remote from the burner flames in order to measure a flame parameter in the near burner zone of the burner flame associated with the burner elements;
• a controller in communication with the sensor, the oxygen source and the oxygen providing devices;
• and
• wherein the controller is configured to receive signals from the sensor corresponding to the flame parameter, determine an oxygen flow in response to the flame parameter and provide the oxygen flow with the oxygen providing devices.

A boiler system comprising:

• a combustion chamber configured to receive combustion of a solid fuel;
• a combustion system comprising:
• a burner system comprising at least one burner elements configured to combust solid fuel;
• more than one oxygen providing devices configured to receive oxygen from an oxygen source, which produces an oxygen predominant stream, and to introduce oxygen into the near burner zone of flames;
• a sensor arranged and disposed remote from the burner flames in order to measure a flame parameter in the near burner zone of the burner flame associated with the burner elements;
• a controller in communication with the sensor and the oxygen providing devices;
• and
• wherein the controller is configured to receive signals from the sensor corresponding to the flame parameter, determine an oxygen flow in response to the flame parameter and provide the oxygen flow with the oxygen providing devices.

A method for operating a combustion system burning solid fuel comprising:

• providing a burner system comprising at least one burner element that is configured to combust solid fuel;
• providing at least one oxygen providing device configured to introduce an oxygen enriched stream into the near burner zone of burner flames;
• providing a sensor arranged and disposed remote from the burner flames in order to measure a flame parameter in the near burner zone of the burner flame associated with the at least one burner element;
• measuring the flame parameter with the sensor;
• determining an oxygen flow in response to the measured flame parameter;
• and
• introducing the oxygen enriched stream flew to one or more locations in the combustion system with the oxygen providing devices.