Greener Natural Gas | Green Energy News

July 27, 2003 – Vol.8 No.18

GREENER NATURAL GAS.

Though considered fairly clean burning and producing fewer greenhouse gas emissions than other fossil fuels, in terms of emissions there’s room for improvement with natural gas.

A new burner design that can be used in natural gas burning devices, such as hot waters, boilers, even gas turbines, has 10 to 100 times lower emissions of nitrogen oxides. Developed by researcher Robert Cheng at Berkeley Labs, the ultra-clean, low swirl burner (UCLSB) uses a novel combustion method that premixes air and natural gas in the correct ratio to burn completely when the mixture when reaches the flame. The flame is detached from the burner - it floats above it - which aids in energy efficiency. Energy is not wasted in heating the burner and since the burner doesn’t get hot, cheap easily manufactured materials can be used to make the UCLSB burners, such as plastic.

The burner technology is already being commercialized by one company, and Berkeley labs would like to license the technology to others through its Technology Transfer Program. Visit Berkeley lab news at http://enews.lbl.gov/ .