Abstract: In the context of global energy transition and carbon neutrality goals, ammonia serves as an efficient hydrogen carrier with advantages such as mature storage, transportation technologies, and a well-established industrial base. However, its application is limited by its low combustion reaction rate and high NOx emissions. To improve pure ammonia combustion performance, swirl and staged combustion methods are commonly employed, yet research on ammonia swirl flames under radial staging modes remains limited. To investigate the influence of different combustion organization methods on ammonia swirl combustion, a self-designed dual-swirl burner was used in this study. By adjusting the operating conditions of the inner and outer secondary air, stable ammonia diffusion and staged swirl flames were achieved. A digital camera and an ICCD camera were used to capture macroscopic flame images and chemiluminescence images of OH* and NH2*, while a Gasmet gas analyzer measured the composition of flue gases. The study systematically examined the effects of different combustion configurations on flame characteristics and pollutant emissions. The results indicate that in diffusion flames, as the global equivalence ratio increases, flame height decreases, lift-off height increases, the signals for OH* and NH2* intensify, and NOx and NH3 emissions first increase and then decrease. In staged flames, as the local equivalence ratio increases, flame height and radical signals show non-monotonic variations, NOx emissions first rise then fall and rise again, while NH3 slip first decreases and then increases. When the global equivalence ratio increases, staged flame height decreases, chemiluminescence signals strengthen, NOx emissions first increase and then decrease, and NH3 slip rises. Compared with diffusion flames, staged flames exhibit greater flame height, zero lift-off height, higher NOx emissions, and lower ammonia slip. The findings of this study provide experimental evidence and theoretical support for the application of ammonia fuel in swirl burners of coal-fired power plants.