Large Eddy Simulation of rich ammonia/hydrogen/air combustion in a gas turbine burner

Ammonia and hydrogen are promoted as potential energy carriers for centralized energy restitution. This article investigates ammonia/hydrogen/air premixed turbulent combustion, using Large-Eddy Simulations, in an academic atmospheric gas turbine swirled burner. A one-dimensional flame analysis demonstrates the existence of a trade-off in NOX and NH3 emissions for ammonia/hydrogen blends, and the possibility to obtain 1D flame propagation characteristics close to that of a lean methane flame by adjusting the amount of H-2. Large-Eddy Simulations of the PRECCINSTA burner exhibit stable combustion, while the optimized trade-off equivalence ratio is pinpointed at f = 1.46 for X-H2(Fuel) = 0.46. Corresponding emissions are X-NOX =X-NH3 =300 ppmv. Large amounts of hydrogen are found in the exhaust gases, inducing a low combustion efficiency. The flame structure, combustion dynamics, influence of kinetics modelling and mesh resolution are discussed. This work paves the way for future studies, in the perspective of applications to industrial systems. (C) 2021 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This article investigates the combustion characteristics of ammonia/hydrogen blends in a turbulent premixed burner, revealing a trade-off between NOX and NH3 emissions. Adjusting the hydrogen content can achieve flame propagation characteristics similar to a lean methane flame.