Stabilization regimes and pollutant emissions from a dual fuel CH4/H2 and dual swirl low NOx burner

Burning hydrogen in gas turbines is a relevant technological solution to decarbonize power production and propulsion systems. However, ensuring low NOx emission and preventing flashback can be challenging with hydrogen. Stabilization regimes and pollutant emissions from partially premixed CH4/H2/air flames above a coaxial Dual Fuel Dual Swirl injector are investigated in a laboratory-scale combustor at atmospheric conditions for increasing hydrogen contents. The injector consists of an external annular swirler providing premixed methane/air and a central channel fed with pure hydrogen. This burner virtually removes the risk of flashback due to the late injection of hydrogen. Flame stabilization regimes, CO and NOx emissions are analyzed for different configurations of the injector and operating points. The effect of swirling the hydrogen stream is investigated together with the influence of the hydrogen injector recess, i.e. its nozzle position with respect to the backplane of the combustion chamber. It is shown that swirling the central hydrogen stream favors aerodynamically stabilized flames resulting in a low thermal stress on the injector and limited NOx emissions. The study also highlights that a small recess of the central hydrogen injector widely extends the operability range of the burner with aerodynamically stabilized flames. With a sufficient inner swirl and a small recess, flames detach from the injector rim when the hydrogen bulk velocity is large enough. In this configuration, it is found that NOx emissions remain low even for operation with pure hydrogen. Moreover, NOx emissions decrease when increasing the thermal power for a fixed equivalence ratio. (c) 2022 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This study investigates the stability and pollutant emissions of burning hydrogen in gas turbines. The results show that introducing swirl in the central hydrogen stream can achieve aerodynamically stabilized flames and reduce thermal stress and NOx emissions on the burner. Moreover, a small recess in the hydrogen injector extends the operability range of the burner and keeps NOx emissions low even with pure hydrogen.