Reduction of NOx emissions in ammonia combustion using a double-flame premixed co-combustion concept
(2024) In Proceedings of the Combustion Institute 40(1-4).- Abstract
Ammonia is a carbon-free fuel that can be produced from renewable energy sources and has the potential to replace fossil fuels, exerting a significant impact on the decarbonization of power production and propulsion industries. However, the challenge lies in the high NOx emissions, narrow flammability, and low flame speed of ammonia/air mixtures. In this paper, we study a novel concept of double-flame premixed co-combustion (DFPC) of ammonia and methane in a double-swirl premixed combustion burner, which results in low NOx emissions and high flame stabilization. Large eddy simulations using a detailed chemical kinetic mechanism and planar laser-induced fluorescence imaging of OH and exhaust gas NO emission... (More)
Ammonia is a carbon-free fuel that can be produced from renewable energy sources and has the potential to replace fossil fuels, exerting a significant impact on the decarbonization of power production and propulsion industries. However, the challenge lies in the high NOx emissions, narrow flammability, and low flame speed of ammonia/air mixtures. In this paper, we study a novel concept of double-flame premixed co-combustion (DFPC) of ammonia and methane in a double-swirl premixed combustion burner, which results in low NOx emissions and high flame stabilization. Large eddy simulations using a detailed chemical kinetic mechanism and planar laser-induced fluorescence imaging of OH and exhaust gas NO emission measurements are employed to investigate the fundamental mechanisms behind flame/flame interactions and NO emissions. The main findings are: (a) NO emissions can be reduced by 90% using the DFPC concept along with a significant broadening of flammability; (b) the outer methane/air flame stabilizes the inner ammonia flame in the shear layer of the two flames; (c) combustion products and excess oxygen leaked across the shear layer decrease the equivalence ratio of the inner ammonia/air mixture, reducing the NO formation of close-to-stoichiometric ammonia/air flame but increasing the NO formation in the fuel-rich ammonia/air flames; (d) mixing of the combustion products from the inner and outer flames reduces the NO emissions in the flue exhaust gas.
(Less)
- author
- Xu, Leilei LU ; Elbaz, Ayman M. ; Cenker, Emre ; Sim, Jaeheon ; Bai, Xue Song LU and Roberts, William L.
- organization
- publishing date
- 2024-01
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Ammonia combustion, Double-swirl burner, Flame/flame interaction, NO emission, Premixed turbulent flame
- in
- Proceedings of the Combustion Institute
- volume
- 40
- issue
- 1-4
- article number
- 105748
- publisher
- Elsevier
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85201710092
- ISSN
- 1540-7489
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.proci.2024.105748
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 7c563d7f-0060-4e2a-bf93-ab4e65b3db45
- date added to LUP
- 2024-11-04 10:27:28
- date last changed
- 2024-11-04 10:28:18
@article{7c563d7f-0060-4e2a-bf93-ab4e65b3db45,
abstract = {{<p>Ammonia is a carbon-free fuel that can be produced from renewable energy sources and has the potential to replace fossil fuels, exerting a significant impact on the decarbonization of power production and propulsion industries. However, the challenge lies in the high NO<sub>x</sub> emissions, narrow flammability, and low flame speed of ammonia/air mixtures. In this paper, we study a novel concept of double-flame premixed co-combustion (DFPC) of ammonia and methane in a double-swirl premixed combustion burner, which results in low NO<sub>x</sub> emissions and high flame stabilization. Large eddy simulations using a detailed chemical kinetic mechanism and planar laser-induced fluorescence imaging of OH and exhaust gas NO emission measurements are employed to investigate the fundamental mechanisms behind flame/flame interactions and NO emissions. The main findings are: (a) NO emissions can be reduced by 90% using the DFPC concept along with a significant broadening of flammability; (b) the outer methane/air flame stabilizes the inner ammonia flame in the shear layer of the two flames; (c) combustion products and excess oxygen leaked across the shear layer decrease the equivalence ratio of the inner ammonia/air mixture, reducing the NO formation of close-to-stoichiometric ammonia/air flame but increasing the NO formation in the fuel-rich ammonia/air flames; (d) mixing of the combustion products from the inner and outer flames reduces the NO emissions in the flue exhaust gas.</p>}},
author = {{Xu, Leilei and Elbaz, Ayman M. and Cenker, Emre and Sim, Jaeheon and Bai, Xue Song and Roberts, William L.}},
issn = {{1540-7489}},
keywords = {{Ammonia combustion; Double-swirl burner; Flame/flame interaction; NO emission; Premixed turbulent flame}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{1-4}},
publisher = {{Elsevier}},
series = {{Proceedings of the Combustion Institute}},
title = {{Reduction of NO<sub>x</sub> emissions in ammonia combustion using a double-flame premixed co-combustion concept}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.proci.2024.105748}},
doi = {{10.1016/j.proci.2024.105748}},
volume = {{40}},
year = {{2024}},
}