Experimental Analysis of a Micro Gas Turbine Combustor Optimized For Flexible Operation With Various Gaseous Fuel Compositions

Abstract

With the push to curb dangerous atmospheric pollutant production, energy generation technologies that reduce green-house gas emissions, while still providing adequate electrical supply, are of high importance. With major energy infrastructure already in place, developing enhanced pollutant-reducing combustor systems for micro gas turbines (MGTs), that can utilize low calorific fuels from renewable resources, is a major goal. The current work focuses on the experimental testing of an optimized two-stage combustor designed to operate with various fuel types, including natural gas and syngas produced via biomass gasification. Atmospheric experimental tests were performed and the results indicate larger flame lift-off heights and slightly higher CO gas emissions levels, while displaying lower NOx gas emissions levels for all thermal loads and air-to-fuel equivalence ratios tested, compared to that of the previous combustor designs. Additionally, steady-state computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were conducted and the results are in general good agreement with the experimental data. Overall, the results indicate high fuel flexibility of the combustor, as well as the ability to comply with the NOx emissions limits for a larger range of operating points, compared to that of the previously tested combustors.