Analysis of a Fuel Flexible Micro Gas Turbine Combustor Through Numerical Simulations

Abstract

The work in this paper investigates on how a fuel flexible microgas turbine (MGT) combustion chamber, developed by ANSALDO ENERGIA and installed in a Turbec T100 P MGT, can operate when transferring from natural gas (NG) to a hydrogen-rich syngas. A syngas composition, which satisfies the fuel supply system specifications, is identified. Such syngas contains (by volume) 45% of hydrogen, 50% of carbon dioxide, and 5% of methane. The transfer procedure from NG to syngas is defined and modeled. A series of nonreactive and reactive Reynolds-averaged numerical simulations (RANS) on a full-scale three-dimensional (3D) model of the combustion chamber is then performed. The thermo-fluid dynamics inside its casing, the combustion regimes, the heat transfer across the liner walls as well as NOx emissions are evaluated. Results provide useful information on the operational problems associated with the fuel change and on how to define a successful fuel transfer procedure.