A Dry Low NOx Combustor for the MS3002 Regenerative Gas Turbine

Abstract

A dry low NOx combustion system is being developed for the MS3002J regenerative cycle, mechanical drive gas turbine, which is used extensively for pumping applications in natural gas pipelines. The combustion system is based on the DLN combustor developed for the MS6001B simple cycle, heavy duty gas turbine. Results are presented for full scale, single combustor screening tests at reduced pressure. As this is the first regenerative cycle application of DLN technology, most of the screening effort focused on understanding and quantifying the effects of high inlet temperature on combustor emissions and operability. At constant combustor exit temperature, NOx emissions in diffusion modes of operation increased as the inlet temperature was increased from 650 to 950 F, corresponding to the MS6001B simple cycle and MS3002J regenerative cycle respectively. In premixed mode, however, NOx emissions decreased significantly as inlet temperature was increased. This effect is attributed to the decrease in combustor burning zone temperature required to maintain a constant exit temperature as the dilution air temperature increases. Flashback and autoignition were not seen, and dynamic pressure activity diminished as inlet temperature was increased. CO emissions were low due to the increased reaction zone volume afforded by the MS3002 combustion system length.