A Dry Low-NOx Gas-Turbine Combustor With Multiple-Injection Burners for Hydrogen-Rich Syngas Fuel: Testing and Evaluation of its Performance in an IGCC Pilot Plant

Abstract

Success of oxygen-blown integrated coal gasification combined cycle (IGCC) technology requires gas turbines capable of achieving dry low nitrogen oxides (NOx) combustion of hydrogen-rich syngas for low emissions and high plant efficiency. The authors have been developing a “multiple-injection burner” to achieve dry low-NOx combustion of such hydrogen-rich fuels using surrogate fuel composed of hydrogen, nitrogen, and methane. The purpose of this paper is to report test results of a multi-can combustor equipped with multiple-injection burners for a practical syngas fuel in an IGCC pilot plant and to evaluate its performance. The syngas fuel consisted of hydrogen, nitrogen, and carbon monoxide up to approximately half of its volume. In the test, the combustor achieved stable and reliable operation from ignition through partial load to the maximum load, and achieved NOx emissions of 15.1 ppm (at 15% oxygen) at the maximum load. These findings demonstrated that the combustor achieves dry low-NOx combustion of the syngas fuel in the IGCC pilot plant.