CO2 Emissions Reduction through Increasing H2 Participation in Gaseous Combustible—Condensing Boilers Functional Response

Abstract

Considering the imperative reduction in CO2 emissions, both from household heating and hot water producing facilities, one of the mainstream directions is to reduce hydrocarbons in combustibles by replacing them with hydrogen. The authors analyze condensing boilers operating when hydrogen is mixed with standard gaseous fuel (CH4). The hydrogen (H2) volumetric participation in the mixture is considered to vary in the range of 0 to 20%. The operation of the condensing boilers will be numerically modeled by computational programs and prior validated by experimental studies concluded in a European Certified Laboratory. The study concluded that an increase in the combustible flow with 16% will compensate the maximum H2 concentration situation with no other implications on the boiler’s thermal efficiency, together with a decrease in CO2 emissions by approximately 7%. By assuming 0.9 (to/year/boiler), the value of CO2 emissions reduction for the condensing boiler determined in the paper, and extrapolating it for the estimated number of boilers to be sold for the period 2019–2024, a 254,700-ton CO2/year reduction resulted.