Conversion of natural gas jet flame burners to hydrogen

Abstract

In a study of conversion from CH4 to H2, jet flame characteristics of these gases and their blends are compared on a burner diameter scale of mm. Low velocity H2 and CH4 jets, burned on pipes of different diameters, indicate higher blow-off limits for H2, but lower heat release rates, a consequence of its lower specific energy. Compensation for this might be obtained through increased H2 flow velocity, or a small increase in pipe diameter. Blended CH4/H2 flames have lower heat release rates than CH4 alone, yet small proportions of H2, with CH4 might still be burned, on a CH4 burner. Throughout, fundamental understanding is enhanced through two dimensionless groups: laminar flame thickness normalised by burner diameter, δk/D, and the dimensionless flow number, U∗. These suggest an optimal role for H2 combustion, utilizing its high acoustic and blow-off velocities, in high intensity, subsonic, combustors, at low δk/D, and high U∗.