Impact of the Application of Fuel and Water Emulsion on CO and NOx Emission and Fuel Consumption in a Miniature Gas Turbine

Paweł Niszczota,Marian Gieras

doi:10.3390/en14082224

Abstract

Miniature gas turbines (MGT) are an important part of the production of electric energy in distributed systems. Due to the growing requirements for lower emissions and the increasing prices of hydrocarbon fuels, it is becoming more and more important to enhance the efficiency and improve the quality of the combustion process in gas turbines. One way to reduce NOx emissions is to add water to the fuel in the form of a water-based emulsion (FWE). This article presents the research results and the analysis of the impact of the use of FWE on CO and NOx emissions as well as on fuel consumption in MGT GTM-120. Experimental tests and numerical calculations were carried out using standard fuel (DF) and FWE with water content from 3% to 12%. It was found that the use of FWE leads to a reduction in NOx and CO emissions and reduction in the consumption of basic fuel. The maximum reduction in emissions by 12.32% and 35.16% for CO and NOx, respectively, and a reduction in fuel consumption by 5.46% at the computational operating point of the gas turbine were recorded.

Highlights

Miniature gas turbines (MGT) are listed as one of the primary ways to produce electricity in distributed systems [1,2]
In energy applications used in parallel with the electricity network, they increase system reliability, reduce peak load or eliminate the need for a reserve margin [3]
For the mixture of 70% Jet-A fuel, 20% rapeseed and 10% ethanol, NOx emissions were reduced by 16%, thermal efficiency increased by 35% and CO emissions decreased

Summary

Introduction

Miniature gas turbines (MGT) are listed as one of the primary ways to produce electricity in distributed systems [1,2]. MGT is characterized by compact size, high power-to-weight ratio and the ability to supply various fuels [4,5]. It can be an important source of energy in areas without access to the central electricity network and in hard-to-reach places [6]. Despite the undoubted advantages of MGT, it has disadvantages, such as relatively low efficiency [7] and high heat loss through the housing [8]

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Results

Conclusion