Numerical investigation of the effects of H2/CO/syngas additions on laminar premixed combustion characteristics of NH3/air flame

Abstract

Co-firing NH3 with H2/CO/syngas (SYN) is a promising method to overcome the low reactivity of NH3/air flame. Hence, this study aims to systematically investigate the laminar premixed combustion characteristics of NH3/air flame with various H2/CO/SYN addition loadings (0–40%) using chemical kinetics simulation. The numerical results were obtained based on the Han mechanism which can provide accurate predictions of laminar burning velocities. Results showed that H2 has the greatest effects on increasing laminar burning velocities and net heat release rates of NH3/air flame, followed by SYN and CO. CO has the most significant effects on improving NH3/air adiabatic flame temperatures. The H2/CO/SYN additions can accelerate NH3 decomposition rates and promote the generation of H and NH2 radicals. Furthermore, there is an evident positive linear correlation between the laminar burning velocities and the peak mole fraction of H + NH2 radicals. The reaction NH2 + NH <=> N2H2 + H and NH2 + NO <=> NNH + OH have remarkable positive effects on NH3 combustion. The mole fraction of OH × NH2 radicals positively affects the net heat release rates. Finally, it was discovered that H radicals play an important role in the generation of NO. The H2/CO/SYN additions can reduce the hydrodynamic and diffusional-thermal instabilities of NH3/air flame. The NH3 reaction pathways for NH3–H2/CO/SYN-air flames can be categorized mainly into NH3–NH2–NH–N–N2, NH3–NH2–HNO–NO(−N2O)–N2 and NH3–NH2(−N2H2)–NNH–N2. CO has the greatest influence on the proportions of three NH3 reaction routes.