Numerical Study of Combustion and Emission Characteristics for Hydrogen Mixed Fuel in the Methane-Fueled Gas Turbine Combustor

Abstract

The aeroderivative gas turbine is widely used as it demonstrates many advantages. Adding hydrogen to natural gas fuels can improve the performance of combustion. Following this, the effects of hydrogen enrichment on combustion characteristics were analyzed in an aeroderivative gas turbine combustor using CFD simulations. The numerical model was validated with experimental results. The conditions of the constant mass flow rate and the constant energy input were studied. The results indicate that adding hydrogen reduced the fuel residues significantly (fuel mass at the combustion chamber outlet was reduced up to 60.9%). In addition, the discharge of C2H2 and other pollutants was reduced. Increasing the volume fraction of hydrogen in the fuel also reduced CO emissions at the constant energy input while increasing CO emissions at the constant fuel mass flow rate. An excess in the volume fraction of added hydrogen changed the combustion mode in the combustion chamber, resulting in fuel-rich combustion (at constant mass flow rate) and diffusion combustion (at constant input power). Hydrogen addition increased the pattern factor and NOx emissions at the outlet of the combustion chamber.