Fuel Gas Turbine Research Articles

Optimal integration of solar energy with fossil fuel gas turbine cogeneration plants using three different CSP technologies in Saudi Arabia

The present work provides an investigation of the technical and economic feasibility of integrating Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) technologies with cogeneration gas turbine systems that are progressively being installed in Saudi Arabia to produce electricity and steam. In this regard, different designs of hybrid solar/fossil fuel gas turbine cogeneration systems have been proposed. The proposed designs consider the possible integration of three main Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) technologies, which are namely, Solar Tower (ST) systems, Parabolic Trough Collector (PTC) system, and Linear Fresnel Reflector (LFR) systems with conventional gas turbine cogeneration systems. These three CSP technologies were assessed for possible integration with a gas turbine cogeneration system that generates steam at a constant flow rate of 81.44kg/s at P=45.88 (bar) and temperature of T=394°C throughout the year in addition to the generation of electricity. THERMOFLEX with PEACE simulation software has been used to assess the performance of the integrated solar gas turbine cogeneration with three different CSP technologies for different gas turbine sizes under Dhahran weather conditions. The three CSP technologies to be integrated individually to the gas turbine cogeneration plant are; parabolic trough collectors and linear Fresnel reflectors to the steam side and the solar tower to the gas side of the plant. Thermo-economic comparative analysis have been conducted for all possible configurations of the integrated solar gas turbine cogeneration plant to reach at the optimal levelized electricity cost (LEC). The optimization process also includes CO2 emissions for each integrated solar gas turbine cogeneration plant (ISGCP) configuration for each the three CSP technologies in comparison with the integration of CO2 capture technology to the conventional plant. The simulation results revealed that the optimal configuration is the integration of LFR with the steam side of a gas turbine cogeneration plant of 50MWe, which gives a LEC of 5.1USȻ/kWh with 119kton reduction of the annual CO2 emission. Moreover, the results indicate that the proper location to apply optimal integration configuration in Saudi Arabia is at Jazan city.

The Viscosity Testing on the Blending of HSD with PPO for Eligibility Criteria of Gas Turbine Fuel as the Renewable Energy Solution

<p>The viscosity of vegetable oils palm oil in particular olein is 18 times higher than the viscosity of HSD. Whereas, the viscosity is allowable for the gas turbine engines which is around 0 to 10 CSt at the maximum temperature of 50 ˚C or when converted to the dynamic viscocity of about 0.78 to 780 mPa.s. In order to meet the gas turbine criteria, so that done the blending between the samples of HSD with PPO and then heated. From the blending of 95 % HSD – 5 % PPO at the temperature range of 30˚ - 35 ˚C were obtained the viscocity value with an average of 3,43 mPas. That results show that the viscosity value of the blending between HSD with PPO still meets the standards of eligibility as a gas turbine fuel. </p><p><strong>Keywords</strong>: Gas turbine; HSD; PPO; temperature; viscosity. <br /><br /></p>

The Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) and Gas Turbine (GT) Hybrid System Numerical Model

Fuel cells when combined with conventional turbine power plants offer high efficiencies. The feature of certain fuel cells (Solid Oxide Fuel Cell or SOFC, Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell or MCFC), which makes them suitable for hybrid or combined systems, is their high operating temperature. In this work, a detailed thermodynamic model of SOFC and gas turbine hybrid system is simulated in MATLAB. Few configurations of the combined or hybrid cycles are proposed and analyzed. A comparative study based upon performance parameters, such as SOFC power and turbine inlet temperature is used to select the better configuration. Simple thermodynamic models for the compressor and turbine are used during the configuration selection.

Experimental Investigation of the Transition Mechanism From Stable Flame to Flashback in a Generic Premixed Combustion System With High-Speed Micro-Particle Image Velocimetry and Micro-PLIF Combined With Chemiluminescence Imaging

Sustainable power generation resulting in low pollutant emissions, such as CO2 and NOx, poses a very challenging task in the near future. Premixed combustion of hydrogen-rich fuels in gas turbines is a promising approach to cope with ever more stringent regulations on emission levels. This method, however, involves the risk of flame flashback from the desired flame position into the premixing section, leading to catastrophic failure of the machine components that are not designed for such high temperatures. The objective of the current study was to visualize and describe the transition from stable flame to flashback in a generic H2–air combustion system and develop a physics-based model for the description of the transition. In order to achieve the high temporal and spatial resolution required for capturing the involved effects, high-speed particle image velocimetry (PIV) and high-speed planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) were employed. In order to characterize the interaction of the flame with the flow in detail, both measurement techniques were applied to very small fields-of-view using (UV) long-distance microscopes. The repetition rates were 20 kHz for PLIF and 3 kHz for PIV, respectively. During both the PLIF and the PIV measurements, the flame's OH*-chemiluminescence was captured from a perspective perpendicular to that of the PLIF/PIV camera for further flame characterization. The microscopic measurements revealed that there is a negligible influence of the unconfined flame on the incoming burner flow in stable mode. Upon approaching the flashback conditions, however, the velocity profile of the burner flow is distinctly distorted by the presence of the flame inside the premixing duct. The flow directly upstream of the flame is retarded and deflected around the leading flame tip. Based on the effects observed in the experiments, a new flashback model is proposed, which identifies the heat transfer to the burner rim and the flame speed as the main drivers for the onset of flashback, whereas the flame backpressure is the governing factor for the subsequent upstream flame propagation.

Prediction of Auto-Ignition Temperatures and Delays for Gas Turbine Applications

Gas turbines burn a large variety of gaseous fuels under elevated pressure and temperature conditions. During transient operations, variable gas/air mixtures are involved in the gas piping system. In order to predict the risk of auto-ignition events and ensure a safe operation of gas turbines, it is of the essence to know the lowest temperature at which spontaneous ignition of fuels may happen. Experimental auto-ignition data of hydrocarbon–air mixtures at elevated pressures are scarce and often not applicable in specific industrial conditions. Auto-ignition temperature (AIT) data correspond to temperature ranges in which fuels display an incipient reactivity, with timescales amounting in seconds or even in minutes instead of milliseconds in flames. In these conditions, the critical reactions are most often different from the ones governing the reactivity in a flame or in high temperature ignition. Some of the critical paths for AIT are similar to those encountered in slow oxidation. Therefore, the main available kinetic models that have been developed for fast combustion are unfortunately unable to represent properly these low temperature processes. A numerical approach addressing the influence of process conditions on the minimum AIT of different fuel/air mixtures has been developed. Several chemical models available in the literature have been tested, in order to identify the most robust ones. Based on previous works of our group, a model has been developed, which offers a fair reconciliation between experimental and calculated AIT data through a wide range of fuel compositions. This model has been validated against experimental auto-ignition delay times corresponding to high temperature in order to ensure its relevance not only for AIT aspects but also for the reactivity of gaseous fuels over the wide range of gas turbine operation conditions. In addition, the AITs of methane, of pure light alkanes, and of various blends representative of several natural gas and process-derived fuels were extensively covered. In particular, among alternative gas turbine fuels, hydrogen-rich gases are called to play an increasing part in the future so that their ignition characteristics have been addressed with particular care. Natural gas enriched with hydrogen, and different syngas fuels have been studied. AIT values have been evaluated in function of the equivalence ratio and pressure. All the results obtained have been fitted by means of a practical mathematical expression. The overall study leads to a simple correlation of AIT versus equivalence ratio/pressure.

1H and 13C NMR Analysis of Gas Turbine Fuels As Applied to the Advanced Distillation Curve Method

The analysis of gas turbine fuels by 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy as applied to the composition-explicit advanced distillation curve method is reported. To demonstrate the general applicability for such fuels, eight independent fuel samples were characterized: one sample of JP-5, one sample of JP-8, and six samples of Jet-A. Distillate fractions were obtained for each fuel by use of the advanced distillation curve (ADC) method. These fractions were analyzed by 1H and 13C NMR, along with the undistilled residue (i.e., the undistilled liquid remaining in the kettle after 90 vol % had been distilled) and the neat fuel. NMR spectroscopy is useful for the analysis of complex hydrocarbon mixtures because it provides the mole fractions of various classes of hydrocarbons, such as aromatics and linear alkanes, without the need to calibrate. NMR spectroscopy also gives ready access to other average properties for the components of each fuel sample, such as the extent and type of alkane branching. For example, the abundance of branch points at the β position of aliphatic chains changes little for the various distillate fractions; however, branching on the interior of the aliphatic chains approximately doubles over the course of the distillation. For the heavier fractions of the fuel, interior branching becomes as important as branching at the β and γ positions. Such information is useful for the development of realistic fuel surrogates required for reliable thermophysical models. Finally, we compare the results obtained by NMR spectroscopy to previously reported GC–MS and GC-FID analyses of the same fuel samples.

Performance Comparative Analysis of Three Different CSP Technologies Integrated with Gas Turbine Cogeneration Systems in Saudi Arabia

The present work provides an investigation of the technical and economic feasibility of integrating Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) technologies with cogeneration gas turbine systems that are progressively being installed in Saudi Arabia. Different designs of hybrid solar/fossil fuel gas turbine cogeneration systems have been proposed. These designs consider the possible integration of Solar Tower (ST), Parabolic Trough Collector (PTC), and Linear Fresnel Reflector (LFR) systems with conventional gas turbine cogeneration systems. These three CSP technologies were assessed for possible integration with a gas turbine cogeneration system that generates steam at a constant flow rate of 81.44kg/s at P = 45.88 (bar) and temperature of T = 394°C throughout the year in addition to the generation of electricity. THERMOFLEX with PEACE simulation software has been used to assess the performance of the integrated solar gas turbine cogeneration plant (ISGCP) for different gas turbine sizes under Dhahran weather conditions. Thermo-economic comparative analysis have been conducted to reach the optimal levelized electricity cost (LEC) and CO2 emission combination for each ISGCP configuration for each the three CSP technologies in comparison with the integration of CO2 capture technology to the conventional plant. The simulation results revealed that the optimal configuration is the integration of LFR with the steam side of a gas turbine cogeneration plant of 50 MWe, which gives a LEC of 5.1 US ▪/ kWh with 119 k tonne reduction of the annual CO2 emission.

Operational Aspects for Direct Coupling of Gas Turbine and Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

Hybrid power plants consisting of a gas turbine and solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) promise high electrical efficiencies if both components are directly coupled and the SOFC is operated at elevated pressure. This contribution discusses various aspects of the pressure influences on electrochemistry at the electrodes to operating strategies of a hybrid power plant. The influence of pressure on SOFC performance has been investigated theoretically and experimentally. Experiments are carried out using a test rig that allows for characterization of SOFC stacks at pressures up to 0.8 MPa. Performance curves and electrochemical impedance spectra are used for evaluations. In addition to experimental investigations an SOFC stack model is developed based on an existing electrochemistry modeling framework. The stack model is experimentally validated and used for a theoretical analysis of pressure. As expected, Nernst potential increases with increasing pressure causing a higher open circuit voltage. Furthermore, gas diffusion is enhanced with increasing pressure and the charge transfer reaction is facilitated due to higher adsorption rates of reactants at the electrode surfaces. At constant operating conditions and efficiency an increase in SOFC power density of up to 83% is measured. If power density is kept constant, electrochemical efficiency is improved by up to 14 %. Results generally show that pressure influence is stronger at low pressures up to 0.5 - 1 MPa and weakens towards higher pressures. The influence of pressure on formation of nickel oxide and solid carbon is investigated. An analytical evaluation of the nickel oxidation propensity shows thatnickel oxidation is more likely to occur at higher pressures because the equilibrium partial pressure of oxygen in the anode gas increases. Carbon deposition is another degradation mechanism that can decrease the performance of an SOFC system. It was investigated via thermodynamic simulations using the software package Cantera. Thermodynamic equilibrium of gas mixtures with different oxygen to carbon ratios is calculated showing that the aptitude for carbon deposition is highly pressure dependent. Carbon deposition should be avoidable if oxygen to carbon ratio is kept above 2 within conditions that are relevant for hybrid power plants. The developed stack model is integrated into an existing validated gas turbine model that is extended to include further SOFC system components. A system operating strategy is presented that is based on a gas turbine control. Operating conditions of the SOFC are not directly controlled. A sensitivity analysis is carried out showing that the power ratio between gas turbine and SOFC is the most important parameter in order to achieve a high electrical efficiency. Other parameters like the number of SOFC stacks as well as gas and heat recirculation rates are of less importance. Thermal losses can significantly reduce electrical efficiency if they occur downstream of the recuperator. Finally, the operating range of a hybrid power plant based on the proposed system control is investigated. It is found that high electrical efficiencies above 60% (based on the HHV) are achievable within an electrical power range from 310 to 670 kW if gas turbine speed and SOFC electrical power are adjusted.

Operational Aspects for Direct Coupling of Gas Turbine and Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

This contribution gives an overview of the theoretical and experimental investigations that have been carried out at DLR concerning the pressurized operation of SOFC. The influence of pressure on SOFC performance is analyzed and the influence of internal reforming reactions is evaluated. Furthermore, the influence of pressure on degradation mechanisms is theoretically analyzed. Results show that pressure can strongly influence the power density of SOFC. A decrease in SOFC performance caused by reformate gases is mainly due to temperature effects. Nickel oxidation and carbon deposition propensity are both pressure dependent and should be addressed when designing pressurized SOFC systems.

Toward the zero-emission coal-to-liquids plant

A novel near-zero-emission process for obtaining clean middle-distillate fuels, primarily from coal and with some algal input, has been developed. This process involves the solvent extraction of coal, followed by two stages of hydrotreating and hydrogenation, and finally distillation, to produce fuels of very low sulfur and low aromatics content. Prototype fuels have been shown to provide performance comparable to petroleum-derived jet and diesel fuels in gas turbine and small diesel engines, as well as in the solid oxide fuel cell. Approaches for reducing plant emissions nearly to zero would begin with obtaining the hydrogen needed for hydrotreating the primary coal liquid extract by water electrolysis with non-carbon electricity. The process heat necessary for the extraction, hydrotreating and distillation steps could be obtained from concentrated solar power or non-carbon electricity. Hydrotreating of the primary coal extract will produce hydrogen sulfide. Use of solar splitting of hydrogen sulfide would prevent any emissions of this pollutant, and at the same time provide the opportunity to recycle hydrogen back into the process and obtain an additional revenue stream from the sale of by-product sulfur. Some carbon dioxide production is likely, and would be inevitable if natural-gas-fired process heaters were used. Carbon dioxide capture in algal photobioreactors is proposed; oils recovered from the algae could be blended with the coal-derived liquids, and spent algae could be gasified to produce additional hydrogen for hydrotreating and hydrogenation.

Characterization of viscous biofuel sprays using digital imaging in the near field region

The atomization of biodiesel, vegetable oil and glycerin has been studied in an atmospheric spray rig by using digital imaging (PDIA). Images of the spray were captured in the near field, just 18 mm downstream of the atomizer, and processed to automatically determine the size of both ligaments and droplets. The effect of the spray structure in this region is of major interest for the combustion of biofuels in gas turbines. The sprays were produced by a pressure-swirl atomizer that originates from the multifuel micro gas turbine (MMGT) setup. Various injection conditions have been tested to investigate the influence of viscosity on the spray characteristics and to assess the overall performance of the atomizer. The spray measurements have been compared to combustion experiments with biodiesel and vegetable oil in the micro gas turbine at similar injection conditions. The results show that the primary breakup process rapidly deteriorates when the viscosity is increased. A higher viscosity increases the breakup length, which becomes visible at the measurement location in the form of ligaments. This effect leads to an unacceptable spray quality once the viscosity slightly exceeds the typical range for conventional gas turbine fuels. The SMD in the investigated spray region was not significantly affected by viscosity, but mainly influenced by injection pressure. The data furthermore indicate an increase in SMD with surface tension. It was found that the penetration depth of ligaments can have major impact on the combustion process, and that the droplet size is not always the critical factor responsible for efficient combustion. The measured delay in primary breakup at increased viscosity shows that pressure-swirl atomization is unsuitable for the application of pure pyrolysis oil in an unmodified gas turbine engine

Experimental Investigations of Spark Ignition in a Model Combustor With Synthesis Gas

The components of syngas derived from coal, biomass, and waste are significantly different from those of typical gas turbine fuels, such as natural gas and fuel oils. The variations of hydrogen and inert gases can modify both the fluid and the combustion dynamics in the combustor. In particular, the characteristics of spark ignition can be profoundly affected. To understand the correlation between the varying fuel components and the reliability of ignition, a test system for spark ignition was established. The model combustor with a partial-premixed swirl burner was employed. The blending fuel with five components, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, methane, carbon dioxide and nitrogen, was used to model the synthesis gas used in industry. The ignition energy and the number of sparks leading to successful ignition were recorded. By varying the fuel components, the synthesis gases altered from medium to lower heat value fuels. The ignition time, ignition limit, and subsequent flame developments with variations of air mass flow rates and fuel components were systematically investigated. With the increase of airflow, the syngas with a lower hydrogen content has a shorter ignition time compared with higher hydrogen syngas in the lean condition, whereas in the rich condition, syngas with a higher hydrogen content has a shorter ignition time. The effects of the hydrogen content, inlet air Reynolds number and spark energy on the ignition limit were investigated. The ignition limit was enlarged with the increase in the hydrogen content and the spark energy. Meanwhile, three distinct flame patterns after ignition were investigated. Finally, a map for the characteristics of the ignition and subsequent flame development was obtained. The results are expected to provide valuable information for the design and operation of stable syngas combustion systems and also provide experimental data for the validations of theoretical modeling and numerical computations.

A computational study on the combustion of hydrogen/methane blended fuels for a micro gas turbines

To understand the combustion performance of using hydrogen/methane blended fuels for a micro gas turbine that was originally designed as a natural gas fueled engine, the combustion characteristics of a can combustor has been modeled and the effects of hydrogen addition were investigated. The simulations were performed with three-dimensional compressible k-ε turbulent flow model and presumed probability density function for chemical reaction. The combustion and emission characteristics with a variable volumetric fraction of hydrogen from 0% to 90% were studied. As hydrogen is substituted for methane at a fixed fuel injection velocity, the flame temperatures become higher, but lower fuel flow rate and heat input at higher hydrogen substitution percentages cause a power shortage. To apply the blended fuels at a constant fuel flow rate, the flame temperatures are increased with increasing hydrogen percentages. This will benefit the performance of gas turbine, but the cooling and the NOx emissions are the primary concerns. While fixing a certain heat input to the engine with blended fuels, wider but shorter flames at higher hydrogen percentages are found, but the substantial increase of CO emission indicates a decrease in combustion efficiency. Further modifications including fuel injection and cooling strategies are needed for the micro gas turbine engine with hydrogen/methane blended fuel as an alternative.

Emulating the Combustion Behavior of Real Jet Aviation Fuels by Surrogate Mixtures of Hydrocarbon Fluid Blends: Implications for Science and Engineering

We have demonstrated previously that a (surrogate fuel) mixture of known pure hydrocarbon species that closely matches four combustion property targets (the derived cetane number (DCN), the hydrogen to carbon molar ratio (H/C), the threshold soot index (TSI), and the average molecular weight) of a specific jet fuel, displays fully prevaporized global combustion kinetic behaviors that are closely consistent. Here, we demonstrate a similar result can be obtained by formulating surrogate hydrocarbon fluid mixtures from distillation cuts of molecular class hydrocarbons or even real gas turbine fuels (for which the specific molecular species classes are no more than qualitatively known). Fully prevaporized chemical reactivities of hydrocarbon fluid surrogate mixtures and real jet fuels are compared using a high pressure flow reactor at 12.5 atm pressure, over the temperature range 500–1000 K, at stoichiometric conditions, and for the same fixed molar carbon content. Results are reported for two different real ...

Performance of a biomass fueled two-stage micro gas turbine (MGT) system with hot air production heat recovery unit

A two-stage micro gas turbine (MGT) with low speed generator was developed to operate fully on producer gas (PG) from a pressurized downdraft gasifier without any auxiliary fossil fuel. It is an efficient and environment friendly system for hot air production for any industrial drying process. For the Low heating value PG combustion, a pressurized cyclone combustor (PCC) was designed and optimized using computational fluid dynamics simulation. The system was characterized experimentally with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and PG fuels in dual-fuel mode and then with pressurized PG in single-fuel mode. The system as a combined heat and power (CHP) has achieved an overall efficiency of about 58% with 35 kWth hot air production as thermal output of the system.

Fundamental combustion characteristics of Jatropha oil as alternative fuel for gas turbines

To investigate the combustion characteristics of Jatropha pure oil (JPO) and Jatropha methyl ester (JME) as an alternative fuels for gas turbines, combustion experiments were conducted at atmospheric pressure employing an air-assist pressure swirl atomizer. As well as the NOx and CO concentrations and smoke number in the exhaust gas, the flame radiation intensity was measured using the two-color method. The results show that the flame radiation intensity and the soot emission decrease with increasing mixing ratio of JPO or JME to diesel fuel. It was also found that the flame radiation intensity has a strong correlation with the mean diameter of the fuel spray for all fuels. The CO emission for JPO is higher than those for JME and diesel fuel in the case of low flame temperature.

Exergy Analysis of Photovoltaic Panels-Coupled Solid Oxide Fuel Cell and Gas Turbine-Electrolyzer Hybrid System

Exergy losses represent true losses of potential to generate a desired product, exergy efficiencies always provide a measure of approach to ideality, and the links between exergy and both economics and environmental impact can help develop improvements. In this study, PV-coupled Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) and Gas Turbine (GT)-electrolyzer hybrid power generation system is considered to determine the contribution of different hybrid system components in the total exergy loss. The number of panels, the power of SOFC–GT, and the power of electrolyzer can have different values. Therefore, to obtain the optimum combination from ecological, economical, and reliability points of view, a multi-objective optimization algorithm (PESA) is considered. This optimization method chooses a set of optimum solutions that is known as Pareto frontier. The exergy loss of some of these optimum solutions is compared with each other. The effect of panel angle and SOFC–GT fuel type on the hybrid system exergy loss is considered in this study. Also, the hybrid system exergy loss is determined in different months of the year to obtain the worst month from exergy loss view.

The Development of a Model for the Assessment of Biofouling in Gas Turbine System

A significant problem encountered in the gas turbine industry with fuel products is the degradation of fuel and fuel systems by micro-organisms, which are largely bacteria, embedded in biofilms. These micro-organisms cause system fouling and other degradatory effects, extending often to sudden failure of components with cost implications. Current methods of assessment are only postimpact evaluation and do not necessarily quantify the effects of fuel degradation on engine performance and emission. Therefore, effective models that allow predictive condition monitoring are required for engine's fuel system reliability, especially with readily biodegradable biofuels. The aim of this paper is to introduce the concept of biofouling in gas turbines and the development of a biomathematical model with potentials to predict the extent and assess the effects of microbial growth in fuel systems. The tool takes into account mass balance stoichiometry equations of major biological processes in fuel biofouling. Further development, optimization, and integration with existing Cranfield in-house simulation tools will be carried out to assess the overall engine performance and emission characteristics. This new tool is important for engineering design decision, optimization processes, and analysis of microbial fuel degradation in gas turbine fuels and fuel systems.

Using Hydrogen as Gas Turbine Fuel: Premixed Versus Diffusive Flame Combustors

This work aims at estimating the efficiency gain resulting from using lean premixed combustors in hydrogen-fired combined cycles with respect to diffusive flame combustors with significant inert dilution to limit NOx emissions. The analysis is carried out by considering a hydrogen-fired, specifically tailored gas turbine whose features are representative of a state-of-the-art natural gas–fired F-class gas turbine. The comparison between diffusion flame and lean premixed combustion is carried out considering nitrogen and steam as diluents, as well as different stoichiometric flame temperatures and pressure drops. Results show that the adoption of lean premixed combustors allows us to significantly reduce the efficiency decay resulting from inert dilution. Combined cycle efficiency slightly reduces from 58.5%–57.9% when combustor pressure drops vary in the range 3%–10%. Such efficiency values are comparatively higher than those achieved by diffusive flame combustor with inert dilution. Finally, the study investigated the effects of decreasing the maximum operating blade temperature so as to cope with possible degradation mechanisms induced by hydrogen combustion.

Alternative Microturbine Fuels Feasibility Study Through Thermal Stability, Material Compatibility, and Engine Testing

Historically, gas turbine fuels have been procured based on availability and low cost criteria. However,in the past few decades, with the growing concern over the negative environmental impacts produced by emissions, alternative fuels have been developed and tested under the objective of reducing such negative effects. The physical properties and broad chemical composition of fuels, including trace elements, may result in engine performance issues found only after extensive operation. This, in turn, results in higher maintenance and operation costs. This paper studies the feasibility of several renewable fuels for microturbine application, identifying key relationships between the physical and chemical properties, thermal stability, materials compatibility, and turbine performance.