Part Load Operation of a Multiple-Injection Dry Low NOx Combustor on Hydrogen-Rich Syngas Fuel in an IGCC Pilot Plant

Abstract

The successful development of coal-based integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) technology requires gas turbines capable of achieving the dry low-nitrogen oxides (NOx) combustion of hydrogen-rich syngas for low emissions and high plant efficiency. Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd. (MHPS) has been developing a “multiple-injection combustor” to achieve the dry low-NOx combustion of hydrogen-rich syngas. This study suggests an advanced fuel staging comprising a hybrid partial combustion mode to improve the combustor’s part load performance. The purposes of this paper are to present the test results of the combustor with the advanced staging on a syngas fuel in an IGCC pilot plant, and to evaluate its performance. The syngas fuel produced in the plant contained approximately 50% carbon monoxide, 20% hydrogen, and 20% nitrogen by volume. In the test, the advanced staging reduced the maximum NOx at part load to 44 ppm (at 15% oxygen) compared with the initial staging with a maximum NOx of 75 ppm, and attained higher combustion efficiency above 98.7% over the part load range than the initial staging with combustion efficiency above 97.1%. In conclusion, the advanced staging improved the part load performance by achieving lower NOx emissions and higher combustion efficiency.

Development of a State-of-the-Art Dry Low NOx Gas Turbine Combustor for IGCC with CCS

“…This chapter shows an instance of the fuel staging sequences and combustion modes. Figure 11 shows the fuel staging [22]. In this figure, colored regions shown on the burner pictures indicate operating burners.…”

“…The final mode is used from a middle part load to base load. The combustor achieves low NOx combustion by distributing syngas fuel to all the burners [22].…”

“…In order to demonstrate the feasibility for practical IGCC plants, the multi-cluster combustor was tested on a real gas turbine in a multi-can combustor configuration in an IGCC pilot plant at practical pressure with practical syngas fuel [19,22,26,27].…”

“…The combustor is required to operate stably from ignition through part load to the maximum load in practical IGCC plants. This subsection evaluates the performance of the combustor at part load in the plant [22].…”