SP4 Enabling technologies for pre-combustion

SP-leader: SINTEF ER

In SP4 - Enabling technologies for pre-combustion the project follows up on previous FP projects to capitalise on the R&D spent towards the development of new products. The gas turbine of today is optimised for natural gas (NG). The lean premix combustion concept is state-of-the-art technology enabling lowest emissions with less than 25 ppm NO_x. In such a configuration only a few percent of hydrogen is allowed in the fuel. For current IGCC power plants with considerable portions of hydrogen in the fuel gas specific diffusion burners are used which can be operated up to 40 to 50 % of hydrogen content. To reduce the NO_x emissions to acceptable values, sufficient dilution by N₂ from the ASU and water vapour is required.

Following CO₂ capture in the ZEIGCC/ZEIRCC case, the remaining product stream is a hydrogen-rich gas with even higher portions of H₂ than in the IGCC case. To be able to burn these hydrogen-rich gases in compliance with the NO_x emission limit values and to use the efficiency potential of today’s modern gas turbines through high inlet temperatures, there is the need to develop novel premix burners.