Based on its well-known merits ammonia has been gaining special attention as a potential renewable energy carrier which can be replaced in power generation systems. Considering its low flame speed and its potential for producing fuel NOx as the main challenges of combusting ammonia, flame stability, combustion efficiency, and NOx formation are experimentally investigated. Focus is on premixed ammonia-hydrogen-air flames with high mixture fractions of ammonia (60-90% by volume) under standard temperature and pressure conditions. We introduce silicon-carbide (SiC) porous block as a practical and effective medium for ammonia-hydrogen-air flame stabilization which enables stable and efficient combustion of the mixtures…

In the last 12 months ... Researchers seeking to fire gas turbines with ammonia made significant strides toward realization of commercial-scale machines in both the U.K. and Japan. This means that electricity generation has become a realistic near-term use-case for ammonia energy.

A common concern with ammonia fuel is that NOx emissions will be too high to control. However, in new research from Turkey, USA, and Japan, presented at this year's NH3 Fuel Conference in September 2016, two things became clear. First, NOx emissions can be reduced to less than 10ppm by employing good engineering design and exploiting the chemical properties of ammonia, which plays a dual role as both the fuel and the emissions-cleanup agent. Second, the deployment of ammonia-fueled turbines for power generation is not only feasible, but actively being developed, with demonstration units running today and improved demonstration projects currently in development.

Based on its well-known merits, ammonia has been gaining special attention as a potential renewable energy carrier which can be replaced in power generation units. One of the major challenges with ammonia as a fuel is NOx emission, which has a complex underlying chemical kinetics. In an earlier chemical kinetics study by the authors, NOx formation sensitivity was thoroughly studied in a wide range of combustion conditions [Nozari & Karabeyoğlu, J.Fuel 2015]. As the next step, premixed ammonia-hydrogen-air flames are studied experimentally in standard temperature and pressure condition. Effects of some major influential parameters on NOx emission levels are investigated:…

Beginning in the 1950s, a fundamental shift in the way information was electronically expressed and manipulated led to the “digital revolution” that has transformed — is still transforming — information systems and many major industries and that has given rise to the internet, social media, and instant very-low-cost communication (like this website). A good case can be made that a similar “revolution” is beginning — has already begun — to transform the energy systems upon which we all depend. This presentation will address the use of anhydrous (water-free) ammonia, NH3, as a realistic option for making a fundamental shift in…

NH3 Fuel R&D in Turkey Arif Karabeyoglu, Space Propulsion Group

Fuel Conditioning System for Ammonia-Fired Power Plants Arif Karabeyoglu and Brian Evans, Space Propulsion Group

Selection of NH3 for Combustion Turbine Use Arif Karabeyoglu, Space Propulsion Group