Dual-Circuit Combustor Nozzle for Stable Hydrogen Turbine Combustion
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Gas turbine engines face challenges in safely utilizing hydrogen gas due to risks such as combustion flashback, flame holding, and increased nitrogen oxide emissions, which limit the implementation of hydrogen as a fuel.
Innovation Solution
A dual-circuit combustor nozzle system with separate pathways for hydrogen gas and water/methane, combined with a combustor controller, is used to purge residual gases, manage flame temperature, and increase hydrogen usage up to 100% while maintaining power output and reducing emissions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If hydrogen gas is used as fuel in gas turbine engines, then energy production and combustion efficiency are improved, but risks of combustion flashback and flame holding increase
Solution Approach 1:
The fuel injection system is divided into multiple separate circuits: a first circuit for hydrogen gas and a second circuit for water or methane. This segmentation allows independent control of different fuels and their injection timing, enabling safe hydrogen combustion by preventing uncontrolled mixing and flashback while maintaining high energy production from hydrogen.
Solution Approach 2:
Water or methane is injected into the combustor before hydrogen gas through the separate circuits. This preliminary action creates a protective layer or modifies the combustion environment in advance, preventing combustion flashback and flame holding while allowing hydrogen to burn efficiently at higher concentrations.
2Use of energy by moving object
If hydrogen gas concentration is increased to improve energy production, then nitrogen oxide emissions increase
Solution Approach 1:
Water or methane acts as an intermediary substance injected through the second circuit. This intermediary modifies the combustion process by controlling flame temperature and chemistry, allowing high hydrogen concentration for energy production while suppressing nitrogen oxide formation through altered combustion conditions.
3Device complexity
If a single circuit system is used for fuel injection, then device complexity is reduced, but ability to manage hydrogen combustion safety is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The fuel injection system is divided into multiple separate circuits: a first circuit for hydrogen gas and a second circuit for water or methane. This segmentation allows independent control of different fuels and their injection timing, enabling safe hydrogen combustion by preventing uncontrolled mixing and flashback while maintaining high energy production from hydrogen.
4Reliability
If conventional fuels are used, then combustion stability is maintained, but carbon emissions and fuel consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the fuel composition parameter by introducing hydrogen gas through the first circuit while using water or methane from the second circuit to manage combustion characteristics. This parameter change enables low carbon emissions from hydrogen combustion while maintaining stability through the controlling effect of water/methane injection.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system enables safe operation of gas turbine engines with up to 100% hydrogen fuel, reducing carbon emissions, lowering fuel consumption, and increasing energy production while minimizing nitrogen oxide emissions and enhancing engine reliability.
Implementation Method 1
During combustion of the mixture of hydrogen gas and conventional fuels chemical energy and thermal energy are converted into mechanical energy
Implementation Method 2
injecting water into the gas turbine combustor through a second circuit of the combustor nozzle
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus to operate a gas turbine engine with hydrogen gas are disclosed. An example combustor nozzle apparatus of a gas turbine engine includes injecting an other combustible gas into a combustor, comparing a power output of the gas turbine to a rated power threshold, and in response to the power output of the gas turbine satisfying the rated power threshold: injecting water into the combustor, injecting hydrogen into the combustor, and terminating injections of the other combustible gas.