Hydrogen Gas Turbine Combustor Sizing for Low-NOx Combustion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hydrogen fuel in gas turbine engines poses challenges due to its high reactivity, leading to increased NOx emissions and short flame residence times, necessitating a redesign of combustors to meet emission targets.
Innovation Solution
Development of various combustor designs with optimized shapes and sizes to reduce residence time, utilizing hydrogen fuel without diluents, and incorporating swirler/fuel nozzle assemblies for efficient combustion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If combustor size is reduced to decrease residence time, then NOx emissions are reduced, but combustion efficiency may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing the combustor size rating within a specific range (1-7 inches) and controlling the residence time parameter. This allows the system to achieve reduced NOx emissions while maintaining combustion efficiency through precise parameter control rather than simply reducing combustor size.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic control of the combustor operation by adjusting the residence time and combustor size rating based on operating conditions. This dynamic approach enables the system to adapt to different fuel flow rates and maintain optimal combustion efficiency while controlling NOx emissions across varying operational states.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If combustor size is reduced to decrease residence time, then NOx emissions are reduced, but flame stability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains flame stability while reducing NOx emissions by optimizing the combustor size rating parameter within the 1-7 inches range and controlling residence time. This parameter optimization ensures that the flame remains stable despite the reduced combustor dimensions, preventing flameout or instability issues.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the combustor size rating as an intermediary parameter that mediates between the conflicting requirements of reduced residence time (for lower NOx) and maintained flame stability. By controlling this intermediate parameter within specific bounds, the system achieves both goals simultaneously.
3Productivity
If hydrogen fuel is used without diluents, then combustion efficiency is improved, but NOx emissions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by changing the operational parameters - specifically controlling the combustor size rating to 1-7 inches and residence time - rather than using chemical diluents. This allows pure hydrogen fuel to be used for maximum combustion efficiency while the physical parameter control prevents excessive NOx formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the need for chemical diluents by using physical parameter control (combustor size and residence time) instead. This removes the diluent substance from the system while still achieving the dual goal of high combustion efficiency and low NOx emissions.
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 optimized combustor designs effectively reduce NOx emissions and achieve efficient combustion of hydrogen fuel, meeting emission targets while minimizing environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
a combustor including a combustion chamber configured to combust a mixture of the hydrogen fuel flow and the compressed air flow
Data Source
AI summary
A gas turbine engine includes a hydrogen fuel delivery assembly configured to deliver a hydrogen fuel flow, a compressor section configured to compress air flowing therethrough to provide a compressed air flow, and a combustor including a combustion chamber having a burner length and a burner dome height. The combustion chamber is configured to combust a mixture of the hydrogen fuel flow and the compressed air flow. The combustion chamber can be characterized by a combustor size rating between one inch and seven inches. In more detail, the combustion chamber can be characterized by the combustor size rating between one inch and seven inches at a core air flow parameter between two and one half kN and sixty kN, in which the combustor size rating is a function of the core air flow parameter.