Performance of Multiple-Injection Dry Low-NOx Combustor on Hydrogen-Rich Syngas Fuel in an IGCC Pilot Plant

Successful development of oxygen-blown integrated coal gasification combined cycle (IGCC) technology requires gas turbines capable of achieving dry low-nitrogen oxides (NOx) combustion of hydrogen-rich syngas for low emissions and high plant efficiency. The authors have been developing a “multiple-injection burner” to achieve the dry low-NOx combustion of hydrogen-rich syngas. The purposes of this paper are to present test results of the multi-can combustor equipped with multiple-injection burners in an IGCC pilot plant and to evaluate the combustor performance focusing on effects of flame shapes. The syngas fuel produced in the plant contained approximately 50% carbon monoxide, 20% hydrogen, and 20% nitrogen by volume. In the tests, the combustor that produced slenderer flames achieved lower NOx emissions of 10.9 ppm (at 15% oxygen), reduced combustor liner and burner plate metal temperatures, and lowered the combustion efficiency at the maximum load. The test results showed that the slenderer flames were more effective in reducing NOx emissions and liner and burner metal temperatures. These findings demonstrated that the multiple-injection combustor achieved dry low-NOx combustion of the syngas fuel in the plant.