Alternate Fuels Capability of Gas Turbines in the Process Industry

1976 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. J. Hefner
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Process Industry ◽  
Liquid Fuels ◽  
Status Report ◽  
Gasification Process ◽  
Fuel Flexibility ◽  
Combustion Properties ◽  
Performance And Emissions ◽  
Alternate Fuels

As we move into the latter 1970’s and early 1980’s, we can anticipate a period of continuing uncertainty in availability of fuel supplies for the process industry. Even though the overall picture is unclear, there are some aspects of the total problem that are predictable, with a reasonable degree of confidence. One of the developments that can be predicted on the domestic scene is the unavailability of natural gas as an industrial fuel. Short supplies of this resource have significantly limited the installation of new facilities utilizing natural gas as a fuel supply, as well as creating a need to convert existing equipment to use alternate supplies of fuel where uninterruptable sources of natural gas are no longer available. This paper discusses the fuel flexibility of heavy-duty gas turbines and is a status report on the capability of today’s equipment. In addition, techniques for evaluating alternate gas turbine fuels including requirements for cleanliness, combustion properties, physical properties, composition, performance and emissions characteristics, etc., are discussed. Fuels which are covered include: Gasification Process Derived Fuels, By-Product Gases, Distillate Oil, Crude Oil, Residual Oil, Vaporized Liquid Fuels, and Liquefied Coal Products.

Enhanced Fuel Flexibility and Emissions Compliance for Gas Turbines Through Model Based Controls Technology

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ranjith Malapaty ◽  
Suresh M. V. J. J.
Keyword(s):  
Power Generation ◽  
Natural Gas ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Power Demand ◽  
Combustion Dynamics ◽  
Fuel Flexibility ◽  
Plant Operations ◽  
Lng Fuel ◽  
Alternate Fuels

The world is facing complex and mounting environmental challenges. Increased fuel costs and increased market capacity in power generation markets is driving a transformation in power plant operations. Power plants are seeking ways to maximize revenue potential during peak conditions and minimize operational costs during off-peak conditions. Although proven natural gas reserves have increased globally by nearly 50% over the last 20 years, much of this growth has been focused in select regions and countries. In parallel to the discovery of new reserves is the increase in power demand across the globe. However, there are many regions of the globe in which power demand is not being matched by increased local supplies of natural gas, or in infrastructure required to supply natural gas to power generation assets. Given these drivers, there is growing global interest in LNG & alternate fuels. This phenomenon is driving a trend to explore the potential of using LNG fuels which can be easily transported across the globe as an alternative for power generation. In a carbon-constrained environment, the technology trend is for combustion systems capable of burning LNG fuel in combination with delivering the required operability. This paper will focus on developments in GE’s heavy duty gas turbines that enable operation on fuels with varying properties, providing fuel flexibility for sustainable power generation and better emissions compliance. GE’s turbine control system employs physics-based models of gas turbine operability boundaries (e.g., emissions, combustion dynamics, etc.), to continuously estimate current boundary levels and make adjustments as required.

Pentane Rich Fuels for Standard Siemens DLE Gas Turbines

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mats Andersson ◽  
Anders Larsson ◽  
Arturo Manrique Carrera
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Combustion Dynamics ◽  
Heating Value ◽  
Special Adaptation ◽  
Fuel Flexibility ◽  
Combustion Properties ◽  
Model Substance ◽  
Wobbe Index

Associated gases at oil wells are often rich in heavy hydrocarbons (HHC, here denoting hydrocarbons heavier than propane). HHC cause handling difficulties and the combustion properties are quite different from standard natural gas. For this and other reasons HHC rich associated gases are often flared or vented. This is an enormous waste of useable energy and a significant contribution to emissions of pollutants, global CO2 and other greenhouse gases. Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery AB in Finspong (SIT AB) recently tested a standard DLE 25 MW SGT-600 gas turbine and a standard 31 MW SGT-700 gas turbine with HHC rich natural gas. Pentane was chosen as a model substance for HHC. The tested gases had up to 30% of the fuel heating value from pentane. The unmodified standard DLE gas turbines proved to be very tolerant to the tested pentane rich gases. CO emissions were reduced with increasing pentane content in the fuel for the same power output. NOx was observed to increase linearly with the pentane content. Combustion dynamics was affected mildly, but noticeably by the pentane rich fuel. This result, together with earlier presented results for the same DLE engines on nitrogen rich natural gases, gives an accepted and tested total LHV range of 25–50 MJ/kg and Wobbe index range of 25–55 MJ/Nm3. No special adaptation of the gas turbines was necessary for allowing this wide fuel range. The benefit of increased and proven fuel flexibility is obvious as it allows the gas turbine owner to make full use of opportunity fuels and to supply power at low fuel cost.

Efficient Smoke Suppressant Reduces the Particulate Matter Emissions of Crude Oil Fired Gas Turbines

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthieu Vierling ◽  
Michel Moliere ◽  
Paul Glaser ◽  
Richard Denolle ◽  
Sathya Nayani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Natural Gas ◽  
Crude Oil ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Liquid Fuels ◽  
Gas Field ◽  
Associated Gas ◽  
Score Card ◽  
Particulate Matter Emissions

Abstract Gas turbines are often the master pieces of the utilities that power Oil and Gas (O&G) installations as they most often operate in off-grid mode and must reliably deliver the electric power and the steam streams required by all the Exploration/Production (EP) or refining processes. In addition to reliability, fuel flexibility is an important score card of gas turbines since they must permanently accommodate the type of fuel which is available on the particular O&G site. For instance, during the operation of an associated gas field, crude oil comes out from the well heads as the gas reserves are declining or depleted. The utility gas turbine must then be capable to successively burn natural gas and crude oil and often to co-fire both fuels. An important feature of crude oils is that their combustion tends to emit significantly more particulate matter (PM) than do distillate oil and natural gas as they contain some heavier hydrocarbon ends. Taking account of the fact that some alternative liquid fuels emit more particulates matter (PM) than distillate oils, GE has investigated a class of soot suppressant additives that have been previously tested on light distillate oil (No 2 DO). As a continuation of this development, these products have been field-tested at an important refining site where several Frame 6B gas turbines have been converted from natural gas to crude oil with some units running in cofiring mode. This field test showed that proper injections of these fuel additives, at quite moderate concentration levels, enable a substantial abatement of the PM emissions and reduction of flue gas opacity. This paper outlines the main outcomes of this field campaign and consolidates the overall results obtained with this smoke suppression technology.

Interest for Liquid Fuels in Power Generation Gets Renewed

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michel Moliere ◽  
Matthieu Vierling ◽  
Rich Symonds
Keyword(s):  
Power Generation ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Primary Energy ◽  
Liquid Fuels ◽  
Power Generators ◽  
Multiple Sourcing ◽  
Fuel Flexibility ◽  
Operation Factor ◽  
Large Clusters ◽  
Plant Capacity

As investments in power additions are under scrutiny, the viability and sustainability of generation projects are increasingly challenged by planners, and the debate about the most appropriate primary energy and prime mover is renewed with a sharper focus. Faced with limited forecasts on future growth, today’s power generators are looking cautiously at power addition blueprints and placing increased emphasis on equipment versatility and fuel flexibility in a move to eliminate single fuel reliance. Heavy duty gas turbines (HDGTs) can mitigate the uncertainty about operation factor and plant capacity thanks to versatile and modular installation schemes; in addition, they open the door to large clusters of alternative primary energies. In this context, it is important to note that liquid fuels are making a comeback in the power generation scene. This is due to the tactical advantages inherent to liquid fuels such as multiple sourcing, ease of transportation, and existing infrastructures. Liquid fuels as primary energies cover a wide product range from Super Light Hydrocarbons (naphtha, gas condensates and natural gas liquids) to ash forming fuels through aromatic cuts (BTEX, C9+), heavy distillates, synfuels, gasification derivatives (methanol & dimethyl ether: DME) and biogenic fuels (ethanol, biodiesel). This paper stresses the importance of fuel flexibility as a requirement for plant versatility and offers a review of the main liquid fuels that are accessible to gas turbines.

Impact of Fuel Composition on Blow Off and Flashback in Swirl Stabilized Lean Premixed Combustion

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amin Akbari ◽  
Vincent McDonell ◽  
Scott Samuelsen
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Combustion Stability ◽  
Pollutant Emissions ◽  
Fuel Composition ◽  
Pure Hydrogen ◽  
Combustion Properties ◽  
Lean Premixed ◽  
The Impact

Co firing of natural gas with renewable fuels such as hydrogen can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and meet other sustainability considerations. At the same time, adding hydrogen to natural gas alters combustion properties, such as burning speeds, heating values, flammability limits, and chemical characteristics. It is important to identify how combustion stability relates to fuel mixture composition in industrial gas turbines and burners and correlate such behavior to fuel properties or operating conditions. Ultimately, it is desired to predict and prevent operability issues when designing a fuel flexible gas turbine combustor. Fuel interchangeability is used to describe the ability of a substitute fuel composition to replace a baseline fuel without significantly altering performance and operation. Any substitute fuel, while maintaining the same heating load as the baseline fuel, must also provide stable combustion with low pollutant emissions. Interchangeability indices try to predict the impact of fuel composition on lean blowoff and flashback. Correlations for operability limits have been reported, though results are more consistent for blowoff compared to flashback. Yet, even for blowoff, some disagreement regarding fuel composition effects are evident. In the present work, promising correlations and parameters for lean blow off and flashback in a swirl stabilized lean premixed combustor are evaluated. Measurements are conducted for fuel compositions ranging from pure natural gas to pure hydrogen under different levels of preheat and air flow rates. The results are used to evaluate the ability of existing approaches to predict blowoff and flashback. The results show that, while a Damköhler number approach for blowoff is promising, important considerations are required in applying the method. For flashback, the quench constant parameter suggested for combustion induced vortex breakdown was applied and found to have limited success for predicting flashback in the present configuration.

Extending the Fuel Flexibility From Natural Gas to Low-LHV Fuel: Test Campaign on a Low-NOx Diffusion Flame Combustor

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicola Giannini ◽  
Alessandro Zucca ◽  
Christian Romano ◽  
Gianni Ceccherini
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Diffusion Flame ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Molar Fraction ◽  
Pollutant Emissions ◽  
Combustion System ◽  
Extensive Experience ◽  
Fuel Flexibility ◽  
Partial Load ◽  
Fuel Mixtures

Today’s Oil & Gas facility market requires enlarging machines’ fuel flexibility toward two main directions: on the one hand burning fuels with high percentages of Ethane, Butane and Propane, on the other hand burning very lean fuels with a high percentage of inerts. GE has extensive experience in burning a variety of gas fuels and blends in heavy-duty gas turbines. From a technical point of view, the tendency towards leaner fuel gases for feeding gas turbines, introduces potential risks related to combustion instability, on both combustion hardware and machines’ operability. GE Oil&Gas (Nuovo Pignone), has developed a new program aimed to extend the fuel flexibility of its Low-NOx diffusion flame combustor (Lean Head End, or LHE), which currently equips single and dual shaft 30 MW gas turbines, so that it can handle low-LHV fuels. A fuel flexibility test campaign was carried out at full and partial load conditions over an ambient and fuel range, in order to investigate both ignition limits and combustor performances, focusing on hot parts’ temperatures, pollutant emissions and combustion driven pressure oscillations. The pressurized tests were performed on a single combustion chamber, using a dedicated full-scale (full-pressure, full-temperature and full-flow) combustor test cell. Variable composition gaseous fuel mixtures, obtained by mixing natural gas with N2 from 0% up to about 50% vol., were tested. The experienced LHE combustion system up to now had been fed only with natural gas in multi can single gas combustion systems. Combustion system modifications and different burner configurations were considered to enlarge system capabilities, in order to accommodate operation on the previous mentioned range of fuel mixtures, including: nozzle orifice sizing and combustor liner modification. This paper aims to illustrate the upgraded technology and the results obtained. Reported data show combustion system’s performances, mainly in terms of pollutant emissions and operability. The performed test campaign demonstrated the system’s ability to operate at all required loads with diluted natural gases containing up to 50% vol. of N2. Results also indicate that ignition is possible with the same inerts concentration in the fuel, keeping the fuel flow at moderately low levels. As far as load operation, the combustion system proved to be almost insensitive to any tested inerts concentration, while a huge reduction of NOx emissions was observed increasing the molar fraction of N2 in the fuel gas, maintaining good flame stability.

CFD Analysis of Turbec T100 Combustor at Part Load by Varying Fuels

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raffaela Calabria ◽  
Fabio Chiariello ◽  
Patrizio Massoli ◽  
Fabrizio Reale
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Combustion Process ◽  
Calorific Value ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Liquid Fuels ◽  
Cfd Analysis ◽  
Part Load ◽  
Gaseous Fuels ◽  
Wide Range

In recent years an increasing interest is focused on the study of micro gas turbines (MGT) behavior at part load by varying fuel, in order to determine their versatility. The interest in using MGT is related to the possibility of feeding with a wide range of fuels and to realize efficient cogenerative cycles by recovering heat from exhaust gases at higher temperatures. In this context, the studies on micro gas turbines are focused on the analysis of the machine versatility and flexibility, when operating conditions and fuels are significantly varied. In line of principle, in case of gaseous fuels with similar Wobbe Index no modifications to the combustion chamber should be required. The adoption of fuels whose properties differ greatly from those of design can require relevant modifications of the combustor, besides the proper adaptation of the feeding system. Thus, at low loads or low calorific value fuels, the combustor becomes a critical component of the entire MGT, as regards stability and emissions of the combustion process. Focus of the paper is a 3D CFD analysis of the combustor behavior of a Turbec T100P fueled at different loads and fuels. Differences between combustors designed for natural gas and liquid fuels are also highlighted. In case of natural gas, inlet combustor temperature and pressure were taken from experimental data; in case of different fuels, such data were inferred by using a thermodynamic model which takes into account rotating components behavior through operating maps of compressor and turbine. Specific aim of the work is to underline potentialities and critical issues of the combustor under study in case of adoption of fuels far from the design one and to suggest possible solutions.

Experimental Study on Lean Blowout Limits of Turbulent Premixed Hydrogen/Ammonia/Air Mixtures

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreas Goldmann ◽  
Friedrich Dinkelacker
Keyword(s):  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Measurement Procedure ◽  
Liquid Fuels ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Atmospheric Conditions ◽  
Ammonia Content ◽  
Lean Blowout ◽  
Combustion Properties ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Stability Limits

Abstract As the demand for greenhouse gas neutral transportation and power generation solutions is growing, alternative carbon-free fuel such as hydrogen (H2) and ammonia (NH3) are gaining more attention. Mixtures of both fuels allow the adjustment of combustion properties. With future fuels also the vision of very clean combustion can be taken into the focus, being for instance based on lean premixed and for liquid fuels prevaporized combustion for gas turbines. For the utilization of such concepts, however, flame stability is essential. In this study the upper stability limits, i.e. lean blowout of turbulent hydrogen/ammonia/air flames, is experimentally investigated in a generic non-swirl premixed burner at atmospheric conditions. Special focus is laid on a measurement setup with fully automatized measurement procedure, to reach the stability limits, as these limits tend to depend for instance on the approach speed towards the limit. The ammonia content was varied from 0 vol% to 50 vol% in 10 vol% steps with the rest being hydrogen, for a broad range of fuel-air-equivalence ratios. The lean blowout limit is increasing almost linearly with increasing fuel-air-equivalence ratios, whereas with increasing ammonia content the limit is decreasing. Furthermore, a model for the lean blowout limits were derived, which is able to predict the acquired experimental data with high accuracy.

Low Emissions, Renewable, Dispatchable Power Generation Using Ethanol/Natural Gas Blends

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maclain M. Holton ◽  
Michael S. Klassen ◽  
Leo D. Eskin ◽  
Richard J. Joklik ◽  
Richard J. Roby
Keyword(s):  
Power Generation ◽  
Heat Exchanger ◽  
Natural Gas ◽  
Power Output ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Waste Heat ◽  
Full Range ◽  
Liquid Fuels ◽  
Power Sources ◽  
Pollution Levels

Nearly all states now have renewable portfolio standards (RPS) requiring electricity suppliers to produce a certain fraction of their electricity using renewable sources. Many renewable energy technologies have been developed to contribute to RPS requirements, but these technologies lack the advantage of being a dispatchable source which would give a grid operator the ability to quickly augment power output on demand. Gas turbines burning biofuels can meet the need of being dispatchable while using renewable fuels. However, traditional combustion of liquid fuels would not meet the pollution levels of modern dry, low emission (DLE) gas turbines burning natural gas without extensive back-end clean-up. A Lean, Premixed, Prevaporized (LPP) combustion technology has been developed to vaporize liquid ethanol and blend it with natural gas creating a mixture which can be burned in practically any combustion device in place of ordinary natural gas. The LPP technology delivers a clean-burning gas which is able to fuel a gas turbine engine with no alterations made to the combustor hardware. Further, the fraction of ethanol blended in the LPP gas can be quickly modulated to maintain the supplier’s overall renewable quotient to balance fluctuations in power output of less reliable renewable power sources such as wind and solar. The LPP technology has successfully demonstrated over 1,000 hours of dispatchable power generation on a 30 kW Capstone C30 microturbine using vaporized liquid fuels. The full range of fuel mixtures ranging from 100% methane with no ethanol addition to 100% ethanol with no methane addition have been burned in the demonstration engine. Emissions from ethanol/natural gas mixtures have been comparable to baseline natural gas emissions of 3 ppm NOx and 30 ppm CO. Waste heat from the combustor exhaust is recovered in an indirect heat exchanger and is used to vaporize the ethanol as it is blended with natural gas. This design allows for startup on natural gas and blending of vaporized ethanol once the heat exchanger has reached its operating temperature.

Results and Experience From Operation and Testing of ALSTOM’s 30 MW GT10C Gas Turbine

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anders Hellberg ◽  
Georg Norden ◽  
Mats Andersson ◽  
Thomas Widgren ◽  
Christer Hjalmarsson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Liquid Fuel ◽  
Engine Performance ◽  
Liquid Fuels ◽  
Critical Parameters ◽  
Test Rig ◽  
Load Range ◽  
Performance And Emissions ◽  
Inlet Conditions

ALSTOM’s new gas turbine, the GT10C, is a 30 MW industrial gas turbine for mechanical drive and power generation, which has been upgraded from the 25 MW GT10B. The thermal efficiency of the new gas turbine is 37.3% at ISO inlet conditions with no losses. The GT10C features a dual-fuel dry low emission gas turbine, with emissions values of 15 ppm NOx on gaseous fuel and 42 ppm NOX on liquid fuel (also dry). The GT10C was first started and operated on load in November 2001 and the test program is ongoing until the fall of 2002. The program covers a complete package test, including gas turbine, auxiliaries and control system, to ensure package availability. For the tests, a new test rig has been built in Finspong, Sweden, for testing on both natural gas and liquid fuels. The tests have been very successful, achieving the product targets, for example below 15 ppm NOx, without combustor pulsations. This paper discusses operation experience from the test rig, where the engine has been tested on both natural gas and liquid fuel over the whole load range. The engine has been equipped with over 1200 measuring points, covering the complete gas turbine. All critical parameters have been carefully verified in the test, such as turbine blade temperature and stresses, combustor temperatures and dynamics and engine performance. Results from the tests and measurements will be discussed in this paper. Performance and emissions will also be evaluated.

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