A Hydrogen-Fueled Micro Gas Turbine Unit for Carbon-Free Heat and Power Generation

In the progressively rising decentralized energy market, micro gas turbines (MGT) are seen with great potential owing to their low emissions, fuel flexibility, and low maintenance. The current transformation in the landscape of electricity supply with an increasing share of fluctuant renewable energy resources and increasing complexity requires a reliable and energy-efficient power generation source to support the grid. In this scenario, small-scale power plants that are constructed based on micro gas turbines with up to 250 kW power range can play a substantial role in meeting the challenges of the modern electricity grid. Micro gas turbines provide a reliable and cost-effective power source with a quick load-following ability which can respond to demand peaks and compensate for intermittent renewable sources when they are not available. MGT units can work as a system together with renewables, or function as a stand-alone unit in off-grid operations. The features of micro gas turbines are compatible with the energy transition that is the carbon-free modern energy grid. The technology underlying MGTs offer hybridization with renewable energy sources, flexibility in operations and type of fuel, and promising low emission solutions that align with environmental concerns. However, there is a continuous need to improve energy efficiency with a pressing urge for reducing emissions. This paper provides a review of micro gas turbines’ characteristics which promote their role in future power and heat generation systems. A brief overview of the challenges to improving operational flexibility, reliability, and availability of MGTs while maintaining low environmental impact and lowering the costs is presented. A model for an active monitoring and control system of the micro gas turbines is proposed which could improve the reliability of MGT operation in the grid by means of AI methods.

Section: Challenges and Opportunitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Role of Micro Gas Turbines in Energy Transition

Banihabib

Assadi

2022

“…It is assumed that the gas turbine has stable operation under the 100% hydrogen combustion mode. This assumption was made based on a previous study that successfully achieved the operation of a gas turbine with 100% hydrogen combustion [53,54].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparative Technical and Economic Analyses of Hydrogen-Based Steel and Power Sectors

Alikulov,

Aminov,

Anh

et al. 2024

Decarbonizing the current steel and power sectors through the development of the hydrogen direct-reduction iron ore–electric arc furnace route and the 100% hydrogen-fired gas turbine cycle is crucial. The current study focuses on three clusters of research works. The first cluster covers the investigation of the mass and energy balance of the route and the subsequent application of these values in experiments to optimize the reduction yield of iron ore. In the second cluster, the existing gas turbine unit was selected for the complete replacement of natural gas with hydrogen and for finding the most optimal mass and energy balance in the cycle through an Aspen HYSYS model. In addition, the chemical kinetics in the hydrogen combustion process were simulated using Ansys Chemkin Pro to research the emissions. In the last cluster, a comparative economic analysis was conducted to identify the levelized cost of production of the route and the levelized cost of electricity of the cycle. The findings in the economic analysis provided good insight into the details of the capital and operational expenditures of each industrial sector in understanding the impact of each kg of hydrogen consumed in the plants. These findings provide a good basis for future research on reducing the cost of hydrogen-based steel and power sectors. Moreover, the outcomes of this study can also assist ongoing, large-scale hydrogen and ammonia projects in Uzbekistan in terms of designing novel hydrogen-based industries with cost-effective solutions.

“…In the gas turbine sector, there are only some numerical and experimental examples [86][87][88]. Banihabib et al [85,89] conducted modifications on a 100 KW AE-T100 PH micro-gas turbine swirl-type combustor, originally designed for natural gas usage. They implemented the FLOX ® stabilization principle (specifically, the F400s.3 combustion system developed by DLR; see top in Figure 13) to enable the use of hydrogen-enriched fuel and eventually, pure hydrogen.…”

Section: Stabilized Combustion For Self-ignitionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gas Turbine Combustion Technologies for Hydrogen Blends

Cecere,

Giacomazzi,

Di Nardo

et al. 2023

The article reviews gas turbine combustion technologies focusing on their current ability to operate with hydrogen enriched natural gas up to 100% H2. The aim is to provide a picture of the most promising fuel-flexible and clean combustion technologies, the object of current research and development. The use of hydrogen in the gas turbine power generation sector is initially motivated, highlighting both its decarbonisation and electric grid stability objectives; moreover, the state-of-the-art of hydrogen-blend gas turbines and their 2024 and 2030 targets are reported in terms of some key performance indicators. Then, the changes in combustion characteristics due to the hydrogen enrichment of natural gas blends are briefly described, from their enhanced reactivity to their pollutant emissions. Finally, gas turbine combustion strategies, both already commercially available (mostly based on aerodynamic flame stabilisation, self-ignition, and staging) or still under development (like the micro-mixing and the exhaust gas recirculation concepts), are described.