Ammonia as a Fuel for Gas Turbines: Perspectives and Challenges

Abstract

The paper addresses the prospects and challenges associated with the use of ammonia in gas turbine plants. The complexity of the chemical kinetic mechanisms of ammonia combustion and the insufficient amount of experimental data that can confirm the results still require a lot of scientific research. In this sense, this application is even less technologically mature than other sectors such as the marine engine one. From the point of view of combustion in gas turbines, the techniques in use and being perfected to deal with flame instability, low laminar burning velocity (about 20% of that of methane-air flames), the long ignition delay time and low volumetric heat release rate. In particular, the use of ammonia blended with other combustion enhancers such as hydrogen, methane and alcohols has been analyzed. Mild combustion is also being analyzed as a valid technique for dealing with the difficulties of ammonia combustion. The combustion of ammonia generates significant quantities of nitrogen oxides, both for the thermal mechanism and for the “fuel” one, which must therefore be mitigated, together with the emission of unburnt ammonia. Even in this case, blending with other fuels allows for improved emissions performance. The paper compares the different techniques and the relative advantages both in terms of combustion efficiency and emissions. Finally, the perspectives for the use of ammonia in gas turbines are outlined, highlighting the challenges still to be overcome, in a panorama of energy transition towards an increasingly decarbonized future, with the aim of mitigating climate change as much as possible.