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H2020Individual fellowship2021–2023

PlasNH3 · Developing Plasma-assisted ammonia technology for decarbonisation of power production

Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Duration
2021-07-27 → 2023-07-26
EU contribution
€224,934
Participants
1
Scheme
MSCA-IF

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Results in brief

Developing Plasma-assisted ammonia technology for decarbonisation of power production

Ammonia is known as the low-hanging fruit for decarbonising combustion. Unfortunately, the inherent challenge lies in its limited reactivity, which impedes its effective utilisation as a carbon-free fuel. This project, for the first time, introduced an innovative approach to boost ammonia’s reactivity by utilising nanosecond plasma discharges. The adoption of this technique with industrial sectors holds the potential to significantly diminish carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions. The overall objectives of this project are encompassed as follows: Scientific objectives: 1- Develop a new kinetic mechanism by analysing the existing kinetic mechanisms of plasma-assisted combustion, and integrating them into existing ammonia combustion mechanisms. 2- Investigate the effects of plasma on the fundamental characteristics of ammonia flames by employing the developed kinetic mechanism. 3- Observe the effects of plasma on the stabilization and emission behaviour of ammonia/air-premixed flames based on a series of physical experimentations using a novel swirl burner test rig. 4- Improve understanding of the non-linear and multiscale plasma-flame-turbulence interactions by performing unsteady numerical simulations, to optimise the burner design based on the simulation results. Training objectives: 1- Develop new knowledge and skills in kinetic mechanisms. 2- Develop skills in advanced numerical simulation techniques. 3- Develop skills in physical experimentation. 4- Enhance supervision and interdisciplinary knowledge-transferring skills. 5- Enhance organization and management skills. 6- Enhance academic communication skills. 7- Develop and extend the knowledge and skills obtained in “core skills” to other applications.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union

Project objective

This proposal aims to benefit from the low-cost storage of liquid ammonia as a carbon-free hydrogen alternative energy resource and mitigate associated issues to its utilisation to replace hydrocarbon fuels in existing gas turbine engines (GTEs) for power production. It is built up ongoing projects at the Gas Turbine Research Centre (GTRC), where currently ammonia flames are investigated, experimentally. Two challenging aims have been identified: (i) to enhance the reactivity of ammonia/air mixtures and improve the fundamental combustion characteristics of ammonia for use in GTEs; (ii) to optimise the existing burner for operating with pure ammonia while maintaining high fuel efficiency and low combustion emissions. The novelty of the current project relies on the fundamental study of plasma-assisted combustion to improve the reactivity of ammonia rather than currently used approaches by blending of the ammonia molecule with more reactive fuels (i.e. hydrocarbons, hydrogen, etc.). The concept will ensure faster ammonia/air reactivity by modifying the kinetics of oxidation based on the concept of plasma-assisted combustion, avoiding the blending of the ammonia molecule with more reactive fuels (i.e. hydrocarbons, hydrogen, etc.). The project includes both detailed physical experimentation using an state-of-the-art optical combustion diagnostic facility at GTRC, as well as detailed multi-scale numerical simulations, covering all scales of the underlying processes from atomic and molecular levels, to the smallest scales of turbulent fluctuations to the actual burner size. Timeliness of the project is ideal to support the use of ammonia as fuel in power applications, marine engines, and heavy load transportation systems. Its success contributes to the decarbonisation of the power generation sector, whilst delivering a unique technology, without precedent, for power and transportation purposes.

Original text from CORDIS.

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Data: CORDIS, © European Union