Ammonia Gas Turbine Combustor

This innovation program proposes to develop and commercialize an ammonia gas turbine engine. This will enable the usage of ammonia as indirect hydrogen carrier for the storage and transportation of clean carbon-neutral energy. Ammonia will be used as high value synthetic fuel, produced from fossil fuels or from renewable sources. The overall purpose of phase I is to demonstrate the feasibility of burning ammonia to power an industrial gas turbine. Three main challenges must be overcome: achieve stable ammonia flames with complete fuel burnout, limit nitrogen oxides emissions and attain satisfactory combustor outlet conditions to achieve similar fuel efficiencies with respect to standard natural gas engines. In phase I, the ammonia gas turbine combustor concept will be developed using both numerical flame simulations and combustion experiments. This will include the definition of the appropriate flame stabilization method, flames equivalence ratios and combustor aero concept design. Moreover, a commercial gas turbine will be down-selected to serve as prototype engine for the technology validation. In phase II, the detailed ammonia combustor retrofit design will be finalized and followed by prototype manufacturing, engine assembly and tests. The ammonia gas turbine innovation can provide multiple benefit to the power industry. Large-scale renewable utilities can use ammonia as affordable energy storage and transportation medium to fulfill the needs of decoupling energy production and consumption, stabilize electrical grids, and increase profitability by optimizing power delivery. Second, distributed renewable energy producers, consumers and prosumers can profit from ammonia networks and engines to set-up efficient seasonal energy storages that can drastically improve their energy self-sufficiency and economic performance. Last, large scale coal producers can upgrade their fuel to ammonia via gasification. The new ammonia GT engines will allow a more decentralized and flexible power production with the potential of drastically reducing CO2 emissions.