Abstract
The effects of hydrogen enrichment to methane on NOx formation have been investigated with swirl stabilized pre-mixed hydrogen enriched methane flame in a laboratory-scale pre-mixed combustor(nominally of 5,000 kcal/hr). The hydrogen enriched methane fuel and air were mixed in a pre-mixer and introduced to the combustor through different degrees of swirl vanes. The flame stability was examined for different amount of hydrogen addition to the methane fuel, different combustion air flow rates and swirl strengths by comparing equivalence ratio at the lean flame limit. The hydrogen addition effects and swirl intensity on the combustion characteristics of pre-mixed methane flames were examined using gas analyzers, and OH chemiluminescence techniques to provide information about species concentration of emission gases and flowfield. The results of NOx and CO emissions were compared with a diffusion flame type combustor. The results show that the lean stability limit depends on the amount of hydrogen addition and the swirl intensity. The lean stability limit is extended by hydrogen addition, and is reduced for higher swirl intensity at lower equivalence ratio. The addition of hydrogen increases the NOx emission, however, this effect can be reduced by increasing either the excess air or swirl intensity. The NOx emission of hydrogen enriched methane premixed flame was lower than the corresponding diffusion flame under the fuel lean condition.