Session: 04-09 Combustion Experiments
Paper Number: 127741
127741 - Metal Fuel Combustion Tests Using NRCan’s 0.3 MWth Vertical Combustor Research Facility
Reactive metals, such as iron (Fe) and aluminum (Al), have high energy density, making them a potentially suitable candidate for partial replacement of hydrocarbon fuels. These materials, herein referred to as metal fuels (MeFs), have the potential to simultaneously produce heat and power, zero-carbon hydrogen (H2), and other value-added products. To this end, the role of MeFs for producing clean hydrogen is becoming increasingly important for achieving 2050 net-zero emission targets for industrial decarbonization.
To date, limited work has been done to demonstrate MeF combustion at pilot scale. In this paper, the preliminary results of MeF combustion using the 0.3 MWth Vertical Combustor Research Facility (VCRF) of Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) at CanmetENERGY in Ottawa, are presented. This facility was originally designed for advanced research on combustion of fossil fuels, including air- and oxy-combustion of solid, liquid, and gaseous fuels with CO2 capture. The VCRF has been recently retrofitted to be utilized for combustion of MeFs. This paper presents the results of co-firing of natural gas (NG) with two Fe powders (90 μm, 40 μm). These MeF powders are analyzed through particle size distribution (PSD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), to study the size, shape and morphology of the particles. The preliminary tests with low MeFs firing rate showed promising results and further testing is ongoing with increased firing rate up to 0.3 MWth. The gaseous combustion products are measured by continuous emission monitoring (CEMs) analyzers during the tests, and solid particles are collected and characterized using SEM, energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and x-ray diffraction (XRD). Furthermore, the VCRF is equipped with a full range of instruments to monitor and record combustion process parameters in real time. These include combustion air flow, combustor pressure and temperature profile, as well as the flame shape and size (with the aid of a camera probe) for the MeF powders under study.
Presenting Author: Kourosh Zanganeh Natural Resources Canada
Presenting Author Biography: Kourosh Zanganeh received his Ph.D. degree in Mechanical Engineering from McGill University in 1995. From 1996 to 1998, he was an NSERC Postdoctoral Research Fellow at University of Toronto. In 1998, he joined CE-O as a Research Scientist and is leading the Zero Emission Technologies Group at CE-O since 2005. His research activities focus on CO2 capture and utilization (including CO2 conversion and mineralization), direct air capture, zero-carbon hydrogen production and storage, pressurized oxy-fuel combustion systems, supercritical CO2 power cycles, waste heat recovery from industrial processes, carbon capture materials development, and CO2 impurities impact on CCUS systems.
Authors:
Margarita Ilinich Natural Resources CanadaKourosh Zanganeh Natural Resources Canada
Ahmed Shafeen Natural Resources Canada
Katrin Staneva Natural Resources Canada
Metal Fuel Combustion Tests Using NRCan’s 0.3 MWth Vertical Combustor Research Facility
Paper Type
Technical Paper Publication