Session: 06-08 mGT performance

Paper Number: 153281

Experimental Identification of the Operability Limits in Exhaust Gas Recirculation Rates Under Transient Control for a Micro Gas Turbine 

Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) has already been identified as a key adaptation to gas turbines for decreasing the penalty associated with amine-based post-combustion carbon capture, since it decreases the exhaust gas flow rate and improves the CO2 concentration. Moreover, EGR significantly reduces the NOx and remaining O2 in the exhaust gases, both affecting the chemical stability of the amines. However, the impacts and limitations of the EGR rate in dynamic control have not yet been identified and still represent an important unknown in terms of operability. Indeed, this avoids the development of control strategies and optimization algorithms where EGR is used as an additional control variable. Therefore, a 3 kWe mGT setup with enhanced EGR was operated by changing suddenly the EGR rates while monitoring the emissions. The emissions were also measured during cold and hot starts, where different recirculation levels are directly applied. While peaks in emissions (CO) are measured during the changes from one EGR rate to another, it is also observed that micro-gas turbine cannot be started with high EGR rates already applied. Those results are keys in the further development of control algorithms, where the constraints in terms of operability and emission limits are now identified.

Presenting Author: Vincent Thielens University of Mons

Presenting Author Biography: Vincent Thielens is pursuing a PhD focused on micro gas turbines with the application of exhaust gas recirculation and H2 co-firing. His research explores the use of EGR to enhance the flexibility of CCGT systems coupled with amine-based carbon capture, contributing to efficient energy production. He has also experience with sCO2 cycles for waste heat recovery and oxy-combustion.

Authors:

Vincent Thielens University of Mons
Frederiek Demeyer Engie R&I Laborelec
Klaus Peter Geigle German Aerospace Center
Peter Kutne German Aerospace Center
Ward De Paepe University of Mons