Kawasaki Receives First Order for Modification of Gas Turbine for Hydrogen Mixed Fuel Combustion
Dec. 05, 2022
Tokyo, December 5, 2022 — Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. announced today that it has received an order from Chevron Phillips Chemical plant in Tessenderlo, Belgium for modifying a natural-gas-fired 1.8-MW class gas turbine cogeneration system with a Dry Low Emission (DLE)*1 combustor into one with a hydrogen mixed fuel combustor. The order, which was placed via Kawasaki Gas Turbine Europe GmbH (KGE)*2, involves upgrading the GPB17D gas turbine cogeneration system to a GPB17D-H2, which allows hydrogen to be added to fuel at a volume ratio of up to 30%. This is Kawasaki’s first order to modify a natural-gas-fired gas turbine, and it can be attributed to the customer’s recognition of Kawasaki’s combustion technologies which result in more effective use of hydrogen, a stable supply of power and steam using existing systems, highly efficient power generation, and impressive environmental performance that keeps NOx emissions to less than 15 ppm (O2=15%).
Kawasaki’s DLE combustor*3 can be installed on a natural-gas-fired gas turbine to achieve hydrogen-mixed fueled combustion without modifications to the turbine itself. Only the addition of equipment to supply hydrogen and fuel-mixing system is necessary, with no need to replace existing system components. This enables operators to continue using existing gas turbine engines which have proven reliability, while harnessing the power of hydrogen energy.
Chevron Phillips Chemical plant in Tessenderlo, Belgium, produces specialty organosulfur chemicals. As part of the associated chemical production processes, hydrogen, a valuable by-product is generated.
In March 2021, Kawasaki Gas Turbine Europe successfully installed the standard natural gas fired DLE (Dry Low Emission) Gas Turbine Generator Set (GTGS) with an electrical power of 1,8 MWe at Chevron Phillips Chemical’s Tessenderlo site.
In July 2023, Kawasaki Gas Turbine Europe plans to implement the necessary modifications of the existing standard DLE System to the 30vol% H2 DLE system during a planned standard overhaul. This upgrade will enable to maintain the NOx emissions below 15 ppm@O2=15%. Engineering and planning for this modification are currently ongoing.
“Our goal with the installation of this turbine is twofold. First, to use hydrogen resulting from our current manufacturing process, to save energy and further decarbonize the energy demand effectively. Second, to prepare our asset for a future hydrogen economy, taking additional steps to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels” explains Ives Mertens, Technical Manager at Chevron Phillips Chemical.
All models of Kawasaki’s DLE combustor*3 can be installed on a natural-gas-fired gas turbine to achieve hydrogen-mixed fueled combustion without modifications to the turbine itself. Only the addition of equipment to supply hydrogen and fuel-mixing system is necessary, with no need to replace existing system components. This enables operators to continue using existing gas turbine engines which have proven reliability, while harnessing the power of hydrogen energy. It was the development of combustion technologies tailored to hydrogen’s properties – a fast flame speed, which often results in flashback, and a high flame temperature, which makes it difficult to reduce NOx emissions – that made stable combustion possible while maintaining low NOx emissions on a par with those of natural gas combustion.
As Kawasaki foresees a significant increase in the use of hydrogen energy in the future, which will play a vital role in achieving a decarbonized society, the Company is developing a range of technologies for producing, transporting, storing, and utilizing hydrogen ― the four stages of a hydrogen supply chain. Hydrogen gas turbines are one of the key elements in the “utilization” stage that significantly reduce carbon emissions in the power generation sector, which produces about 40 percent of the nation’s CO2 emission in case of Japan. Pursuant to its Mission Statement, “Kawasaki, working as one for the good of the planet,” the Company will continue to develop gas turbine combustion technologies*4 that encourage greater utilization of hydrogen.
Specifications of the GPB17D-H2 Gas Turbine Cogeneration System with Hydrogen Mixed Fuel Combustion
| Gas Turbine Generator Model | M1A-17D | |
|---|---|---|
| Electric Output（kW） | 1,777 | |
| Fuel Consumption (Nm3/h) (hydrogen volume of 30% at combustion) | Natural gas | 509 |
| Hydrogen | 219 | |
| Steam Output（kg/h） | 5,120 | |
| NOx Reduction Method | DLE | |
| NOx Emissions (ppm）（O2=0％） | 52.5 | |
| Total Thermal Efficiency（％） | 83.7 | |
Conditions: Inlet air temperature: 15°C / Atmospheric pressure: 101.3 kPa (Elevation=0 m) / Inlet air pressure loss: 0.98 kPa / Exhaust gas pressure loss: 2.45 kPa / Fuel type: Natural gas (LHV=40.6 MJ/Nm3) / Hydrogen (LHV=10.8 MJ/Nm3)
| *1 | Dry Low Emission (DLE) is a method of mitigating NOx emission volumes by keeping combustion temperatures low without relying on the injection of water and steam. |
| *2 | KGE is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. located in Germany which sells energy-related equipment and systems (such as gas turbine and gas engine generator set and CHP system) to the European market, and provides servicing thereof. |
| *3 | Kawasaki utilizes an original and unique combination of lean-premixed combustion and supplemental combustion. In lean-premixed combustion, fuel is mixed with air prior to combustion in order to eliminate localized high-temperature spots where most of the NOx emissions are produced. Supplemental combustion injects fuel after lean-premixed combustion, and allows for variable power output with almost no NOx emissions while keeping the combustion of the main burner stable. Because the operator can continue using the components of the existing system for hydrogen-mixed fuel combustion, gas turbine engines with proven reliability can be used while harnessing the power of hydrogen energy. |
| *4 | Hydrogen gas turbine development roadmap: |
Related Links
Kawasaki Commences Sales of Thirty-percent-hydrogen Mixed-fuel DLE Combustor for 30 MW Class Gas Turbines (August 2, 2022)
https://global.kawasaki.com/en/corp/newsroom/news/detail/?f=20220802_0328
One of the World’s First 100% Hydrogen-to-Power Demonstration on Industrial Scale Launches in Lingen, Germany (December 9, 2021)
https://global.kawasaki.com/news_211209-2e.pdf
Kawasaki Develops Forty-percent-hydrogen Mixed-fuel Technology in Gas Turbine DLE Combustors (December 7, 2021)
https://global.kawasaki.com/en/corp/newsroom/news/detail/?f=20211207_2949
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https://global.kawasaki.com/en/energy/equipment/gas_turbines/cogeneration.html
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