To help meet a national strategic commitment to clean power generation, NETL is developing a technology base for tomorrow's highly efficient, near-zero-emissions power plants. At NETL, combustion science research is helping to provide the basis for a new generation of advanced fossil fuel conversion technologies that are needed to meet future demands for efficient, clean, and cost-effective energy production.

Combustion science researchers are able to study fundamental combustion processes and properties at a laboratory scale, using advanced laser-based systems. Researchers also use a natural gas combustion apparatus that has been adapted to study a variety of fuel types and power systems. Taking this fundamental research the next step, researchers find that, when applied to reciprocating engines, laser-induced spark ignition can achieve leaner air/fuel running conditions by significantly lowering combustion temperatures, which reduces the amount of pollutants produced such as NOx.

High-Pressure Laser Ignition Apparatus
The High-pressure Laser Ignition Apparatus (HLIA) is used for laser-induced spark ignition studies. The studies are designed to establish the most efficient mode of laser ignition using different combinations of fuel and oxidant. The HLIA is configured to operate with mixtures of CH₄ and air or oxygen, and hydrogen and air or oxygen, which have different fuel/air equivalence ratios.

• Laser Systems
  • Solid state Nd:YAG pulsed lasers
    at 1.064 and 0.532 micrometers, 5-nanosecond pulse
  • Sealed CW CO₂ laser at 10.64 micrometers
    
• Diagnostic Facilities
  • High-speed video system
  • Fast gated integrator and boxcar averager
  • Optical multichannel analyzer

Elevation diagram of the HLIA: (1) Nd-YAG laser; (2) and (9) pyroelectric energy detectors; (3) 10% beam splitter; (4) mirror; (5) 7.5-mm focal length lens; (6) and (7) gas inlets; (8) pressure transducer; (10) PMT (photo multiplier tube) unit; (11) and (12) safety cylinder and vent; and (13) imaging unit

For more information contact: Phuoc Tran

Natural Gas Combustion Apparatus
Originally designed to study oxy-fuel combustion of natural gas, the Natural Gas Combustion Apparatus has been modified to study non-premixed combustion of a variety of fuels, using air or oxygen as an oxidizer. It is currently being used to study the structure, stability, and emissions of nitrogen-diluted hydrogen diffusion flames. The results may improve the understanding of hydrogen gas turbine combustion in the proposed FutureGen project.

• High accuracy mass flow controllers
• Remote laser spark ignition
• Rosemount Analytical NGA 2000 gas analyzers for NOx, CO, CO₂, O₂, and total hydrocarbons
• Separate “wet” gas NO₂ -to-NO converter
• Fine wire B-type thermocouples for in-flame temperature measurement

Natural Gas Combustion Apparatus configured for hydrogen dilute diffusion flame studies

Natural Gas Combustion Apparatus

Hydrogen diffusion flame in the Natural Gas Combustion Apparatus

For more information contact: Nate Weiland