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Comparative analysis of combustion and emissions performance of partially cracked ammonia (H2/N2/NH3) and NH3/H2 flames in a model gas turbine combustor

Sheykhbaglou, Soroush, Chong, Cheng Tung, Shi, Jinhui, Fan, Luming, Valera Medina, Agustin ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1580-7133, Seljak, Tine and Ng, Jo-Han 2026. Comparative analysis of combustion and emissions performance of partially cracked ammonia (H2/N2/NH3) and NH3/H2 flames in a model gas turbine combustor. Energy 353 , 140830. 10.1016/j.energy.2026.140830

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Abstract

The present numerical study investigates the combustion and emission characteristics of partially cracked ammonia flames in a model gas turbine combustor under premixed swirl conditions. Higher NH3 cracking ratio leads to increased NO emissions and intensified combustion owing to higher H2 content, resulting in enhanced heat release with reduced flame length. Compared with 40% NH3/60% H2 flame at the same equivalence ratio of 0.8, the cracked NH3 flame with a 60% cracking ratio achieved a reduction in NO emissions by approximately 46%, implying the advantage of lower NOx emissions. Detailed chemical reactor network analysis identifies the dominant NO formation pathway for cracked NH3 flame as HNO + OH ↔ NO + H2O for equivalence ratio of 0.8, while the principal NO consumption reaction across all conditions is NH + NO ↔ N2O + H. The reaction NH2 + O ↔ HNO + H plays a key role in NO formation under lean conditions for cracked NH3 flames, whereas for NH3/H2 flames, the NH + OH ↔ HNO + H becomes the dominant reaction driving NO production. Ammonia cracking plays a crucial role in enhancing the combustion kinetics of NH3 by generating reactive hydrogen species, thereby improving flame stability and combustion efficiency in gas turbine applications.

Item Type: Article
Date Type: Publication
Status: Published
Schools: Schools > Engineering
Additional Information: RRS policy applied
Publisher: Elsevier BV
ISSN: 0360-5442
Date of First Compliant Deposit: 1 April 2026
Date of Acceptance: 21 March 2026
Last Modified: 06 May 2026 10:45
URI: https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/186093

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