Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) has successfully completed a combustion test of an ammonia single-fuel burner as part of its development of ammonia utilization technology for thermal power generation boilers. The testing was conducted using combustion test equipment at the Nagasaki District Research & Innovation Center in Nagasaki, according to a news release.
Utilizing a combustion test furnace with fuel consumption of 0.5 tons per hour (t/h), MHI conducted a single-fuel burner test using an ammonia burner, and a high-ratio ammonia co-firing test with coal. In both cases, the tests confirmed stable combustion, reduced nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions compared to coal firing, and complete combustion of the ammonia.
In addition to its role as an energy carrier allowing efficient transport and storage of hydrogen energy at low cost, ammonia can be used directly as a fuel for thermal power generation, and because it does not emit CO2 during combustion, is expected to contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. This combustion test confirmed that the basic structure of the burner simultaneously provides for stable combustion of ammonia and suppression of NOx emissions, passing an important development milestone for practical application of the technology in thermal power generation boilers.
As a next step, MHI plans to conduct a combustion test using an actual size burner in a larger 4t/h combustion test furnace. Based on these results, MHI will then take steps for application of the burner it has developed for thermal power plants in Japan and overseas.
Since fiscal 2021, MHI has been pursuing “development and demonstration of high-ratio ammonia co-firing technology in coal-fired boilers” as part of the Fuel Ammonia Supply Chain Establishment project conducted by the Green Innovation Fund Project of the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). This combustion test is part of that project, and by fiscal 2024, MHI plans to develop burners capable of ammonia single-fuel firing for both circular firing and opposed firing type burners.
The Nagasaki District Research & Innovation Center, where the test was conducted, is located in Nagasaki Carbon Neutral Park, MHI Group’s development base for energy decarbonization technologies that commenced operations in August this year. With the success of this combustion test, MHI is accelerating the development of related technologies for practical application in thermal power generation boilers (Note) in Japan and overseas.
MHI Group will continue to propose new solutions that make use of its many proven technologies, including the use of ammonia, which is one of the most promising solutions for reducing CO2 emissions, and promote the energy transition.
