Feasibility study of biofuels in efficient Humphrey cycle gas turbines

Sweden’s and Europe’s future electricity system is likely to be highly dependent on renewable but weather-dependent power sources, primarily wind and solar, which also means a dependence on flexible peak-load power plants. Gas turbines can fulfil this function, but then high efficiency and a fuel choice in line with climate goals are needed. Today, gas turbines in Europe are mainly run on natural gas. Renewable fuels that could be used instead include biogas from digestion or pyrolysis, ethanol and other alcohols, various types of biodiesel, and e-fuels such as hydrogen or ammonia. Biogas is particularly interesting because it is easy and cheap to produce.

In this project, we explore a new combustion technology: rotating detonation combustion. It is a technology where combustion occurs at constant volume instead of constant pressure, which enables significantly lower fuel consumption and higher efficiency. Almost all previous research on this technology has focused on pure hydrogen. Instead, we will study different fuel blends, mainly biogas enriched with hydrogen, a combination that should work and which would also be particularly suitable in an energy system where both biogas and hydrogen (energy storage) are produced on a large scale.

The goal of the project is to design a demonstration burner on a laboratory scale that will be built and used for practical tests at a later stage. To make this possible, we need to answer a number of questions, including how the chosen fuel mixture behaves during rotating detonation combustion, how a suitable injection system should be designed, and how the setup can be made safe for use in a lab environment. To answer this, we will mainly use different types of models and computer simulations. The project is based partly on our own experience in rotating detonations, biofuels and combustion modelling, but also on direct collaboration with other universities and with industry.