Combustion Technology Lab

The Combustion Technology Laboratory is composed of two entities gathered on the same site: the Combustion Engineering Laboratory, which aims at developing and testing solutions for a better and cleaner way to convert energy from fossil fuels, and the Laser Diagnostic Laboratory, which focuses on fundamental aspects of physics and chemistry of combustion with regards to its environment.

Combustion Engineering Laboratory

The Combustion Engineering laboratory is used for studying the performance of fuels in typical combustion systems as boilers, furnaces and combustors. It provides opportunity for researchers and students to conduct both funda-mental and practical combustion studies. It extends over an area of 1100 m2, most of which is open, making it suitable for large-scale testing of low-NOx gas/oil burners and/or alternative fuels and other furnaces.

Facilities:

On the semi-industrial scale, the laboratory has:

• a 50-250 kW standard CEN (Central European Norm) boiler

• a 250-600 kW vertical fired boiler

On the laboratory scale side, several fully monitored test rigs are available as for example:

• a catalytic combustion reactor

• a semi-anechoic chamber

• the TNF standard jet diffusion flame burner

• a test rig for multi-component fuel and oxidant with preheating capability and controlled mass flow of steam

• a water-cooled combustion chamber with optical access

• a detonation test facility, with three shock and/or detonation tubes

• a test rig for studying thermo-acoustic instabilities in premixed combustion.

The laboratory is equipped with a gas detection and alarm system, and HSE procedures apply in order to ensure safe working conditions for laboratory personnel.

Measurements:

On all these stations conventional measurements to assess performance and emissions can be made (temperature, species/soot concentrations, particles). For that purpose the laboratory is well equipped for measurements of species concentrations with a number of gas analysers, a GC and an FT-IR.

Laser Diagnostic Laboratory

The Laser Diagnostic laboratory is oriented towards the understanding of combustion at the local scale. The complex interactions between turbulence, species formation and other external sources of disturbance as acoustic waves are investigated by use of advanced measurement techniques using lasers.

Methods:

The laboratory focuses on optical diagnostic techniques as:

• Laser Induced Fluorescence

• Laser Induced Incandescence

• Rayleigh/Raman spectroscopy

• Flame and flow visualisation

• Laser Doppler Velocimetry

Research Activities

The activities are directed towards development of more efficient and stable combustion systems, reduced pollution formation, burner design and evaluation of unconventional fuels and oxidants. 

Current thema:

• Oxy-fuel Combustion for Gas Turbines

• Hydrogen Fired Combustor for Gas Turbines

• NOx Formation from Hydrogen Combustion

• NOx Reburning

• Catalytic Combustion of Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Exhaust Gas

• Stability of Biogas Flames

• Flame - Acoustic Instabilities