Combustion Science and Advanced Technologies for Clean Energy from Low-Calorific Alternative Fuels

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My research program broadly aims to develop predictive design tools for advanced combustor concepts to achieve high efficiency and low emissions when burning alternative fuels. Rising energy costs and concerns over CO2, and other, pollutant emissions are two key challenges facing society that can be partially addressed by producing electrical power from low-cost, renewable, biomass-derived fuels in high-efficiency and low-emissions distributed generators. This proposal targets two technologies for regional- and residential-scale power generation: gas-turbine-engine (GTE) and Stirling-engine generators. Biogas and diluted syngas are low-net-carbon and, relatively, low-value bio-energy resources that can supplement, or replace, natural gas (NG) in clean, premixed-combustion generators; however, the high-diluent levels in these low-calorific fuels lead to low reactivity and flame stabilization problems. For residential-scale generation, we will develop design tools for novel heat-recirculating burners (HRB) for Stirling engine generators (SEG) and build a demonstration unit of this technology. These burners allow stable combustion for a range of firing rates or gas compositions, and promise improved efficiency and reduced exhaust emissions. HRB/SEG systems could have a major impact on rural communities by enabling cheap and clean power generation from available biomass. For regional-scale generation, my group is working with Rolls-Royce Canada (RRC) on alternative fuels for GTE. The Dry Low Emissions (DLE) GTE is a new combustor concept developed by RRC that uses lean-premixed combustion to achieve low flame temperatures and an associated decrease in NOx emissions; however, this again reduces combustor stability. We will study premixed combustion of NG-biogas/syngas blends at high pressures and low flame temperatures to enable their use in RRC engines, and will improve combustor performance under lean-premixed conditions by using novel Plasma-Assisted Combustion (PAC) technologies to increase the mixture reactivity. We aim to develop high-pressure PAC technologies that have a transformative impact on the GTE industry.