BFI VDEh-Betriebsforschungsinstitut GmbH

Initial situation:

“Green” ammonia will be examined in furnace combustion to substitute fossil fuel gases and / or hydrogen in thermal processing plants or as a reducing agent in the exhaust gas stream to reduce NO_X emissions.

Project targets:

The media supply system for the industry-related pilot plant at the BFI is being expanded to include ammonia. A storage facility with a withdrawal point is being constructed by HKL Anlagentechnik GmbH (Gevelsberg) to supply gaseous and liquid NH₃. The company also manufactures mass flow control systems capable of handling a wide range of mass flow rates. A gas analysis system for combustion gas, bypass gas and flue gas, tailored to the additional fuel, is being configured by Emerson (Langenfeld, Rhineland) and will replace the existing analysis systems.

Innovative approaches:

• The direct use of NH₃ for heating thermal processing plants is being investigated in order to avoid an efficiency-reducing conversion to H₂ before the burner.
• The addition of NH₃ to the fuel gases natural gas and/or H₂ from 0 to 100% for burner outputs up to 1 MW is possible.
• NH₃ can be supplied to the burner in gaseous and/or liquid form. Using liquid NH₃ eliminates the need for energy-intensive vaporization before the burner.
• Precise measurements of NO, NO₂, N₂O and NH₃ emissions in moist exhaust gas become possible.

Benefits for the industry:

• At an industry-oriented pilot plant, burners can be researched and developed that can replace natural gas (CO₂ emissions) and/or H₂ (availability) in thermal processing plants.
• High variability in mass flows allows investigations into the addition of 0 to 100% NH₃.
• Adapted analytical methods allow for precise statements regarding pollutant formation in the furnace chamber and emission behavior.

Funding provider:
EFRE/JTFProgramm Nordrhein-Westfalen 2021-2027, Forschungsinsfrastrukturen

Project management agency:
Bezirksregierung Düsseldorf