SUMMARY

Mitsubishi Power recently conducted combustion tests for ammonia and coal co-firing and ammonia-exclusive firing using a small-scale combustion test furnace.

By Shardul Sharma

Mitsubishi Power, a subsidiary of Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, plans to develop combustion equipment that can utilise ammonia as a fuel, it said on August 26.

By allowing the use of ammonia as an alternative to coal and other fossil fuels normally used in thermal power stations, this system will support the decarbonisation of thermal power generation, it said.

Mitsubishi Power conducted combustion tests at the MHI Research & Innovation Center using basic combustion test furnaces that can simulate the combustion conditions of coal-fired boilers in power stations. These tests were used to compile basic data on ammonia and coal co-firing and ammonia-exclusive firing.

The company said it has also identified optimal systems and conditions for combustion after understanding the characteristics of ammonia firing. These include the generation of nitrogen oxide which is a concern for ammonia firing, and the potential for unreacted residual ammonia to be released outside the power generation system, it said.

Mitsubishi Power recently conducted combustion tests for ammonia and coal co-firing and ammonia-exclusive firing using a small-scale combustion test furnace. The company conducted tests with several types of burners, with the aim of supplying ammonia-exclusive burners to utility and industrial boilers in Japan and overseas.

These ammonia burner combustion tests are the first step toward the development of combustion equipment. "Based on the results, Mitsubishi Power will demonstrate the technology using a full-sized combustion system and take steps to implement the technology at an existing facility, with the aim of gradually introducing the ammonia fuel to the industry," it said. 


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