Reducing NOx emissions in gas turbine combustor by steam injection using CLN technique

One of the most significant emissions of gas turbine is NOx. In present work a gas turbine combustor is simulated with the aim of reducing NOx. In most research and industrial cases, steam is injected into the combustor separate or premixed with air for reducing NOx emissions. In CLN technique, steam is injected into the combustor premixed with fuel. CFD simulation is done for an axisymmetric non premixed combustor and the ability of different combustion models on NOx and temperature prediction is investigated. Results show EDC model which can implement different mechanisms predicts NOx production more accurate than other models. Also the influence of injection of premixed steam-fuel into the combustor is investigated and is compared to the injection of premixed steam-air and no steam injection cases. Steam injection into the combustor is done by increasing mass flow rate via increasing the nozzle diameter in constant inlet velocity. Results show that the injection of premixed steam-fuel causes 5.8 percent and 4.7 percent further decrease in NOx and CO production in comparison with other case.