CFD-Based Simulation Comparative Study of Coal and Ammonia Co-Firing in a Coal-Fired Power Plant

This study investigates the feasibility of ammonia co-firing for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. With coal accounting for a significant portion of worldwide electricity generation and contributing to high levels of <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$\text{CO}_{2}$</tex> emissions, the exploration of cleaner energy alternatives is critical. Utilizing Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations, the research compares coal combustion with a scenario involving co-firing of ammonia. The results reveal that ammonia co-firing caused a reduction in furnace temperatures, primarily due to increased water vapor in the flue gas. Additionally, <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$\text{CO}_{2}$</tex> emissions are notably reduced, indicating improved combustion efficiency. However, the study also identifies an increase in <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$\mathbf{N O}_{\mathbf{x}}$</tex> emissions, highlighting environmental concerns associated with ammonia's nitrogen content. The findings underscore the need for optimized ammonia injection strategies and further research to balance the benefits of reduced <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$\mathbf{C O}_{\mathbf{2}}$</tex> emissions with the challenges posed by increased <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$\text{NO}_{\mathrm{x}}$</tex> emissions. This work contributes precious understanding about ammonia co-firing as a cleaner alternative in existing coal-fired power generation systems.