Measurements of NO in the post-flame region of laminar premixed ammonia/methane-air flames using laser-induced fluorescence

Cofiring of ammonia (NH 3 ) with methane (CH 4 ) offers a promising route to enhance the combustion characteristics of pure ammonia while partially decarbonizing methane-based energy systems. However, the presence of fuel-bound nitrogen in ammonia leads to elevated NOx emissions. Although NO measurements in NH 3 -containing flames have been reported, there is a notable lack of validation datasets for NH 3 /CH 4 cofiring based on non-intrusive diagnostics. In this communication, a laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) approach recently developed for post-flame NO measurements is applied to NH 3 /CH 4 -air flames with CH 4 contents ranging from 50 vol.-% to 80 vol.-% in the fuel mixture. The LIF signal processing includes corrections for laser absorption, signal trapping, and pulse energy fluctuations. Thermochemical differences between calibration and target flames are addressed through corrections for number density, Boltzmann fraction, spectral line overlap, and electronic quenching. The results show good agreement with recent chemical kinetic models over a broad range of conditions. Within the tested range, increasing the NH 3 content results in a notable reduction of NO emissions under fuel-rich conditions, while the opposite trend is observed under fuel-lean conditions. The observed NO trends are interpreted using normalized radical pool indicators for and O/H/OH species. Novelty and Significance Quantitative data on NO emissions from ammonia-based fuels remain limited, especially those obtained using non-intrusive diagnostics. In this paper, we extend a previously presented laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) method to measure post-flame NO concentrations in NH 3 /CH 4 -air flames across a broad range of equivalence ratios and fuel compositions. The dataset covers CH 4 contents from 50 to 80 vol.%. By introducing normalized radical pool indicators for and O/H/OH species, the work helps to interpret observed NO trends. The results provide a basis for refining chemical kinetic models with respect to NO formation.

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Publication Details

Journal
Combustion and Flame
Published
2025-09-16
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.combustflame.2025.114450
Citations
2
Primary Topic
Combustion and flame dynamics
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
2.67
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article

Measurements of NO in the post-flame region of laminar premixed ammonia/methane-air flames using laser-induced fluorescence

Dirk Geyer, Marie Richter, Johannes Lill, Robert S. Barlow et al.
2 citations
Combustion and Flame
Combustion and flame dynamics
2.67
article

Measurements of NO in the post-flame region of laminar premixed ammonia/methane-air flames using laser-induced fluorescence

Dirk Geyer, Marie Richter, Johannes Lill, Robert S. Barlow, Andreas M. Dreizler, James R. Dawson
article en
2 citations

Abstract

Cofiring of ammonia (NH 3 ) with methane (CH 4 ) offers a promising route to enhance the combustion characteristics of pure ammonia while partially decarbonizing methane-based energy systems. However, the presence of fuel-bound nitrogen in ammonia leads to elevated NOx emissions. Although NO measurements in NH 3 -containing flames have been reported, there is a notable lack of validation datasets for NH 3 /CH 4 cofiring based on non-intrusive diagnostics. In this communication, a laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) approach recently developed for post-flame NO measurements is applied to NH 3 /CH 4 -air flames with CH 4 contents ranging from 50 vol.-% to 80 vol.-% in the fuel mixture. The LIF signal processing includes corrections for laser absorption, signal trapping, and pulse energy fluctuations. Thermochemical differences between calibration and target flames are addressed through corrections for number density, Boltzmann fraction, spectral line overlap, and electronic quenching. The results show good agreement with recent chemical kinetic models over a broad range of conditions. Within the tested range, increasing the NH 3 content results in a notable reduction of NO emissions under fuel-rich conditions, while the opposite trend is observed under fuel-lean conditions. The observed NO trends are interpreted using normalized radical pool indicators for and O/H/OH species. Novelty and Significance Quantitative data on NO emissions from ammonia-based fuels remain limited, especially those obtained using non-intrusive diagnostics. In this paper, we extend a previously presented laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) method to measure post-flame NO concentrations in NH 3 /CH 4 -air flames across a broad range of equivalence ratios and fuel compositions. The dataset covers CH 4 contents from 50 to 80 vol.%. By introducing normalized radical pool indicators for and O/H/OH species, the work helps to interpret observed NO trends. The results provide a basis for refining chemical kinetic models with respect to NO formation.

Combustion and FlameVol. 282
Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NO), Technische Universität Darmstadt (DE)
Openalex Percentile: Top 10%
Combustion and flame dynamics
2.67
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