GE completes world’s first DLN1.0+ with ultra-low NOx combustion upgrade

• 5 years ago (2019-04-15)
• David Flin

Asia 848 Gas 371

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GE has announced that it has successfully completed the world’s first installation of its DLN1.0+ with Ultra Low NOx combustion upgrade on nine GE 9E gas turbines at five plants in Shenzhen. These are with Shenzhen Nanshan Power Corporation, Shenzhen New Power Corporation, Shenzhen Datang Baochang Gas Power Generation, Shenzhen Yuhu Power, and CNOOC Shenzhen Power.

This upgrade reduces NOx emissions from about 25 ppm to about 7.5 ppm. As part of the Shenzhen Municipal Government’s “Blue Sky” initiative, all gas-fired power plants in the city are required to lower emissions below 7.5 ppm in six months. Power plants that fail to comply with these requirements will be taken offline.

NOx emissions produced in the combustion system increase with the temperature of the flame. The key to reducing NOx emissions is to be able to mix air and fuel together prior to burning. GE claims that its DLN1.0+ with Ultra Low NOx upgrade is an improved combustion system that can reduce NOx down to 5 ppm.

The new configuration includes:

• More robust materials and improved thermal barrier coatings to extend maintenance intervals to new combustion hardware, improving the mixing of the air with fuel, and enhancing the hot gas temperature profile.
• Combustion dynamics monitoring system and improved controls system using Corrected Parameter Control (CPC), an advanced control feature using real-time information, such as ambient humidity, ambient temperature, ambient temperature, inlet and exhaust pressure losses to adjust the fuel splits between the primary and secondary fuel circuit.

In addition, the upgrade allows the units to accept fuels with larger Wobbe index fluctuations, expanding gas source choices and helping the units to operate flexibly. The upgrade can potentially extend combustion system maintenance intervals to 32,000 hours or 1300 starts and stops, reduce maintenance costs, increase operational flexibility, and extend the life span of related equipment.