Configuring hydrogen lancing to reduce carbon and nitrogen oxides emissions from coal-fired rotary kilns
Journal article, 2025

Coal replacement with hydrogen is a strategy for reducing carbon emissions from high-temperature industrial processes. Hydrogen lancing is a direct way for introducing hydrogen to existing coal-fired kilns. This work investigates the effects of hydrogen lancing on nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions and ignition behaviour in a pilot-scale furnace that employs a 30 % coal replacement with hydrogen lancing. The investigation encompasses the impacts of lancing distance, angling, and velocity. Advanced measurement techniques, including spectrometry and monochromatic digital cameras, characterise the flame and assess emissions. The results indicate that the 30 % coal replacement by hydrogen lancing enhances combustion and reduces the emissions of carbon monoxides (CO). The flame characteristics vary with the location of the hydrogen injection, generally becoming more-intense than during coal combustion. NOx emissions during lancing are similar or up to double the emissions observed for pure coal combustion, depending on the lancing configuration. Increasing the distance between the hydrogen lance and coal burner increases NOx emissions.

NO x

Gaseous fuel

Rotary kiln

Spectroscopy

Co-firing

Solid fuel

Hydrogen

Combustion

Decarbonation

Photograph and video analysis

Integrated burner

Lancing

Author

Samuel Colin

LKAB

Chalmers, Space, Earth and Environment, Energy Technology

Francisco Javier Triana de Las Heras

LKAB

Fredrik Normann

Chalmers, Space, Earth and Environment, Energy Technology

LKAB

Andreas Johansson

RISE Research Institutes of Sweden

Johannes Fernberg

RISE Research Institutes of Sweden

Alexey Sepman

RISE Research Institutes of Sweden

Jonas Wennebro

RISE Research Institutes of Sweden

Henrik Wiinikka

RISE Research Institutes of Sweden

Luleå University of Technology

International Journal of Hydrogen Energy

0360-3199 (ISSN)

Vol. 120 323-332

Utveckling av vätgasförstärkt värmningsteknik för roterugn-elektrifiering av svensk järnmalmsförädling

Swedish Energy Agency (P2022-00196), 2022-07-01 -- 2025-06-30.

LKAB (Ordernr 8088686), 2022-07-01 -- 2025-06-30.

Subject Categories (SSIF 2025)

Energy Engineering

DOI

10.1016/j.ijhydene.2025.03.322

More information

Latest update

4/4/2025 1