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Preliminary Comparison of Ammonia- and Natural Gas-Fueled Micro-Gas Turbine Systems in Heat-Driven CHP for a Small Residential Community

Author

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  • Mateusz Proniewicz

    (Department of Thermal Technology, Faculty of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Silesian University of Technology, Konarskiego 22, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland)

  • Karolina Petela

    (Department of Thermal Technology, Faculty of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Silesian University of Technology, Konarskiego 22, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland)

  • Christine Mounaïm-Rousselle

    (PRISME, University Orléans, INSA-CVL, F-45072 Orléans, France)

  • Mirko R. Bothien

    (Institute of Energy Systems and Fluid Engineering, Zürich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), Technikumstrasse 9, 8401 Winterthur, Switzerland)

  • Andrea Gruber

    (SINTEF Energy Research, Division of Energy Research, Sem Sælands 11, 7034 Trondheim, Norway)

  • Yong Fan

    (National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-1-1 Umezono, Tsukuba 305-8560, Japan)

  • Minhyeok Lee

    (Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan)

  • Andrzej Szlęk

    (Department of Thermal Technology, Faculty of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Silesian University of Technology, Konarskiego 22, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland)

Abstract

This research considers a preliminary comparative technical evaluation of two micro-gas turbine (MGT) systems in combined heat and power (CHP) mode (100 kWe), aimed at supplying heat to a residential community of 15 average-sized buildings located in Central Europe over a year. Two systems were modelled in Ebsilon 15 software: a natural gas case (benchmark) and an ammonia-fueled case, both based on the same on-design parameters. Off-design simulations evaluated performance over variable ambient temperatures and loads. Idealized, unrecuperated cycles were adopted to isolate the thermodynamic impact of the fuel switch under complete combustion assumption. Under these assumptions, the study shows that the ammonia system produces more electrical energy and less excess heat, yielding marginally higher electrical efficiency and EUF (26.05% and 77.63%) than the natural gas system (24.59% and 77.55%), highlighting ammonia’s utilization potential in such a context. Future research should target validating ammonia combustion and emission profiles across the turbine load range, and updating the thermodynamic model with a recuperator and SCR accounting for realistic pressure losses.

Suggested Citation

  • Mateusz Proniewicz & Karolina Petela & Christine Mounaïm-Rousselle & Mirko R. Bothien & Andrea Gruber & Yong Fan & Minhyeok Lee & Andrzej Szlęk, 2025. "Preliminary Comparison of Ammonia- and Natural Gas-Fueled Micro-Gas Turbine Systems in Heat-Driven CHP for a Small Residential Community," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(15), pages 1-23, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:18:y:2025:i:15:p:4103-:d:1716066
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