Development of a fuel-flexible research burner for hydrogen, ammonia, and methanol combustion using additive manufacturing

This study presents the development of the HyMAm-Flex burner manufactured by powder bed fusion of metals using a laser beam (PBF-LB/M). The burner was conceived to demonstrate the potential of additive manufacturing for highly integrated combustion systems, enabling fuel-flexible operation. The concept targets the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions by allowing the use of carbon-free fuels (ammonia and hydrogen) as well as carbon-based fuels (methanol) with distinctly different combustion characteristics. To ensure high corrosion resistance and high-temperature strength, the burner prototype is manufactured from the nickel-based alloy IN718. Additive manufacturing enables the integration of multiple functions into a single, monolithic burner design, including micro-channels for hydrogen injection, internal air distribution networks, and the integration of an ultrasonic atomizer for methanol atomization. These features are essential for achieving stable combustion conditions and would only be manufacturable using conventional techniques with significant additional effort. Large-eddy simulations (LES) of the multiphase flow are employed to analyze the hydrogen distribution within the burner geometry and to support the design process. The burner developed in this work is intended for experimental validation in a dedicated combustion test rig.