TNB ILSAS Leadership Development Centre Empowers TNB Executives with Cutting-Edge ‘Hydrogen Gas Turbine Technology’ Training

norazilao@utm.my

Bandar Baru Bangi, 16 November 2023 – The TNB ILSAS Leadership Development Centre (LDC) has enlisted the expertise of the Sustainable Energy and Reacting Flow (SERF) research group to conduct training for executives and professionals at Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB). This intensive two-day, in-house training, titled ‘Hydrogen Gas Turbine Technology,’ was led by Professor Dr. Mazlan Ab Wahid, Associate Professor Dr. Aminuddin Saat, Ts. Dr. Mohd Fairus Mohd Yasin, and Ts. Dr. Norazila Othman. The program aims to provide TNB’s executives, engineers, technicians, and OEM power industry specialists with comprehensive insights into leveraging hydrogen as a pivotal element in clean energy production within gas turbine systems.

Day 1: Hydrogen-Based Combustion in Gas Turbine Technology

On the 16th of November 2023, Associate Prof. Dr. Aminuddin Saat and Ts. Dr. Norazila Othman delivered the first day of training, focusing on decarbonization efforts, the basics of combustion, hydrogen for power systems, and hydrogen-mixed fuel. This initiative plays a pivotal role within the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR), which emphasizes hydrogen as a crucial energy carrier and a promising avenue for decarbonization. Discussions also covered the basics of combustion, gas turbine combustor design, performance, efficiency, and hydrogen safety considerations for hydrogen fuel, along with power plant standards for operation. TNB, pioneering the use of hydrogen for power flagship projects, must have a deep understanding of combustion fundamentals, as it is at the core of gas turbine technologies. This knowledge is essential for adopting hydrogen blends or implementing the co-firing of hydrogen and ammonia in current gas turbines, as requested by TNB executives who emphasized a focus on combustion phenomena inside the combustor.

Day 2: Hybrid Combustion in Gas Turbine Technology

Continuing on the 17th of November 2023, Prof. Dr. Mazlan Ab Wahid and Ts. Dr. Mohd Fairus Mohd Yasin provided further guidance on co-generation and poly-generation power systems, advanced power systems, including hybrid systems, advanced prospects, and emerging technologies. They underscored the importance of ammonia as a hydrogen carrier, along with design considerations and modifications for hybrid fuel combustion in gas turbine technology.

In addition to lecture hours, TNB executives were tasked with determining fuel costs and savings of hydrogen fuel for a techno-economic problem analysis. This included variations in CO2 emissions per kWh produced based on electrolysis and steam methane reforming (SMR). Grouped into four teams, they presented their findings before the conclusion of the hydrogen gas turbine technology course. TNB executives demonstrated full commitment to enhancing fuel cost and savings analysis using a hydrogen calculator from the GE Gas Power Industry. Armed with a comprehensive understanding of hydrogen’s transformative potential, these professionals are well-prepared to address the essential facilities required in Malaysia’s power plant industry.