Using Hydrogen to Decarbonize the Brick and Tile Industry

Abstract

For a significant reduction of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, it is assumed that hydrogen (H₂) will substitute natural gas in the upcoming years. Therefore, the operational limitations of the existing burner technology must be evaluated when the hydrogen content in the fuel is increased. To investigate the H₂-readiness of typical burners, numerical simulations and experimental investigations were carried out in test facilities and in an industrial tunnel kiln system in the brick and tile industry. The results of the examination of the existing conventional burner for natural gas and an additive manufactured dual-fuel burner for natural gas and H₂ will be presented. The investigations carried out so far suggest that it is possible to use H₂ in addition to natural gas as a fuel gas for tunnel kilns in the brick and tile industry. Ongoing investigations by means of simulations and measurements of the industrial tunnel kiln will provide further insights into this.