4 MW Tangentially Fired Pulverized Coal Boiler Successfully Ignites in Hydrogen Co-Firing Pilot Test

A semi-industrial hydrogen co-firing pilot project for pulverized coal combustion has officially entered the hot commissioning stage after the successful ignition of a 4 MW test boiler in Xi'an.

The pilot program is being carried out by Huateng Coal Power of Inner Mongolia in collaboration with design institutes, universities, research organizations and equipment manufacturers. The successful ignition marks the start of thermal verification for the project.

Coal-fired power plants continue to play a critical role in ensuring energy security and providing grid flexibility. Introducing hydrogen into pulverized coal combustion has the potential to improve flame stability under low-load operation, enhance fuel burnout and reduce carbon emissions. However, hydrogen's high flame speed and unique combustion characteristics also present engineering challenges, including flashback, fluctuations in NOₓ emissions and furnace slagging. A semi-industrial test platform operating under conditions close to commercial-scale boilers is therefore essential for generating reliable engineering data.

The project features a vertical 4 MW tangentially fired pulverized coal combustion test platform equipped with a complete hydrogen supply system, coal pulverizing and air distribution systems, online flue gas monitoring, flame diagnostics and ash/slag analysis equipment. The facility enables precise control of hydrogen blending ratios while replicating a wide range of operating conditions encountered in utility-scale coal-fired generating units.

The next phase of testing will evaluate boiler performance under multiple load conditions, hydrogen blending ratios and air distribution configurations. Researchers will monitor key performance indicators including carbon burnout, NOₓ emissions, hydrogen slip and heat-transfer surface slagging. The resulting engineering database is expected to provide technical support for hydrogen co-firing retrofits of 1,000 MW-class coal-fired generating units, burner optimization and operational safety management.

To ensure safe operation throughout the pilot program, the platform incorporates a comprehensive safety interlock system covering hydrogen transportation, leak detection, explosion protection and emergency shutdown, minimizing risks associated with hydrogen handling and combustion.

The successful ignition represents an important milestone in advancing hydrogen co-firing technology from laboratory-scale research to semi-industrial demonstration. Project partners will continue multi-condition testing to establish proprietary hydrogen-coal co-firing technologies and standardized engineering practices, providing a practical technical pathway for the low-carbon transition of existing coal-fired power plants.