GE Energy - Gas Types

Gas Types

Flexible Solutions to Meet Your Power Generation Needs

Jenbacher engines run on either natural gas or a variety of other gases (e.g., biogas, landfill gas, coal mine gas, sewage gas, combustible industrial waste gases) and site-specific special gases.

The natural gas segment of GE Energy's gas engine business includes the production and delivery of plants for decentralized energy supply based on natural gas as fuel. Since it is low in carbon, but has a high hydrogen content, natural gas has the most favourable carbon dioxide balance. The combustion of natural gas produces around 40 to 50 percent less carbon dioxide than when coal is burned to produce the same amount of energy.

But also a variety of other gases can be used in Jenbacher engines, please see the examples below for further information.

Types of Gases

Biogas

The term "biogas" refers to gases created by the anaerobic fermentation of biological materials. Their main constituents are methane and carbon dioxide. Considerable quantities of biogas are produced by sludge digestion in the tanks of sewage treatment plants (sewage gas) and anaerobic fermentation of agricultural waste and organic residues in garbage tips (landfill gas). Since biomass is a source of energy with no net carbon dioxide emissions, its use as a fuel can help reduce the use of fossil fuels, thus helping to reduce the greenhouse effect.

Gases from the Steel Industry

Among the broad variety of special gas applications, two that stand out in terms of customer demand and GE expertise are coke gas and LD-converter gas created during the production process in steel factories.

Mine Gas

When coal is mined underground, the released methane gas forms a highly explosive mixture when combined with air. The potential danger due to the diffuse emission of this mine gas and its main constituent methane is reduced by effectively using it for power generation. The gas can be used to replace conventional fuels, reducing methane emissions into the atmosphere.

Special Gases

Special gases are normally waste gases from industrial or gasification processes. Using them as fuels for combustion engines represents an important contribution to the protection of the environment by reducing the use of fossil fuels and the emission of harmful gases into the atmosphere. There is considerable potential for the disposal of industrial waste gases, hydrogen, wood pyrolysis gases and flare gas through gas engine power generation technology.