Laser Imaging of Turbine Engine Combustion Species (LITECS)
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Strathclyde
Department Name: Electronic and Electrical Engineering
Abstract
The ultimate ambition of the proposed research programme is reduced environmental impact of aviation and power generating gas turbine engines. Serious emissions reduction can only come from better understanding and modelling of the combustion and emissions generation processes and the roles of different fuels. Several disruptive chemical and particulate species measurement methods will be developed for detailed combustion zone and exhaust characterisation. These transformational new measurement capabilities will be applied to establishing, for the first, time the spatial and temporal evolution of combustion species and unwanted emissions within the engines. Such measurements will inform new understanding of the combustion and emissions generation processes and enable new technical strategies to ultimately deliver improved engine and fuel technologies for reduced emissions.
Planned Impact
The most significant long term impact for society as a whole will be reduced environmental damage arising from aviation and power generating gas turbine engines (GTEs) manufactured in the UK. This programme will be crucial to reducing emissions from aviation and industrial gas turbine engines (GTEs) and thus to meeting ever more stringent emissions targets. This in turn will help maintain and improve the competitiveness of UK GTE industries with significant impact on the supply chain and the UK economy as a whole. Impact will be ensured through the close involvement of our end user partners, Rolls-Royce and Siemens, both manufacturers of GTEs. Both have committed significant resources to enhance the measurement programmes and advance the technologies towards routine commercial application. In particular Rolls-Royce have committed to partnering the consortium in further funding applications to develop the innovations to higher technology readiness levels (TRL)
Academic impact will arise from the new measurement systems installed at the National Centre for Combustion Aero-thermal Technologies (NCCAT) and the Low Carbon Combustion Centre (LCCC) and measurement programmes carried out there will inform the understanding of of combustion and emissions generation processes. At a more fundamental level, successful spectroscopic measurements require knowledge of the fundamental spectral parameters of the target gases at temperatures experienced in the application. This knowledge does not exist at present and measurement of these parameters will be included in the programme. Our measurements will be submitted to the International HITRAN and HiTemp data bases for use by others far into the future. Furthermore, the novel measurement technologies will have other applications such as in fuel cells, chemical reactors and open flame combustion systems for power generation. Finally, there will be a significant skills legacy in the training of ten PDRAs and about 12 or more doctoral students in areas of advanced instrumentation and GTE combustion systems. There will be extensive engagement with at least two CDTs in Applied Photonics and Future Propulsion and Power.
Academic impact will arise from the new measurement systems installed at the National Centre for Combustion Aero-thermal Technologies (NCCAT) and the Low Carbon Combustion Centre (LCCC) and measurement programmes carried out there will inform the understanding of of combustion and emissions generation processes. At a more fundamental level, successful spectroscopic measurements require knowledge of the fundamental spectral parameters of the target gases at temperatures experienced in the application. This knowledge does not exist at present and measurement of these parameters will be included in the programme. Our measurements will be submitted to the International HITRAN and HiTemp data bases for use by others far into the future. Furthermore, the novel measurement technologies will have other applications such as in fuel cells, chemical reactors and open flame combustion systems for power generation. Finally, there will be a significant skills legacy in the training of ten PDRAs and about 12 or more doctoral students in areas of advanced instrumentation and GTE combustion systems. There will be extensive engagement with at least two CDTs in Applied Photonics and Future Propulsion and Power.
Organisations
- University of Strathclyde (Lead Research Organisation)
- University of Manchester (Collaboration)
- Optosci Ltd (Collaboration)
- LOUGHBOROUGH UNIVERSITY (Collaboration)
- M Squared Lasers Ltd (Collaboration)
- National Physical Laboratory (Collaboration)
- Rolls Royce Group Plc (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH (Collaboration)
- University of Sheffield (Collaboration)
- Siemens AG (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON (Collaboration)
- Siemens plc (UK) (Project Partner)
- Rolls-Royce (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- M Squared Lasers (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- OptoSci (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Johnson Matthey (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
Publications
Fu Y
(2023)
Hybrid Model-Driven Spectroscopic Network for Rapid Retrieval of Turbine Exhaust Temperature
in IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement
Liu C
(2023)
Perspectives on instrumentation development for chemical species tomography in reactive-flow diagnosis
in Measurement Science and Technology
Upadhyay A
(2022)
Tomographic imaging of carbon dioxide in the exhaust plume of large commercial aero-engines.
in Applied optics
Xia J
(2024)
FPGA-Accelerated Distributed Sensing System for Real-Time Industrial Laser Absorption Spectroscopy Tomography at Kilo-Hertz
in IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics
Zhang R
(2023)
A fast sensor for non-intrusive measurement of concentration and temperature in turbine exhaust
in Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical
Description | Membership of SAE Standards Committee 31 on Aircraft Engine Gas & Particulate Emissions Measurement |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Description | Effects of hydrogen addition on soot formation in flames: experimental investigation by laser imaging - Research Excellence Award (REA) - EPSRC DTP |
Amount | £72,957 (GBP) |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 05/2022 |
End | 11/2025 |
Description | Laser Imaging of Potassium in Biomass Thermal Processing - Student Excellence Award (SEA) - University |
Amount | £63,852 (GBP) |
Organisation | University of Strathclyde |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2022 |
End | 09/2025 |
Description | Joint laser research for instrumentation |
Organisation | M Squared Lasers Ltd |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Instrumentation research and developments |
Collaborator Contribution | R & D in Laser systems |
Impact | None yet |
Start Year | 2007 |
Description | Joint research with University of Edinburgh |
Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
Department | School of Engineering |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Research on Instrumentation for gas turbine engine measurements |
Collaborator Contribution | Development of Chemical Species Tomographic systems |
Impact | Joint published Journal article listed in publications |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Joint research with University of Manchester |
Organisation | University of Manchester |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | University of Strathclyde researchers worked on this project with researchers from University of Manchester |
Collaborator Contribution | Development of LII instrumentation |
Impact | Joint publication of Journal article |
Start Year | 2012 |
Description | Joint research with University of Sheffield |
Organisation | University of Sheffield |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Instrumentation research for gas turbine engine measurements |
Collaborator Contribution | Provision and operation of gas turbine engine for instrumentation testing |
Impact | Joint publications |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Joint research with University of Southampton |
Organisation | University of Southampton |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | University of Strathclyde researchers worked on this project with researchers from University of Southampton |
Collaborator Contribution | Development of novel optical amplifiers required for the instrumentation development. |
Impact | Joint publications in Journals |
Start Year | 2012 |
Description | Project partnership with Optosci Ltd |
Organisation | Optosci Ltd |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Optosci Ltd worked with the research team and assisted/contributed to the project outcomes |
Collaborator Contribution | Provisions of TDLS laser source |
Impact | None as yet |
Start Year | 2012 |
Description | Project partnership with Rolls-Royce PLC |
Organisation | Rolls Royce Group Plc |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Rolls-Royce PLC worked with the research team and assisted/contributed to the project outcomes |
Collaborator Contribution | Knowledge of gas turbine aero-engines |
Impact | Joint journal publications |
Start Year | 2012 |
Description | Project partnership with University of Loughborough |
Organisation | Loughborough University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Joint research in instrumentation for gas turbine engine measurement |
Collaborator Contribution | Provision and operation of test beds for new instrumentation testing on combustors |
Impact | None yet |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Research Partnership with Siemens |
Organisation | Siemens AG |
Department | Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery Ltd |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Research into instrumentation for gas turbine engine measurements |
Collaborator Contribution | Joint research partnership and members of the Industry Advisory Group (IAG) and the International Steering Board (ISB) |
Impact | None yet |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | iCASE Studentship with National Physical Laboratory |
Organisation | National Physical Laboratory |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We engaged NPL to ensure the research outcomes from the LITECS consortium are both robust and traceable. This has allowed NPL to also engage with the commercial partners of the project. |
Collaborator Contribution | Tom Gardiner from NPL has joined the International Steering Board of the project and is supporting research into both traceable gas sensing for aerospace and also expanding the research into the agriculture |
Impact | None as yet |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | Chairing a Special Session in IEEE I2MTC 2022 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | This proposed session of "Laser Sensing and Imaging for Techniques and Systems" aims to summarize recent key developments in: a) new laser sensing modalities; b) advanced laser sensor and instrumentation; c) novel imaging schemes, algorithms and systems; and d) new applications. A leading researcher with international excellence in the proposed topic, Prof. Kyle Daun from the University of Waterloo will give an oral presentation at the start of the Special Session to address the state-of-the-art laser sensing and imaging technologies, challenges, and potential solutions. Prospective authors are invited to contribute to this special session with their research as it pertains to all of the above aspects. Submissions are welcome, but not limited, to the following topics: ? Advanced laser diagnostic modalities, e.g., spectroscopy-, fluorescence-, incandescence-based methods; ? Novel laser-based sensors and imaging systems; ? Effective imaging algorithms and data inversion techniques; ? Two/three/four-dimensional laser-based visualization; ? Intelligent signal processing techniques; and ? New applications of laser sensing and imaging techniques and systems. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Chairing a Special Session in IEEE I2MTC 2024 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | This proposed session of "Optical Imaging for Flow-Field Diagnosis" aims to summarize recent key developments in: a) new optical flow-field measurement methodologies; b) advanced optical imaging instrumentation; c) novel imaging algorithms; and d) new applications. A leading researcher with international excellence in the proposed topic, Dr. Samuel J. Grauer, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, will give an oral presentation at the start of the Special Session to address the flow-field optical imaging technologies, challenges, and potential solutions. Prospective authors are invited to contribute to this special session with their research as it pertains to all of the above aspects. Submissions are welcome, but not limited, to the following topics: ? Advanced optical imaging modalities, e.g., chemiluminescence-, radiations-, spectroscopy-, fluorescence-, incandescence-based imaging methods; ? Novel flow-field optical sensors and imaging systems; ? High-fidelity imaging algorithms for flow-field visualization; ? Artificial intelligence-aided image processing and inversion; ? New applications of optical imaging techniques and systems in flow-field diagnosis. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
Description | LITECS overview and initial work presented at the Current Research in Combustion Forum held by the Combustion Physics Group section of the Institute of Physics. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | An overview and update on the LITECS project was given via a presentation to an audience made up of postgraduate students, early career researchers, academics and members of industry. The theme of the forum was current research into combustion and the presentation gave the opportunity for feedback and input on the LITECS project from a wide range of people involved in combustion research. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://iop.eventsair.com/crcf2023 |