Flame quenching and Lean blow-off limits of new zero/low-carbon fuels towards delivering a green Aviation; a combined Modelling & Experimental study
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Sheffield
Department Name: Mechanical Engineering
Abstract
Alternative sustainable fuels, such as hydrogen, ammonia, bio/synthetic fuels produced from sustainable pathways, have been highlighted in recent policy whitepapers as a route to address the problems in decarbonising the aviation sector and to help deliver net-zero. The recent Jet Zero Strategy has highlighted the investment to accelerate the production and infrastructure of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), and R&D priorities in delivering Zero-emission flight.
For the likes of ammonia, hydrogen and other synthetic or low carbon aviation fuels, that behave very differently to conventional kerosene-type fuels, this will entail the development of new engine technologies tailored to the new fuels, either pure component or blended. While the fundamental combustion behaviour in terms of chemical kinetic reaction mechanism may be understood for many of these fuels in isolation, at elevated pressure this is less certain, and major challenges remain concerning flame stability.
FLAME project focuses on net-zero propulsion, evaluating the fuels' impact on gas turbine performance and operability. Novel optical diagnostics and models will be developed that will enable the understanding of flame quenching and the lean blow-off (LBO) limits of new bio/synthetic-derived zero/low-carbon fuels, enhancing their application in gas turbine combustors.
For the likes of ammonia, hydrogen and other synthetic or low carbon aviation fuels, that behave very differently to conventional kerosene-type fuels, this will entail the development of new engine technologies tailored to the new fuels, either pure component or blended. While the fundamental combustion behaviour in terms of chemical kinetic reaction mechanism may be understood for many of these fuels in isolation, at elevated pressure this is less certain, and major challenges remain concerning flame stability.
FLAME project focuses on net-zero propulsion, evaluating the fuels' impact on gas turbine performance and operability. Novel optical diagnostics and models will be developed that will enable the understanding of flame quenching and the lean blow-off (LBO) limits of new bio/synthetic-derived zero/low-carbon fuels, enhancing their application in gas turbine combustors.
