Session: 04-13 Combustor Design I

Paper Number: 151582

Hydrogen Micro-Mix Fuel Injection: Design & Evaluation 

This paper presents experimental test data from a family of novel lean direct injection hydrogen fuel injectors, appropriate for adoption in aerospace applications. These fuel injectors adopt micro-mix injection technology which offers significant advantages for the combustion of hydrogen when compared to conventional fuel injection arrangements and configurations. The small size of the injection sites is advantageous for hydrogen combustion as it results in various performance improvements: smaller flame volumes, reduced combustor residence times and, as a direct consequence, reduced emissions of pollutants - principally the oxides of nitrogen (NOx). Hydrogen is also an ideal fuel for micro-mix applications due to its high flame speed. This property makes it insensitive to the short residence times and high strain rates of the low volume primary combustion zones generated by micro mix fuel injection. The fuel injectors studied here are of simple design and well suited to miniaturisation down to the limit of current manufacturing capability. Low TRL optical measurements, combined with validated reacting CFD at atmospheric pressure and temperature conditions will show that simply by varying hole placement and geometry, significant changes to flame structure and residence time can be achieved. This ability to geometrically alter the reaction zone provides opportunity for designers to fine-tune combustion processes.

Presenting Author: Mark Brend Loughborough University

Presenting Author Biography: Mark Brend is currently Head of Optical Diagnostics at the National Centre for Combustion and Aerothermal Technology, Loughborough University. His research background is in the application and development of state of the art optical measurements to support aerospace relevant techonlogy development. Mark joined Loughborough in 2010 following a PhD at University of Warwick, becoming research Fellow in 2019 and Head of Optical Diagnostics 2022.

Authors:

Mark Brend Loughborough University
Yanling Li Rolls-Royce Plc
Murthy Ravikanti Rolls-Royce Plc