Session: Poster Session

Paper Number: 162908

Reactor Designs for Onboard Ammonia Cracking in Aircraft Applications 

Ammonia cracking is emerging as a promising solution for onboard hydrogen production in aircraft, enabling the use of hydrogen as a clean and efficient fuel. Various reactor designs have been developed to optimize this conversion, each with unique features and operational benefits. This research explores reactor designs tailored specifically to aviation applications, including weight constraints, high energy efficiency, and operational safety. The LEAP-1B engine that powers the Boeing 737-MAX aircraft is considered the reference aircraft for this study. We examine packed bed, shell-and-tube, and catalytic membrane reactor designs, assessing their conversion efficiency, weight-to-power ratio, thermal management, and integration potential with aircraft systems.

A comparative analysis highlights the advantages of each design under high-altitude conditions, where temperature, pressure, and fuel demand vary dynamically. Special attention is given to advanced catalysts, heat integration strategies, and compact designs that minimize weight while maximizing efficiency. Furthermore, we investigate integrating these reactors with onboard waste heat recovery systems to improve energy utilization and use the recovered heat for cracking. This study concludes with recommendations on the optimal reactor designs for commercial aircraft types. By addressing critical engineering and operational trade-offs, this paper provides a foundation for the practical implementation of ammonia-based hydrogen systems in aviation, paving the way for a greener future in aviation.

Presenting Author: Mairah Ahmed UCF

Presenting Author Biography: I am a first-year PhD student of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Central Florida. As a graduate research assistant at the Center for Advanced Turbomachinery and Energy Research (CATER) lab, I work on developing process designs that enable decarbonisation in aviation. My current research involves exploring ammonia as an alternative fuel in aviation and investigating techniques to integrate ammonia into existing aircraft engines using simulation software for process optimization.

Authors:

Mairah Ahmed UCF
Marcel Otto UCF
Jayanta Kapat UCF