Research on Carbon Footprint Reduction During Hydrogen Co-Combustion in a Turbojet Engine

• Published in: Energies (Basel) 2024-11, Vol.17 (21), p.5397
• Main Authors: Ciupek, Bartosz, Brodzik, Łukasz, Frąckowiak, Andrzej
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 21st century; Aeronautics; Aircraft; Aviation; Carbon dioxide; Carbon footprint; Climate change; co-combustion; Combustion; Ecological footprint; emission; Emissions control; Energy consumption; Environmental impact; Flue gas; Gases; Hydrogen; Hydrogen as fuel; Jet engines; Kerosene; Nitrogen oxide; turbojet engine
• ISSN: 1996-1073; 1996-1073
• DOI: 10.3390/en17215397

The paper presents experimental studies on the effect of co-combustion of aviation kerosene with hydrogen in the GTM400 turbojet engine on the change in the carbon footprint generated by the engine in relation to its standard operation without hydrogen in the fuel. This research is in line with current research and development trends carried out in the EU, linking them to the issues of the European Green Deal, the Fit for 55 directive and current environmental trends in aviation and energy. The main objective of the research was to check the effect of hydrogen co-combustion in a turbojet engine on the change of the carbon footprint, while a secondary objective was to verify the impact of higher exhaust gas temperatures generated by the new, high-calorific fuel on the secondary generation of nitrogen oxides (NOx), especially in the thermal mechanism, as an undesirable effect. The research shows that the co-combustion of hydrogen with aviation kerosene in a turbojet engine reduces the carbon footprint (reduction of CO2 maximum of 15% and CO emissions maximum of 24%), but also increases the emission of nitrogen oxides (NOx) maximum of 58%, including those generated in the thermal mechanism (significant increase in the temperature of exhaust gases), moreover, the increase in nitrogen oxide emissions is proportional to the amount of co-combusted hydrogen, which is directly related to the stoichiometry of the combustion process. The main conclusion of the research is that technologies for the combustion or co-combustion of hydrogen in turbojet engines require further research and development, mainly on the side of the use of excess exhaust gas temperature generated during combustion and methods of reducing secondary nitrogen oxides.