H2POWRD seeks to harness hydrogen’s potential with rotating detonation combustion (RDC) integrated with a gas turbine (RDGT).
Rotating detonation is a paradigm breaking technology that revolutionizes the thermodynamic process to be significantly more efficient. This efficiency leap also introduces new challenges in the form of unsteady, transonic flow at the turbine inlet and higher heat transfer. Building on insights of a previous ITN (INSPIRE), which underscored the potential benefits of RDC, H2POWRD focuses on efficiently harnessing the unsteady outflow from the combustion of H2 in an RDGT.
This project revolves around three primary areas of investigation: (1) delving into the fundamental aspects of the combustion, encompassing reactant injection, mixing, detonation propagation, and heat transfer; (2) optimizing the transition region between the combustor and the turbine to tailor Mach number, pressure, and velocity fluctuations for turbine compatibility; and (3) refining the aerodynamics of rotors and stators to maximize
efficiency within relevant design philosophies and Mach number regimes.
The project’s outcomes are expected to deepen our understanding of critical scientific questions surrounding the unique features of RDC detonation waves, exhaust flow conditioning for targeted properties, and the design of turbines adept at handling heightened levels of unsteadiness. Beyond scientific inquiry, H2POWRD will showcase the technology’s potential and delineate pathways toward realizing higher efficiency and reduced fuel consumption.
TPG role
assess the potential of Pressure Gain Combustion (PGC) in open and Combined Cycle with the goals of identifying the most promising layout options considering also off-design performance and the
hybridization with fuel as storage option (H2/NH3/Biomethane) considering also power to gas solutions. At System level: i) for Combined Cycle and mixed Gas/Steam Cycle, the investigation of close/open loop steam blade cooling solutions has the potential to further increase the performance in term of efficiency for system designed for continuous use, moreover off-design analysis will be performed to evaluate the load following capability; ii) for Open Cycle, the adoption of the RDC based-layout could lead to simplify the compressor design and with a potential of capital cost reduction for peak-operation systems in land application or size and weight reduction for propulsion purposes.