PhD Studentship- A digital twin for thermodiffusively-unstable lean premixed hydrogen flames
Abstract
There is increasing interest in hydrogen as a viable carbon-free alternative for power and propulsion. Hydrogen behaves significantly differently from conventional hydrocarbons; in particular, it burns an order-of-magnitude faster. To control flame speeds and temperatures, hydrogen can be burned lean (with an excess of oxygen), but this can lead to flame instabilities due to the high diffusivity of the fuel (known as the thermodiffusive instability). The instability can make the flame difficult to control, as well as increase NOx emissions. The thermodiffusive instability is not well understood, and there is a complex dependence on reactant conditions (pressure, temperature and equivalence ratio). This project will train and support a PhD student to conduct high-fidelity numerical simulations of thermodiffusively-unstable lean premixed hydrogen flames and construct a digital twin of a laboratory piloted jet flame. The combined numerical-experimental approach will enable greater insight than would be possible independently, and will develop fundamental understanding of the flame instability, influence of reactant conditions, and turbulence-flame interactions. Such understanding will enable the development of turbulent-flame models that can be used to design the next generation of hydrogen combustors for low-emission carbon-free power and propulsion.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Feb 22, 2024
- Source ID
- FA86552317080
Entities
People
- Andrew Aspden
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- Newcastle University
- United States Air Force