Sister projects
POLKA
Combustion of hydrogen from renewable sources is an emerging technology that can replace fossil fuels and so provide carbon-neutral energy. The goal of POLKA is to solve serious technical problems, which are unique to hydrogen combustion: thermoacoustic instabilities and flashback. Thermoacoustic instabilities are large-amplitude pressure oscillations caused by an escalating interaction between the flame and acoustic waves; they tend to occur unexpectedly and cause major hardware damage. Flashback is the dangerous phenomenon of the flame propagating backwards into components not designed for high temperatures. The ultimate vision of POLKA is to create new physical insight and advanced simulation tools, so as to underpin the development of hydrogen-fuelled combustion systems (gas turbines, aero-engines, boilers furnaces, etc).
HELIOS
HELIOS will develop needed technology for hydrogen combustion as a global retrofit solution for operating and installed gas turbines based on the commercially operating FlameSheet™ combustor platform contributed by our project partner, Netherland-based Thomassen Energy BV. Essential for this approach is a sound fundamental understanding of hydrogen combustion, combined with advanced numerical modelling and measurement techniques in a full-size combustor. This is imperative to realize the required technological developments for utilization of hydrogen-enriched natural gas with the FlameSheet™ combustor. The HELIOS project will start with gas-turbine combustion rig testing at well-defined lab conditions (Technology Readiness Level, TRL, 4) and will reach realistic conditions in a relevant environment (TRL 6) by the end of the project, with full-scale high pressure rig test validation.
HyPowerGT
The HyPowerGT project aims at moving technological frontiers to enable gas turbines to operate on hydrogen, in compliance with NOx regulations, using neither catalysts, nor diluents or thermodynamic efficiency reduction. The core technology is a novel dry-low emission combustion technology (H2 DLE) able of handling any blend of natural gas and hydrogen up to pure H2. To reduce the thermal driven NOx, the reaction temperature of flame is lowered by means of an enhanced premixing of fuel and air, still maintaining the flashback margin required to operate with fuel composition up to 100% H2. The development strategy is supported by an incremental verification approach, lowering through experimental testing the development risks, time, and costs.
