Control of Hydrogen and Enriched-hydrogen Reacting flows with Water injection and Intensive Strain for ultra-low Emissions

Información del proyecto

OTHERWISE

Identificador del acuerdo de subvención: 101078821

DOI

10.3030/101078821

Fecha de la firma de la CE 14 Diciembre 2022

Fecha de inicio 1 Mayo 2023

Fecha de finalización 30 Abril 2028

Financiado con arreglo a

• European Research Council (ERC)

Coste total

€ 1 499 958,00

Aportación de la UE

€ 1 499 958,00

Coordinado por

TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT DELFT
Netherlands

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - OTHERWISE (Control of Hydrogen and Enriched-hydrogen Reacting flows with Water injection and Intensive Strain for ultra-low Emissions)

Período documentado: 2023-05-01 hasta 2025-10-31

Resumen del contexto y de los objetivos generales del proyecto

Hydrogen is expected to play a central role in the transition to clean energy, especially in sectors like aviation and power generation where electrification is not always feasible. However, burning hydrogen in turbulent conditions introduces significant challenges related to flame control, NOx emissions, and overall stability. These problems become more severe when a hydrogen flame experiences strong aerodynamic strain — a condition common in practical combustors.
The ERC-funded project OTHERWISE aims to understand and control the effects of turbulent strain on hydrogen flames. It brings together high-fidelity simulations, advanced mathematical modelling, and experimental design strategies to explore how strain can be used not only as a challenge to overcome, but also as a potential tool for enhancing flame performance and reducing emissions. The project’s ultimate goal is to provide a scientific foundation for clean, safe, and efficient hydrogen-based combustion systems.

Trabajo realizado desde el comienzo del proyecto hasta el final del período abarcado por el informe y los principales resultados hasta la fecha

During the first two years, the OTHERWISE team developed several computational tools to investigate hydrogen combustion under strain. These include:

- Advanced simulations (DNS) of turbulent hydrogen flames, with new techniques to handle complex boundary conditions and flow instabilities.
- A novel modelling approach using probability density functions (PDFs) and flamelet-based methods, which allow accurate predictions of pollutant formation and flame behaviour under strain.
- Integration of effects like water injection and preferential diffusion, which are important in practical combustion environments when hydrogen is used as fuel.

The most remarkable scientific achievement obtained so far is the strain-induced suppression of NOx emissions. Further scientific achievements include the discovery of:

- Bimodal behaviour in the distribution of key flame parameters under strong strain, and
- A previously unobserved inversion of flame response to acoustic forcing at high strain levels.

In parallel, the team is developing low-order tools to help identify combustor geometries that naturally generate controlled flame strain — a crucial step toward practical application.

Avances que van más allá del estado de la técnica e impacto potencial esperado (incluida la repercusión socioeconómica y las implicaciones sociales más amplias del proyecto hasta la fecha)

The project has advanced the scientific understanding of how hydrogen flames behave under extreme conditions, especially where standard models and assumptions no longer hold. For example, the combination of preferential diffusion and aerodynamic strain has been shown to affect pollutant formation and flame stability in ways that were not previously captured by existing simulation tools.

These results pave the way for improved combustion models that are both physically accurate and computationally efficient. This is essential for designing next-generation engines and combustors that rely on hydrogen as a primary fuel. Looking forward, the outcomes of OTHERWISE may support:

- Cleaner hydrogen engines for aviation and power generation,
- Better predictive tools for industry design,
- New safety strategies for controlling flame behaviour in challenging conditions.

By tackling these issues at a fundamental level, the project contributes to the broader European goals of climate neutrality, technological leadership, and energy resilience.

High-fidelity simulation of a hydrogen flame under highly strained and turbulent conditions.