Periodic Reporting for period 2 - HELIOS (Stable high hydrogen low NOx combustion in full scale gas turbine combustor at high firing temperatures)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2024-09-01 do 2025-08-31
The HELIOS project aims to revolutionize hydrogen combustion in gas turbines. In response to the global need for decarbonization, HELIOS focuses on enabling gas turbines to operate efficiently and safely on any blend of natural gas and hydrogen, up to 100% H2.
Using the FlameSheet™ combustor platform from Thomassen Energy BV, HELIOS develops and validates technologies that enable low-NOx hydrogen combustion through advanced modeling, experimentation, and full-scale testing. The project will progress from lab-scale testing (TRL 4) to realistic operational environments (TRL 6), culminating in high-pressure rig validation. HELIOS also aims to accelerate the commercial adoption of hydrogen-compatible gas turbines, fostering a wider hydrogen energy ecosystem and supporting Europe’s energy transition.
Key Objectives:
- Achieve low-NOx (<9 ppmv) hydrogen combustion in gas turbines.
- Enable operation across 0–100% hydrogen/natural gas blends.
- Modify the FlameSheet™ combustor for safe 100% H2 use at high temperatures.
-Develop a retrofit-ready solution for turbines from 1 MW to 500 MW.
- Ensure applicability to industrial and large-scale systems.
HELIOS has already made significant progress through successful high-pressure and atmospheric test campaigns.
Using the FlameSheet™ combustor platform from Thomassen Energy BV, HELIOS develops and validates technologies that enable low-NOx hydrogen combustion through advanced modeling, experimentation, and full-scale testing. The project will progress from lab-scale testing (TRL 4) to realistic operational environments (TRL 6), culminating in high-pressure rig validation. HELIOS also aims to accelerate the commercial adoption of hydrogen-compatible gas turbines, fostering a wider hydrogen energy ecosystem and supporting Europe’s energy transition.
Key Objectives:
- Achieve low-NOx (<9 ppmv) hydrogen combustion in gas turbines.
- Enable operation across 0–100% hydrogen/natural gas blends.
- Modify the FlameSheet™ combustor for safe 100% H2 use at high temperatures.
-Develop a retrofit-ready solution for turbines from 1 MW to 500 MW.
- Ensure applicability to industrial and large-scale systems.
HELIOS has already made significant progress through successful high-pressure and atmospheric test campaigns.
The work described in the HELIOS project has been divided into 6 work packages, of which WP2-5 focus on technical and scientific aspects. The key achievements in this reporting period are:
WP2: Hydrogen Combustion Fundamentals. Key technical developments in hydrogen combustion research achieved by WP2 include:
• A model burner made of quartz-glass was designed, built and successfully tested at TU Delft’s combustion laboratory.
• The preferential diffusion model applied to the laminar 2-D thermos-diffusive unstable flames is published in Combustion and Flame (Schepers, van Oijen, Comb. Flame, 2025).
• Steady state flame simulation of the simplified FlameSheetTM combustor shows reasonable agreement with experimental data
• A preferential diffusion model is successfully implemented in a rather complex case: a 3-dimensional turbulent channel flow
• First flash back results have been presented numerically as well as experimentally. However, the validation between numerical work and experimental work still needs to be performed.
WP3: FlameSheet™ Combustor Development. This WP focused on advancing the design and optimization of the FlameSheet™ combustor for high-H2 gas turbine combustors at high firing temperatures. Major outcomes include:
• Redesigned, optimized, manufactured FlameSheet™ combustor components focussing increased firing temperatures using new combustor design concepts.
WP4: High Hydrogen System Engineering and Measurement Techniques. Notable advancements in system engineering and measurement techniques:
• Established Comprehensive Safety Framework for Hydrogen Systems. Developed engineering principles and stricter safety practices addressing hydrogen’s unique challenges—such as embrittlement, leakage, detection, and fire behaviour—across the entire system lifecycle.
• Defined Critical Design and Operational Measures.
• Achieved a significant performance increase of the system which, through computer vision, is able to detect and measure flame pulsations due to combustion instabilities.
• Successful test of a combined UV-N-IR optical lens system for HELIOS HP test rig configurations
• Further development of fast-online OH* data visualization tool (“Dashboard”) with integrated analysis functions (modal decomposition, post-processing, movie creation)
• Design of a modified cooling jacket and respective optical arrangement for observation of axial hydrogen flame dynamics
WP5: FlameSheet™ Combustor Testing. Significant accomplishments in testing the FlameSheet™ combustor at high pressures include:
• Successful executed a high pressure measurement campaign at DLR using the FlameSheet™ combustor and record data at current B/E-Class like conditions with specific attention on the limiting factors regarding NOx formation, flashback and combustion instabilities
• Successfully tested increased firing temperature with new combustor design concepts.
• First demonstration of successful start-up on 100% H2, needs further development to ensure robust and safe operation.
• Significant NOx reduction achieved through premixer optimization
• First demonstration of successful ramp-up on 100% H2, needs further development to ensure robust and safe operation.
These achievements collectively advance HELIOS toward its goals, with continued emphasis on open communication, technical innovation, and strategic outreach.
WP2: Hydrogen Combustion Fundamentals. Key technical developments in hydrogen combustion research achieved by WP2 include:
• A model burner made of quartz-glass was designed, built and successfully tested at TU Delft’s combustion laboratory.
• The preferential diffusion model applied to the laminar 2-D thermos-diffusive unstable flames is published in Combustion and Flame (Schepers, van Oijen, Comb. Flame, 2025).
• Steady state flame simulation of the simplified FlameSheetTM combustor shows reasonable agreement with experimental data
• A preferential diffusion model is successfully implemented in a rather complex case: a 3-dimensional turbulent channel flow
• First flash back results have been presented numerically as well as experimentally. However, the validation between numerical work and experimental work still needs to be performed.
WP3: FlameSheet™ Combustor Development. This WP focused on advancing the design and optimization of the FlameSheet™ combustor for high-H2 gas turbine combustors at high firing temperatures. Major outcomes include:
• Redesigned, optimized, manufactured FlameSheet™ combustor components focussing increased firing temperatures using new combustor design concepts.
WP4: High Hydrogen System Engineering and Measurement Techniques. Notable advancements in system engineering and measurement techniques:
• Established Comprehensive Safety Framework for Hydrogen Systems. Developed engineering principles and stricter safety practices addressing hydrogen’s unique challenges—such as embrittlement, leakage, detection, and fire behaviour—across the entire system lifecycle.
• Defined Critical Design and Operational Measures.
• Achieved a significant performance increase of the system which, through computer vision, is able to detect and measure flame pulsations due to combustion instabilities.
• Successful test of a combined UV-N-IR optical lens system for HELIOS HP test rig configurations
• Further development of fast-online OH* data visualization tool (“Dashboard”) with integrated analysis functions (modal decomposition, post-processing, movie creation)
• Design of a modified cooling jacket and respective optical arrangement for observation of axial hydrogen flame dynamics
WP5: FlameSheet™ Combustor Testing. Significant accomplishments in testing the FlameSheet™ combustor at high pressures include:
• Successful executed a high pressure measurement campaign at DLR using the FlameSheet™ combustor and record data at current B/E-Class like conditions with specific attention on the limiting factors regarding NOx formation, flashback and combustion instabilities
• Successfully tested increased firing temperature with new combustor design concepts.
• First demonstration of successful start-up on 100% H2, needs further development to ensure robust and safe operation.
• Significant NOx reduction achieved through premixer optimization
• First demonstration of successful ramp-up on 100% H2, needs further development to ensure robust and safe operation.
These achievements collectively advance HELIOS toward its goals, with continued emphasis on open communication, technical innovation, and strategic outreach.
Strengthening the European industrial technology base; Both the H2-enriched gas-turbine technology as well as large scale testing facilities will be further strengthened. Several European companies (TEN, DLR, CCA) are positioned as leaders worldwide with respect to the design, construction, operation and testing of gas-turbines. One of the major objectives of HELIOS is to enable the use of hydrogen-enriched fuels for the energy sector, without compromising product security of energy supply. The equipment and systems of the existing power plant will be utilized as much as possible. Furthermore, the existing gas turbines are kept being used and job security is ensured, which will help to minimize the social impact of the transformation to renewable energy. Reliable hydrogen utilization will fasten the development of hydrogen infrastructure, and thus promote the transform from fossil power generation to renewable.
Within HELIOS a socioeconomic evaluation is envisioned. Specific attention is paid to public acceptance by incorporating end-users in the Sounding Board. An important outcome of the HELIOS project will be the “Handbook of requirements and recommendations for the implementation of high hydrogen gas turbines” addressing the techno-economics as well as social aspects.
Improving EU energy security; The HELIOS project concept aims on widening the H2 operation window of gas turbines, by implementing the FlameSheet™ combustor in power plant operators, it gives them significant flexibility since the power plant can now operate the gas turbine in principle with any kind of natural gas – H2 mixture
Within HELIOS a socioeconomic evaluation is envisioned. Specific attention is paid to public acceptance by incorporating end-users in the Sounding Board. An important outcome of the HELIOS project will be the “Handbook of requirements and recommendations for the implementation of high hydrogen gas turbines” addressing the techno-economics as well as social aspects.
Improving EU energy security; The HELIOS project concept aims on widening the H2 operation window of gas turbines, by implementing the FlameSheet™ combustor in power plant operators, it gives them significant flexibility since the power plant can now operate the gas turbine in principle with any kind of natural gas – H2 mixture