Project description
New technologies to curb NOx aircraft emissions
Improving fuel efficiency and reducing harmful emissions are key goals of aero engine manufacturers, as they constitute a large part of aircraft operating costs. The EU-funded DENOX project is working on breakthrough technology concepts to drastically slash nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions in gas-turbine aeroengines. The new concepts are related to the electrochemical suppression of NOx generation in the primary combustion zone and the electromagnetic decomposition of NOx molecules in the engine exhaust. If successfully demonstrated and further advanced to higher technology readiness levels, the DENOX concepts will help contribute to achieving the ambitious goal of ACARE of reducing NOx emitted by aeroengines by 90 % before 2050.
Objective
DENOX project aims to develop and experimentally prove two breakthrough technology concepts and their optimal combination for drastic reduction of NOx emissions in aeronautic gas-turbine engines (GTEs).
Technology concept 1 is electrochemical suppression of NOx generation in primary combustion zone. It consists in generation of modulated discharge(s) in combustion chamber to initiate chemical reactions competitive to conventional NOx generation mechanisms.
Technology concept 2 is electromagnetic decomposition of NOx molecules in engine exhaust. It consists in application of multi-frequency electromagnetic fields to the exhaust flow to ensure resonance excitation of chemical bonds in NOx molecules up to their dissociation.
DENOX technology concepts are underpinned by the results of KhAI’s theoretical investigations and numerical studies of high-temperature high-pressure low emission combustion processes, which demonstrated potential to decrease NOx concentration in exhausting gases on 20-95% without decreasing of engine efficiency.
The project will combine analytical studies and numerical simulations with experimental investigations and multi-level testing campaign to translate proposed technology concepts from TRL1 to TRL3 and to assess full potential of their combination for the next-generation GTEs.
DENOX outcomes will contribute to the advancement of aircraft engines in both (i) mid-term perspective (EIS 2035) through progress in understanding and modelling of high-temperature low emission combustion processes, and (ii) long-term perspective (EIS 2050) through the potential to drastically reduce NOx emissions to meet Clean Sky 2 High Level Objectives and ACARE SRIA goals.
Fields of science
- natural sciencesphysical scienceselectromagnetism and electronicselectromagnetism
- engineering and technologymechanical engineeringvehicle engineeringaerospace engineeringaircraft
- engineering and technologymechanical engineeringvehicle engineeringaerospace engineeringaeronautical engineering
- social sciencessociologyglobalization
- social scienceseconomics and businessbusiness and managementcommerce
Keywords
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinator
03057 Kyiv
Ukraine