Project description
Rotating detonation engines for aviation-related emissions reduction
Globally, aviation produces 2 % of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Currently one of the fastest-growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), efforts to reverse this trend are urgently needed. In the short-term, one solution could be the use of rotating detonation engines (RDE) that increase efficiency while reducing the dimensions of current thermal gas turbines. RDEs operating with hydrogen fuel may be the answer to achieving long-range, high-payload flights with zero GHG. However, this is not possible without first resolving the flow separation caused by high-pressure gradients, and the unstarting phenomena across internal turbine passages. To fill this knowledge gap, the EU-funded FLOWCID project will provide a numerical solution, analysis, and control for clean skies in the future.
Objective
Aviation contributes to more than 2% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, in the absence of further measures, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from international aviation are estimated to almost quadruple by 2050 compared to 2010. Efforts to reduce GHG through the development of alternatives to traditional fossil-fuelled thermal engines have made great strides. Yet large capacity, long-range electric vehicles with operating speeds similar to or faster than current commercial vehicles are not expected to become feasible for several decades due to the limitations of battery energy density and cost. An alternative short-term solution that is being investigated in Purdue University by Prof. Paniagua with intense interest worldwide is to utilize a rotating deto-nation engines (RDE) to improve the efficiency and reduce the size/weight of current thermal gas turbines. If utilized with hydrogen, with high energy-to-mass ratio and robust detonation properties, RDE will provide the best chance to realize long-range, high-payload flight with zero greenhouse gas emissions . However, the development and performance of a high-efficiency RDE is inhibited by two main fluid dynamic problems: the flow separation caused by high pressure gradients, and the unstarting phenomena across the internal turbine pas-sages. The numerical solution, analytical analysis and control of those problems is the main objective of FLOWCID.
FLOWCID proposes a 24-month long outgoing phase (and 12 months return phase) of Prof. Eusebio Valero (the Researcher) from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid UPM (the Beneficiary), to Zucrow Labs, at Purdue University, USA (the Host) under the supervision of Prof. Guillermo Paniagua (the Supervisor).
Fields of science
Not validated
Not validated
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)Coordinator
28040 Madrid
Spain