Milestone for hydrogen combustion in aircraft turbines

The aviation industry is seeking to ensure short- and medium-haul aircraft can be operated using hydrogen as fuel in the 2030s. To achieve this goal, engine technology must be adapted to the requirements of this fuel. For example, hydrogen burns far hotter and more rapidly than kerosene. The injection nozzles in the combustion chamber play an important role here.

During the recent tests conducted on the High Pressure Combustion Chamber Test Stand 5 (HBK 5), at the DLR Institute of Propulsion Technology in Cologne, newly developed nozzles were used in the combustion chamber of a Rolls-Royce Pearl engine. The nozzles made it possible to precisely regulate the hydrogen-air mixture and thus optimally control the combustion process. This test campaign was preceded by tests of a three-sector combustion chamber on the High Pressure Combustion Chamber Test Stand 1 (HBK1) and at Loughborough University in the United Kingdom. In particular, the optically accessible test combustion chambers, such as HBK1, played a supporting role in the earlier stages and provided important insights and validation in the preparation for the tests on a full annular combustor.

The tests confirmed both the functionality of the combustion chamber and the expected emissions. In the coming months, further test campaigns will follow on complete engines, the fuel delivery systems and the integration of these systems into an engine.

"This is an outstanding success story, and we are pleased that we were able to make a significant contribution with our hydrogen testing capabilities. It was exciting to support this technology development and see how it was further advanced in the various facilities at our Institute of Propulsion Technology. This once again demonstrates DLR's capabilities in complex applied research. Achieving this rapid pace was supported by our experience in testing ground-based gas turbines," said Markus Fischer, DLR Divisional Board Member for Aeronautics.