Extreme Thermoacoustic Events in Hydrogen Combustion: High-Frequency Instabilities and Nonlinear Interactions

Objective

For achieving net-zero carbon emissions in power generation, there exists an urgent need to enable carbon-free energy generation through the development of hydrogen-fuelled gas turbines (GTs). Hydrogen, with its high reactivity and clean combustion, presents unique challenges, including thermoacoustic instabilities that can compromise GT performance, safety, and efficiency. The project ECHO (Extreme Thermoacoustic Events in Hydrogen Combustion) aims to uncover the mechanisms driving these instabilities, particularly high-frequency oscillations, and to develop innovative prediction and control strategies. ECHO is structured into three work packages (WPs). WP1 explores high-frequency thermoacoustic instabilities using adjoint-based methods and advanced experimental techniques. WP2 focuses on can-annular combustor configurations, a prevalent design in modern GTs, proposing to assemble a novel experimental setup dedicated to the investigation of (thermo)acoustic coupling and modal interactions. WP3 introduces data-driven, physics-constrained methods to model nonlinear flame dynamics in the time domain, overcoming limitations of traditional frequency-domain approaches. The project combines cutting-edge theoretical, experimental, and computational approaches to address these challenges, and leverages the PI's expertise in nonlinear dynamics, advanced modelling methods, hydrogen combustion and data-based modelling. By providing new insights into high-frequency and nonlinear modal coupling, ECHO will accelerate the transition to carbon-free energy systems by enabling stable operation of hydrogen-fuelled GTs. The findings will advance both academic understanding and industrial application, supporting a sustainable energy future.