Keywords

Sustainability, Zero-emissions, engines, performance optimization

Abstract

Numerous studies in the literature have explored the decarbonization of aviation. Some opt for sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), while others propose Hydrogen(H2). Recent studies have also investigated Ammonia (NH3) as a potential hydrogen fuel carrier. This study of NH3 as a viable alternative fuel could help reduce overall emissions and overcome the challenges of H2, which is highly flammable and difficult to store. This study aims to develop a core-engine model in a system simulation software called Simcenter Amesim. Results show a reasonable similarity between jet-A fuel and NH3 cracked H2 within the core of the engine, with significant advantages observed for H2 in terms of fuel flow rate and specific fuel consumption (SFC). A 64.04% decrease in fuel flow rate and a corresponding 68.04% reduction in the SFC are seen when transitioning from Jet-A to NH3 cracked H2 at take-off. Dynamic simulations were also conducted using throttle and elevator deflection to manage the phase of the flight to ensure that the flow requirements and component stability were met, with a comparison of flow rate and SFC. The study also quantifies the energy requirements for the ammonia cracking process. Key findings reveal that higher NH3 cracking efficiencies significantly reduce SFC, dropping from 47.46 g/kN/s to 39 g/kN/s. Finally, the study explores a system known as the Waste Heat Recovery (WHR) loop. This system uses the exhaust stream and supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) as the driving fluid to preheat NH3 and also generate power. This power can be used onboard, effectively utilizing energy that would otherwise be wasted. The study also briefly looks into a modeling approach and the potential future integration of this system into the engine's core, offering a hopeful vision for the future of sustainable aviation technologies.

Completion Date

2025

Semester

Summer

Committee Chair

Jayanta Kapat

Degree

Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering (M.S.A.E.)

College

College of Engineering and Computer Science

Department

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Format

PDF

Identifier

DP0029601

Language

English

Document Type

Thesis

Campus Location

Orlando (Main) Campus

Download

Share

COinS