A review of hydrogen micromix combustion technologies for gas turbine applications
Gaurav Singh, B. Deneys J. Schreiner, Xiaoxiao Sun, Vishal Sethi
Abstract
Hydrogen micromix combustion is a promising technology for gas turbines, introducing rapid, miniaturized air-fuel mixing, significantly reducing combustion zone length and nitrogen oxides (NO x ) emissions. This review evaluates the state-of-the-art hydrogen micromix combustion technologies, focusing on injector performance, flashback characteristics, and NO x reduction strategies. Injector designs are categorized based on premixing and flame stabilization techniques. While stationary gas turbines approach Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 9, aviation applications remain below TRL 4. This review identifies key design principles and predictive modelling challenges and presents a development roadmap for advancing hydrogen micromix combustion technology for aviation from TRL 4 to TRL 9 by 2040. • Ultra-low NOx (<10 ppm) in H 2 micromix combustors; mitigating risk of flashback. • Minimising flame interactions is the key injector array design challenge. • Fuel scheduling mitigates thermoacoustic instabilities, enhances turndown. • Innovative designs and advanced manufacturing for durability and H 2 leak control. • Priorities: low TRL experiments, numerical model calibration, materials selection.