Genetic Algorithms Optimised Chemical Reactors Network Application: Hydrogen Emissions Performance of a V2527 engine

Emissions from hydrogen combustion in aircraft engines is one of the concerns of this future alternative fuel. Full scale engine tests are costly. Modelling may provide insight into the emissions formation process and reduce the costs. However, the availability of combustor data (geometry and flow splits) in the public domain is limited. A technique, namely Genetic Algorithms optimised Chemical Reactors Network (GACRN) was implemented to search for the flow splits of a V2527 engine combustor. Then the optimised model was used to study the impact on NOx emissions from hydrogen combustion with a conventional engine. A further GA optimisation to flow splits was conveyed to show the necessary works to make hydrogen a feasible alternative fuel with minimum changes to the engine. The final results demonstrated that the GACRN is able to provide support in redesigning combustors to specific fuels.