How an AI Search Tool is Designing the Next Generation Hydrogen Jet Engine

The goal was to design a hydrogen engine. It needed to outperform conventional gas turbines. Engineers also sought to cut aviation emissions.

Pratt and Whitney and the RTX Technology Research Center led the effort. They did not treat hydrogen as a simple fuel replacement. The team reimagined the entire engine architecture. This work resulted in the novel HySIITE concept.

The HySIITE Engine Concept

HySIITE stands for Hydrogen Steam Injected, Inter Cooled Turbine Engine. The design could improve engine performance by about 35 percent. It also nearly eliminates nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. This project was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s ARPA-E program.

Water as a Key Enabler

The engine concept cleverly manages water vapor. Hydrogen combustion naturally produces water vapor. The HySIITE engine captures this water from the exhaust stream. It recovers roughly one gallon every three seconds. This recovered water is then used as steam inside the combustor. The steam helps control the hydrogen burn. This process manages flame speed and temperature. It also recaptures waste heat, boosting efficiency.

AI's Role in Design Exploration

The project utilized an AI-driven tool called DISCOVER. This tool helped engineers explore an immense design space. DISCOVER combines rule-based architecture generation. It also uses numerical models for simulation. These models cover thermodynamics, aerodynamics, and cost. The AI was crucial for navigating complex trade-offs.

Overcoming Hydrogen Challenges

Hydrogen combustion presents two major challenges. It burns extremely hot and very fast. This makes flame control difficult. It also risks high NOx formation. Engineers also needed steam for efficiency. Too much steam, however, can quench the flame. The team found a workable operating window. They tuned the mixture to inject substantial steam. This moderated temperature without losing stability. The team observed near elimination of NOx production.

Industry Impact and Future Outlook

This work offers a concrete data point for future aviation fuels. The HySIITE concept suggests hydrogen engines can deliver greater energy savings. This is compared to synthetic aviation fuels. The development by Pratt & Whitney feeds into industry discussions. It helps answer how to best use hydrogen in an engine. Commercial hydrogen powered aircraft are still decades away. However, this AI-accelerated design shows great promise. It highlights a path toward zero-emission aircraft technology. The use of AI in aerospace engineering is accelerating innovation.

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