Numerical characterization of hydrogen under-expanded jets: Influence of the nozzle cross-section shape

Abstract

This historical moment is characterized by a great awareness regarding the need to reduce the Greenhouse Gas emissions (GHG), which are responsible for the climate change and its detrimental consequences. Green hydrogen produced by means of Power-to-Gas technologies from renewables is gaining momentum as a possible clean fuel for the future mobility. In such a context, traditional injectors for hydrocarbon fuels are currently being tailored to be used with hydrogen. The short time available for the injection process leads to the employment of a high inlet pressure, resulting in the formation of an under-expanded jet. In this work, the main characteristics of these jets are analyzed by means of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) for a Nozzle Pressure Ratio (NPR) equal to 10. Then, to provide insights regarding the dependence of the air-hydrogen mixing on section shape of the nozzle, comparisons have been performed by changing the nozzle cross-section (circular, rectangular, and elliptical), keeping constant the mass flow rate to highlight the different levels of axial penetration and radial spread observed when varying the aspect ratio (1.5, 5.0, 8.0).