Compact heat exchangers for hydrogen-fueled aero engine intercooling and recuperation

This study investigates the application of compact heat exchangers for the purpose of intercooling and recuperation systems for short-to-medium range aircraft equipped with hydrogen-fueled turbofan engines. The primary objective is to assess the potential effects of engine-integrated compact heat exchangers on fuel consumption and emissions. The paper encompasses the conceptual design of integrated heat exchangers and associated ducts, followed by aerodynamic optimization studies to identify suitable designs that minimize air-side pressure losses and ensure flow uniformity at the inlet of the high-pressure compressor. Pressure drop correlations are then established for selected duct designs and incorporated into a system-level performance model, allowing for a comparison of their impact on specific fuel consumption, NOx emissions, and fuel burn against an uncooled baseline engine. The intercooled-recuperated engine resulted in the most significant improvement in take-off specific fuel consumption, with a reduction of up to 7.7% compared to the baseline uncooled engine, whereas the best intercooled engine resulted in an improvement of about 4%. Furthermore, the best configuration demonstrated a decrease in NOx emissions by up to 37% at take-off and a reduction in mission fuel burn by 5.5%. These enhancements were attributed to reduced compression work, pre-heating of the hydrogen fuel, and lower high-pressure compressor outlet temperatures.