A novel hydrogen-fueled turbine engine architecture combined with power generation fuel thermal management system

The aviation industry is facing increasingly severe environmental challenges, and liquid hydrogen (LH₂) fuel provides a transformative solution for achieving the net-zero carbon emission goal in aviation. The application of liquid hydrogen in aviation turbine engines requires innovative thermal management strategies to address the technical challenges posed by its cryogenic characteristics and further improve its cost-effectiveness. This study proposes a novel hydrogen-fueled turbine engine architecture combined with a power generation fuel thermal management system (PGFTMS) to achieve synergistic utilization of chemical and physical exergy of LH₂ while delivering additional power to the high-pressure shaft. Through thermodynamic coupling modeling and parameter analysis under multiple flight conditions, the system demonstrates significant overall engine performance enhancement. Using takeoff conditions as the design point and maintaining identical turbine inlet temperature (TIT), the novel engine architecture achieves a 2.99 % thrust increase and 3.99 % fuel consumption reduction compared to the baseline engine. Exergy analysis reveals that the performance improvement primarily stems from reduced exergy destruction in the combustor and exhaust, elevating the overall engine exergy efficiency from 35.4 % to 38.8 %. Furthermore, the novel architecture demonstrates excellent performance enhancement potential across all flight regimes. Thrust improvements are observed under all operational conditions, with favorable fuel economy achieved during low-altitude and low-Mach number conditions. This research provides a viable technical pathway for future hydrogen aviation development, supporting the low-carbon transition of air transportation.