ERI: FUNDAMENTAL GAS-PHASE AND HETEROGENOUS COMBUSTION KINETICS OF HYDROGEN-RICH FUELS

This project focuses on the combustion efficiency of fuels with high hydrogen content such as hydrogen, methane, and ammonia. High hydrogen content fuels can produce superior ignition and combustion performance, but the reactivity of these fuels varies considerably. Understanding the combustion chemistry and kinetics of reaction for each of these fuels is important, especially since they are often blended in practice. Furthermore, these fuels can be converted to thermal energy not only by standard combustion systems but also by catalytic means. The project will use a Rapid Compression Expansion Machine (RCEM) and a Thermo-Catalytic Reactor (TCR) to explore combustion chemistry, both with and without a catalyst. Results from the project will advance scientific knowledge about high hydrogen containing fuel mixtures that can help satisfy growing energy and transportation needs. Outcomes will aid the development of advanced high-efficiency combustors for ground-based power generation applications and aero-propulsion applications. The project will also support training to expand the science and engineering workforce to better utilize energy resources. This project will develop a comprehensive understanding of the combustion kinetics of hydrogen-rich fuels for gas-phase and catalytic combustion. Fuels to be studied include pure components hydrogen, ammonia, methane, and their binary blends. Fundamental knowledge related to autoignition, combustion byproduct speciation, ignition energies, and reaction kinetics will be generated using well-characterized and novel experimental approaches. The gas-phase combustion responses of interest include ignition delay times and time-resolved pre-ignition species evolution. An RCEM will be used to obtain the ignition delay times and time evolution of stable intermediate species for homogeneous fuel-air mixtures. The catalytic combustion of these fuels will be investigated using a platinum TCR. Experimental results on minimum catalytic ignition energies, spatio-temporal evolution of the ignition process, and the product distribution for varying residence times and equivalence ratios will be obtained. The results from this work will be useful in the design of advanced combustion systems and provide targets for the development and validation of gas-phase and surface combustion reaction mechanisms. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.