Adrian Breicher
PhD Student
Co-operative doctorate with TU Darmstadt
MOTIVATION
Green hydrogen is an ideal energy carrier that enables efficient and low-emission energy conversion from renewable energies. Compared to methane, the main component of natural gas, the characteristic properties of hydrogen also allow particularly lean combustion, which reduces combustion temperatures and component loads and minimises CO2 emissions. However, a detailed understanding of the interaction of turbulence and reaction chemistry is required in order to effectively utilise the advantages of hydrogen, particularly in highly turbulent applications such as gas turbines. This is necessary to minimise the risks of extinguishing and to enable safe operation with hydrogen. This research should make a significant contribution to the development of safe and environmentally friendly hydrogen-based energy technologies.
METHOD
In order to analyse the special properties of hydrogen, methane flames with gradual addition of the green energy carrier are investigated in both laminar and turbulent flow configurations. Specially developed flow apparatuses are used here, which enable operation under clearly defined boundary conditions. The interaction of flow and reaction progress can be quantified by measuring the flow field using particle image velocimetry (PIV) and recording the reaction fronts using laser-induced fluorescence of OH radicals (OH-LIF). These two laser-based measurement techniques make it possible to analyse parameter influences on the combustion process without disturbing the process during the measurement.
