EW-3 Junior Research Group Renewable Chemical Energy Storage as Future Fuel

Welcome to the webpage of our Junior Research Group "Renewable Chemical Energy Storage as Future Fuel". Our team consists of members from the Technische Universität Carolo-Wilhelmina zu Braunschweig Institute of Technology, Leibniz Universität Hannover and Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt:

• TUBS, Institut of Energy and Process Systems Engineering,
• TUBS, Institute for Chemical and Thermal Process Engineering,
• TUBS, Institute of Environmental and Sustainable Chemistry,
• TUBS, Institute of Internal Combustion Engines,
• TUBS, Institute of Jet Propulsion and Turbomachinery,
• LUH, Institute of Technical Combustion,
• LUH, Institute of Turbomachinery and Fluid Dynamics,
• PTB, Department 3.3 Thermophysical Quantities

We are engaged in the research of renewable fuels in terms of synthesis and use in aircraft engines and internal combustion engines.

The Junior Research Group focusses on research concerning synthesis, purification and use of "ElectroFuels", renewable fuels, which are produced through electrosynthesis from biobased precursors. The approach is based on concepts like "Power-to-X" with focus on "Power-to-Liquid" or "Power-to-Molecule", which are increasingly important. Unique features of the Junior Research Group on the manufacturing side are both the research on the synthesis of organic compounds via electrochemistry and the combination with ammonia as an ElectroFuel.

Several approaches are pursued. On the one hand, we study ammonia as a model fuel, with combustion properties being tuned via defined ammonia-hydrogen, ammonia-methane as well as methane-hydrogen mixtures, since targeted combustion properties can be selected here. On the other hand, combustion properties of organic molecules like liquid hydrocarbons are also investigated. This happens for example in the workgroup Eilts for engine combustion, in the workgroup Dinkelacker for spray investigations and for potential use in aircraft engines. The electrochemical synthesis of organic compounds can be considered as a core element of our approach (beyond the usual water electrolysis), making high temperature/high pressure catalytic processes like Fischer-Tropsch synthesis obsolete.

At the industrial scale, ammonia is produced from hydrogen and nitrogen in the presence of iron-based catalysts by the Haber-Bosch process. This process can inherently be used in Power-to-Ammonia. However, its operability under high variable inflow of nitrogen and hydrogen, including poisoning by H2O and O2, has been barely investigated. Here, too, a clear positioning is thus present.

Leadership/Management:

• Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ulrike Krewer, TUBS, Institute of Energy and Process Systems Engineering (InES): Model-based, multiscale analysis of electrochemical and chemical energy storage concepts and energy converter technologies, e.g. Power-to-Ammonia, micro and macrokinetic studies, dynamic analysis, degradation, optimization of systems and processes.
• Prof. Dr.-Ing. Stephan Scholl, TUBS, Institute for Chemical and Thermal Process Engineering (ICTV): Process Engineering based modelling and simulation of individual process steps as well as the integrated process chain to establish consistent mass, component, and energy balances. These may serve as basis for subsequent analysis and assessment of process concepts with respect to their economic as well as environmental impact; experimental investigations in miniplant scale; off-gas treatment.
• Prof. Dr. rer nat. habil. Uwe Schröder, TUBS, Institute of Environmental and Sustainable Chemistry (IÖNC): Development of electrochemical synthesis for the generation of tailored liquid model fuels (ElectroFuels).
• Prof. Dr. Friedrich Dinkelacker, LUH, Institute of Technical Combustion (ITV): Combustion in jet engines, experiments for preventing self-ignition and optimized pre-mixing of designed fuels, contribution regarding identification of suitable fuels.
• Prof. Dr.-Ing. Peter Eilts, TUBS, Institute of Internal Combustion Engines (ivb): Combustion behavior of different fuels, combustion and engine performance, emission behavior, contribution regarding identification of suitable fuels.

Leadership/Management (without funding):

• Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Ravi Xavier Fernandes, PPTB/TUBS: Research on the chemical kinetics of auto-ignition and pollutant formation / emmission control in combustion processes; contribution regarding the identification of suitable fuels. (funded by PTB)
• Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jens Friedrichs, TUBS, Institute of Jet Propulsion and Turbomachinery (IFAS): EW-4 NWG Scale-resolved propulsor aerodynamics, highly resolved numerical and experimental investigations of propulsor and compressor aerodynamics (propulsor incl. nacelle- and nozzle geometry) and intake distortion, aerodynamically and performance based integration of the propulsor into the overall system;
• Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jörg Seume, LUH, Institute of Turbomachinery and Fluid Dynamics (TFD): Anpassung der Aufladung von Kolbenmotoren bei alternativen Kraftstoffen sowie Begleitung aus Triebwerkssicht.

Doctoral Candidates:

• M.SC. Patrick Drögemüller, TUBS, IÖNC
• M.Sc. Moritz Rehbein, TUBS, ICTV
• M.Sc. Andreas Goldmann, LUH, ITV
• M.Sc. Christian Meier, TUBS, ivb

1.    Cheema I. I., Krewer U., Operating envelope of Haber–Bosch process design for power-to-ammonia, RSC advances 8 (61), 34926-34936
2.    Moghaddam, A.A., Cheema, I.I.,  Krewer, U. Off-design Operation of Haber-Bosch Process, Nitrogen & Syngas 2019, Berlin, March 12, 2019
3.    Krewer, U., Cheema, I.I., Moghaddam A.A., Beyond Hydrogen -Power-to-Ammonia, Workshop on Future of Hydrogen as Energy Carrier, Brussels, Dezember 12, 2018. (Keynote)
4.    Cheema, I. I., Krewer, U., Operational Performance of Small Scale Ammonia Converters for Power-to-Ammonia, 10th World Congress of Chemical Engineering, Barcelona,Spain, October 1 - 5, 2017
5.    Cheema, I. I., Krewer, U., Improvement of Haber-Bosch Process Reactor Systems for Operational Envelope of Power-to-Ammonia, 1st European Power to Ammonia Conference, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, May 18 - 19, 2017
6.    Cheema, I. I., Krewer, U., Operating Envelope and Energy Requirements of Haber-Bosch Process Designs for Power-to-Ammonia, Jahrestreffen Frankfurt II - Jahrestreffen der ProcessNet-Fachgruppen Abfallbehandlung und Wertstoff-rückgewinnung, Energieverfahrenstechnik, Gasreinigung, Hochtemperaturtechnik, Rohstoffe und Kreislaufwirtschaft,Frankfurt am Main, Germany, March 21 - 23, 2017
7.    Cheema, I. I., Krewer, U., Comparison of the Production Flexibility of Ammonia Fuel Reactor Systems for a Decentralised Energy System, Workshop on Sustainable and Smart Energy Carriers for Decentralised Energy Production, Linkebeek, Belgium, March 16 -17, 2017
8.    Rehbein M. C., Meier C., Eilts P., Scholl S.,  Mixtures of Ammonia and Organic Solvents as Alternative Fuel for Internal Combustion Engines, Energy & Fuels, 2019 DOI: 10.1021/acs.energyfuels.9b01450
9.    Goldmann, A.; Sauter, W.; Oettinger, M.; Kluge, T.; Schröder, U.; Seume, J.R.; Friedrichs, J.; Dinkelacker, F.: A Study on Electrofuels in Aviation, Energies 2018, 11, 392, pp 1-23; DOI:10.3390/en11020392
10.    Goldmann, A.; Dinkelacker, F.: Approximation of Laminar Flame Characteristics on Premixed Ammonia/Hydrogen/Nitrogen/Air Mixtures at Elevated Temperatures and Pressures, Fuel, 224, 366-378, 2018. DOI:10.1016/j.fuel.2018.03.030
11.    Kuppa, K.; Goldmann, A.; Dinkelacker, F.: Predicting ignition delay times of C1-C3 alkanes/hydrogen blends at gas engine conditions, Fuel, 222, 859-869, 2018. DOI: 10.1016/j.fuel.2018.02.064
12.    Kuppa, K.; Goldmann, A.; Schöffler, T.; Dinkelacker, F.: Laminar flame properties of C1-C3 alkanes/hydrogen blends at gas engine conditions, Fuel, 224, 32-46, 2018. DOI: 10.1016/j.fuel.2018.02.167
13.    Dinkelacker, F.; Galli, F.: How to compare global and local pollutant emissions,18th Stuttgart International Symposium Automotive and Engine Technology, 13.-14. März 2018, Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden, Vol. 1, S. 311-326, 2018
14.    Shu, B.; Vallabhuni, S.K.; He, X.; Issayev, G.; Moshammer, K.; Farooq, A.; Fernandes, R.X. A shock tube and modeling study on the autoignition properties of ammonia at intermediate temperatures. 37th Int. Sym. Comb., 29 July - 3 August 2018 (für Vortrag akzeptiert)
15.    Cheema, I.I.; Baakes, F.; Krewer, U.: Load Range Enhancement of Haber-Bosch Process Designs for NH3 Sustainable Energy Storage By Multi-Parametric Optimization, AIChE Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, Oktober 29 - November 3, 2017
16.    Attari Moghaddam, A.; Cheema, I.I., Krewer U.: Assessment of Dynamic Operability of Haber-Bosch Process in Power-to-Ammonia, Jahrestreffen Reaktionstechnik, Würzburg, 5-7 Mai, 2018.

• Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ulrike Krewer, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institute of Energy and Process Systems Engineering (InES)
• Prof. Dr.-Ing. Stephan Scholl, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institute for Chemical and Thermal Process Engineering (ICTV)
• Prof. Dr. rer nat. habil. Uwe Schröder, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institute of Environmental and Sustainable Chemistry (IÖNC)
• Prof. Dr. Friedrich Dinkelacker, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Institute of Technical Combustion (ITV)
• Prof. Dr.-Ing. Peter Eilts, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institute of Internal Combustion Engines (ivb)