Die Forschung zur Speicherung und der Transport von H2 umfasst zahlreiche Facetten z.B. von der Speicherung in Salzkavernen über die magnetische Kühlung und Verflüssigung hin zur chemischen Speicherung in Methanol. Gerade Fragen der Materialstabilität spielen hierbei auch eine Rolle.

Kurzportrait involvierter Arbeitsgruppen und Kontaktdaten

Research Focus

Research at the Institute for Reactive Flows and Measurement (RSM) focuses on chemically reactive flows with relevance for mobility, energy conversion and process engineering applications. Our goal here is to increase the efficiency of technical systems while minimizing pollutant emissions.

To achieve these goals, we use advanced optical measurement methods to gain a detailed understanding of the underlying physicochemical processes involved in transport, chemical conversion, and multiphase phenomena. Our experimental data contribute to a better understanding of the underlying processes. In cooperation with numerous research institutes, mathematical models describing chemically reactive flows are improved and meaningful data sets are obtained, which are used to validate numerical simulations.

For the usage of hydrogen as an energy carrier thermochemical conversion in combustion engines and gas turbines is investigated. We are also looking into electrolysis for the production of hydrogen and the use of alternative energy carriers such as ammonia, e-fuels or iron, which offer potential for efficient storage and transport of hydrogen.

Contact

Institute for Reactive Flow and Diagnostics

Departement of Mechanical Engineering

Research Focus

Research at the EST comprises several areas of energy technology and production of hydrogen or other basic chemicals or synthetic fuels. The focus is on the development, optimization and scale-up of several energy supply processes as well as the development of measurement technology for the quantitative assessment of theses processes.

Sustainable energy supply is defined by a targeted decarbonisation and emission reduction in the energy sector as well as improved availability and cost effectiveness of the processes in use.

To reach these goals, research at the EST is structured into the three areas „Gasification & Innovative Energy Conversion Crocesses“, „CO2 Capture“, and „Power Plant and Fluidized Bed Technology“.

Methods

The methods include numerical approaches, such as process simulations and CFD, as well as experimental investigations. One highlight is our unique 1 MWth pilot plant that has been used for the investigation of various processes under industrial conditions.

Contact

Institute for Energy Systems and Technology

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Research Focus

In the etzoldlab the challenges arising with the needed global energy change and future sustainable feedstock supply for chemical industry are the major research guideline. From the perspective of chemical engineering, a multidisciplinary approach is employed to provide scientific solutions for these challenges, especially for the complex interplay of catalytic materials within a full process or device. In the scientific approach, generic experiments play a dominant role. They allow controlling process conditions from highly idealized towards technically realistic and are combined with diagnostics providing in-situ information. Chemical reaction engineering simulations complement the experiments, giving especially insights into complex mass transfer phenomena and, therefore making a more holistic picture possible. As a future sustainable energy and chemical industry will need a concerted interaction of electrochemical and classical heterogeneous catalyzed processes both are studied. Based on this strategy, the research of the etzoldlab can be divided in three strongly interacting sub-groups: Advanced Catalytic Materials – Electrochemical Energy Conversion Processes – Heterogeneous Catalysis and Processes.

Contact

Chemical Technology

Department of Chemistry

Research Focus:

  • Hydrogen liquefaction by magnetic cooling (energy efficient, climate-friendly refrigerant, …)
  • Solid state hydrogen storage (metal hydrides, magnesium hydride, complex hydrides)
  • Hydrogen in intermetallic phases (fundamentals, hydrogen embrittlement, disproportioning, hydrogen purification, production of ultra-fine grain structures)
  • Separation and recycling of rare earth permanent magnets by hydrogen absorption and desorption
  • Hydrogen as sensor and „tool“ for the tuning of magnetic and electronic properties of metals and intermetallic phases
  • Reduction of metal oxide nano particles by hydrogen (400 bar/400° C)

Contact

Functional Materials

Department of Materials and Earth Sciences

Research Focus

For the use of the energy carrier hydrogen the focus is on electrochemical (e.g. fuel cells) and thermo-chemical (e.g. hydrogen gas turbine) conversion processes. The Institute STFS investigates thermo-chemical conversion processes of solid, liquid and gaseous energy carriers. Here, gaseous chemically reactive flows play a central role, possibly interacting with fluids (e.g. sprays, wall films) and solids (e.g. pyrolysis of biomass particles, heterogeneous catalysis). At the Institute STFS we anaylze, model and simulate chemically reactive flows. This requires an interdisciplinary approach rooted in mechanical engineering and linking fundamentals of (technical) chemistry, mathematics and computer sicence.

STFS can contribute to the following hydrogen topics of your project:

  • Thermo-chemical conversion of hydrogen
  • Thermo-chemical conversion of gaseous energy carriers (e.g. liquefied natural gas) with variable hydrogen admixture
  • Use of hydrogen for the production of carbon-neutral fuels or conventional fuels
  • Stability analysis of hydrogen lean combustion processes (thermo-diffusive instabilities, thermoacoustics)
  • Modelling of the hydrogen direct reduction of metal oxides (e.g. in steel production)

Further project ideas about the thermo-chemical conversion of hydrogen is possible. We are looking forward to your inquiries!

Contact

Simulation of reactive Thermo-Fluid Systems

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Christian Hasse

Dr.-Ing. Arne Scholtissek

Research Focus

We focus on the development of ideal precious metal free catalysts for energy applications, such as low-temperature fuel cell, photolysis of water or metal oxygen batteries. Besides the development of catalysts, we work on the structure determination, to draw conclusions from structure-property relationships for the optimization. Our main field is the group of M-N-C catalysts which achieve very good fuel cell characteristics with very low metal contents.

Contact

Research group: Catalysts and Electrocatalysts

Department of Chemistry

Research Focus

  • Expertise in thermal, electrochemical and photochemical nitrogen activation, water oxidation and oxygen reduction
  • Hydrogen storage in secondary materials, such as ammonia and hydrocarbons
  • Prediction of catalyst properties through computational chemistry and theoretical spectroscopy
  • Calculation of thermodynamic and kinetic profiles of catalysts, including targeted optimization
  • Computational chemistry and quantum chemistry with single- and multi-reference methods; prediction and analysis of electronic structures in transition metal compounds

Contact

Theoretical Inorganic Chemistry

Department of Chemistry

Research Focus

  • Molecular simulation
  • Gas adsorption in carbon materials, e.g. carbon nanotubes
  • Gas separation with polymer membranes

Contact

Theoretical Physical Chemistry Group

Department of Chemistry

Research Focus Corrosion

  • Systematic analysis of ambient effects on environmental hydrogen-induced cracking in connection with hydrogen generation, absorption and effusion
  • Understanding the hydrogen absorption and storage behaviour and the resulting effects on hydrogen-related mechanism of damages of high-tensile steels considering material condition and mechanical stress
  • Development of test methods

Research Focus Mobility

  • Development of test methods to qualify compatible materials in cooling agents and electrofuels
  • With the help of exposure tests and test benches for flow (fuel cell emulators) allows a comprehensive mapping of the stress spectrum (thermal, electrical, fluid dynamics)

Methods

  • Hydrogen content measurement
  • Devanathan–Stachurski permeation cells
  • Experimental technology for hydrogen charge and discharge
  • Electrochemistry of stress corrosion cracking and corrosion fatigue
  • Several tension test benches to investigate the effect of hydrogen caused by corrosion and production on the endurable load
  • Autoclaves for exposure test in modern hydrogeneous fuels
  • flow test benches (fuel cell emulator)

Contact

Center for Engineering Materials

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Research Focus

Our research focus lies in the development of mathematical optimization methods, in particular, if discrete decisions (on/off, open/closed, …) have to be made. One important application is the optimal operation of gas and H2 networks as well as an optimal design of such networks. We develop methods based on explointing underlying structure and perform mathematical analyses of their properties. Moreover, we consider robust optmization in order to design systems that are robust/resilient against uncertain usage or disruptions.

Competences and Methods

Design and analysis of (discrete) nonlinear optimization methods. Development of general and specialized software, in particular, using the framework SCIP and SCIP-SDP.

Contact

AG Optimierung

Department of Mathematics

Introduction

Renewable energies have fluctuations during day period (solar energy) and seasonal period (wind power). One proposed way to stabilize these fluctuations and secure the energy supply is to use the surplus electricity to produce hydrogen through water electrolysis. However, this viable methodology requires storage infrastructures for high amount of hydrogen. Underground storage is a very attractive storing option, because of its’ special characteristics. Based on the resulting estimation from HyUnder project*, Germany needs at least the equivalent storage capacity of 74 salt caverns to store the surplus of renewable energy sources as the hydrogen until 2050. However, detailed investigation of the salt caverns’ distribution shows that they are mainly available in the northern part of the Germany. In other side, storage formations should be close to the consumption points to reduce the costs and safety risks. To overcome this problem, we are proposing saline aquifers as a good candidate for hydrogen storage.

  • Unique potentials of Institute of Geothermal Science and Technology toward hydrogen storage

Hopefully, our solid background in underground fluid flow would help us to examine this process in details. Our capabilities are listed as below:

  • Analyzing the candidate aquifers (economical and safety aspects)
  • Estimation of the capacity of storage sites
  • THMC modeling of the involved processes
  • Planning and optimization of the injection and withdrawal flowrates
  • Proposing the geophysical methods to track stored gas phase
  • Safety analysis from environmental and infrastructure maintenance aspects Proposing remediation for the possible field scale problems

*HyUnder, “Assessment of the Potential, the Actors and Relevant Business Cases for Large Scale and Long Term Storage of Renewable Electricity by Hydrogen Underground Storage in Europe”, Executive Summary (2014)

Kontakt

Fachgebiet Angewandte Geothermie

Teilfachbereich Angewandte Geowissenschaften

Research Focus

  • Functional nanomaterials
  • Gas adsorption and purification
  • Carbon nanomaterials for adsorption and catalysis
  • Materials synthesis
  • Porous materials as adsorbents
  • Iron based catalysts

Research

  • Electrochemistry methods
  • Adsorptivity techniques
  • Gas sensing techniques

Contact

Eduard-Zintl-Institut für Anorganische und Physikalische Chemie

Department of Chemistry

Collaborative Research Projects

Verena (BMWi)

Clean Circles (LOEWE)

SFB HoMMage (DFG)

NAMOSYM (BMBF)

E2Fuels

SFB TRR 154

HyLICAL (EU) – Development and validation of a new magnetocaloric high-performance liquefier prototype