CAREER: Reactive Fluid Mechanics of Mesoscale Hydrocarbon-based Power Generation

职业生涯：中尺度碳氢化合物发电的反应流体力学PI：Dimitrios C.Kyritsis，伊利诺伊大学香槟分校机械与工业工程系抽象小型化已在信息存储、电子、制造以及最近的微电子机械系统(MEMS)中得到展示。然而，在追求系统小型化的过程中，等效小规模电源的发展似乎滞后了。目前可用的独立于电网的电源主要是化学电池，这些电池的功率密度是出了名的有限。在“液体燃料电池”中利用碳氢化合物的高功率密度可以极大地提高便携式电源的自主性，并使人类活动在很大程度上独立于中央电网。为了实现这一点，必须了解相关的反应流体力学的基本原理。这项研究是对与中尺度碳氢化合物发电相关的反应流体力学状态进行的全面的实验和理论研究。采用气相和表面实验技术相结合的方法，研究了平板边界层、圆柱体周围的流动以及圆柱体和平板单元阵列周围的流动以及通过中尺度通道的流动，这些流动元素将成为中尺度燃烧器的“积木”。这些流动是在中间雷诺数、Peclet数和Damkhler数的范围内研究的，这与小规模发电有关，其中几个通常的近似是无效的。特别强调的是在催化涂层表面的流动，因为在电池大小的应用中需要相对较低的燃烧温度使催化成为稳定性的必要先决条件。激光诱导荧光测量和气相的GC-MS分析与表面的红外热像仪和傅立叶变换红外测量相结合，提供关于燃料耗尽、反应区结构、废气温度和组成随表面温度和物种吸附/解吸的函数的数据。在这些结果的基础上，对这些流动的早期理论分析进行了改进，这些分析依赖于均匀的表面温度和无限的表面反应速率。与研究部分相一致，热学方面的现代挑战是并行的教育和外联活动的主题。在大学课程中引入了激光诊断学的高级/研究生课程。在伊利诺伊州中东部的K-12学生中，定期组织一场名为“火焰”的数字摄影比赛，以调查自然发生的和/或实验室火焰。自主发电将通过一个短期课程被引入AIAA的继续教育计划，PI将根据他的结果开发。通过开展外联活动和为该项目招募研究生，提高了对工程的兴趣和少数群体和代表性不足群体的参与。

CAREER: Reactive fluid mechanics of mesoscale hydrocarbon-based power generationPI: Dimitrios C. Kyritsis, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignAbstract Miniaturization to impressively small dimensional scales has already been demonstrated in information storage, electronics, manufacturing, and recently, micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS). However, development of equivalent small-scale power sources seems to be lagging in this quest for systems miniaturization. Currently available, grid-independent power sources are predominantly chemical batteries, which are devices of notoriously limited power density. Exploiting the high power density of hydrocarbons in "liquid fuel batteries" could increase drastically the autonomy of portable power sources and provide a substantial degree of independence of human activity from centralized grids. In order for this to be achieved, the fundamentals of the related reactive fluid mechanics have to be known.This research is a comprehensive experimental and theoretical investigation of the regime of reactive fluid mechanics that is relevant for mesoscale, hydrocarbon-based power generation. Using a combination of gaseous phase and surface experimental techniques, we investigate the flow elements that will be the "building blocks" of mesoscale burners, such as the flat plate boundary layer, the flow around a cylinder, as well as the flow around arrays of cylindrical and flat elements and through mesoscale channels. These flows are studied in the regime of intermediate Reynolds, Peclet, and Damkhler numbers that is relevant for small-scale power generation and where several usual approximations are not valid. A particular emphasis is placed on flows over catalytically coated surfaces, since the relatively small combustion temperatures desired in battery-size applications make catalysis a necessary prerequisite for stability. Laser Induced Fluorescence measurements and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry analysis of the gaseous phase are combined with infrared thermography and Fourier Transform Infrared measurements on the surface to provide data regarding fuel depletion, reactive zone structure, and exhaust gas temperature and composition as a function of surface temperature and species adsorption/desorption. Based on these results, a refinement of early theoretical analyses of these flows, which relied on uniform surface temperature and infinite rates of surface reactions, is pursued. In concert with the research component, modern challenges in thermal science are the theme of parallel educational and outreach activities. A senior/graduate level course in laser diagnostics was introduced to the University curriculum. A digital photography competition under the title "Flames" is regularly organized among K-12 students of Eastern Central Illinois to investigate naturally occurring and/or laboratory flames. Autonomous power generation will be introduced to the continuing education program of AIAA through a short course the PI will develop based on his results. Enhancement of interest in engineering and participation of minorities and underrepresented groups is pursued through outreach activities and graduate student recruitment for the project.