CAREER: Shock-Tube Studies of Ignition and Oxidation Kinetics at Practical Conditions

由于地球人口持续增长，各县在工业和技术上持续发展，我们对能源的依赖仍处于世界科学、技术和政治的前沿。尽管几年来一直在寻求替代能源，但所有的估计都表明，未来50-100年或更长时间内的主要能源将继续来自化学手段。这种能量生产的核心，无论是用于电力还是运输，都是发动机内部的燃烧过程。例如用于汽车的内燃机、用于发电厂的大型燃气轮机和用于飞机的喷气发动机。然而，全球和当地对节能、污染和可靠燃料供应的担忧，对更高效、更清洁燃烧的发动机的需求日益增长。这样的要求往往超出了现有燃烧科学和技术的限制。为了满足增加能源生产、燃料灵活性和减排似乎相互冲突的要求，我们必须了解基本燃烧水平和代表实际设备的条件下的燃烧过程。这一领域的现代前沿包括燃料在高压下氧化的化学，因为大多数发动机在远高于大气压的压力下运行。这一职业奖的目标是通过使用一种理想的设备在实验室环境中再现高温高压发动机条件：激波管，通过实验研究更好地了解燃料点火和氧化的化学物质。能源生产等重要的全球主题不仅需要科学研究的进步，而且需要培训人员进行实践。具有世界观的工程师和科学家必将推动科学在国际水平上的进步。因此，这一职业奖项的一个关键方面涉及到德国和爱尔兰等国的学生参与海外相关研究。每年夏天，一名学生将在主办的国际大学实验室花3个月的时间进行研究。在基层，未来科学家和工程师的发展从高中、初中甚至小学开始。让青年学生和他们的老师接触科学研究，将有助于灌输科学的兴奋和追求科学研究事业的愿望。这一职业努力包括一个K-12外联部分，其中包括一个由当地教师组成的小组，作为一个咨询委员会，为让学生在年轻时参与工程和科学工作提供想法和计划。事实上，仅这个为期5年的职业奖项就会让十几名大学生有几个是女性或少数民族，有第一手的科研经验。其他许多人将受到进入大学和K-12课堂的想法和资源激增的影响。总而言之，这一职业努力将获得急需的、更高压力的化学动力学数据，并使大学和K-12水平的几名学生接触到科学研究过程。研究的重点将集中在CO/H2和某些低阶烃在100大气压下的氧化动力学，重点是10到30大气压范围和大约800至2000 K之间的温度。整个工作分为七项任务：1)设计和建造低温、高压激波管；2)进行点火和氧化实验；3)进行动力学模拟研究；4)测量关键反应的速率系数；5)结合国际和工业实验室的研究经验；6)启动K-12推广计划，以鼓励对工程研究的兴趣；7)建立一个让本科生全年开展研究的项目。燃烧与等离子系统项目和国际科学与工程办公室共同资助这一项目。

CBET-0832561PetersenSince the Earths population continues to grow and counties continue to develop industrially and technologically, our reliance on energy resources remains at the forefront of world science, technology, and politics. Although alternative sources of energy have been pursued for several years, all estimates indicate that the major energy sources for the next 50-100 years or more will continue to be from chemical means. At the heart of this production of energy, whether for electricity or transportation, is the combustion process inside of an engine. Examples include internal combustion engines for automobiles, large gas turbine engines for power plants, and jet engines for aircraft. However, global and local concerns regarding energy conservation, pollution, and dependable fuel supplies place an ever-increasing need for more efficient and cleaner-burning engines. Such demands are often beyond the limits of existing combustion science and technology. To meet the seemingly conflicting demands of increased energy production, fuel flexibility, and emissions reduction, we must understand the combustion processes at the fundamental combustion level and at conditions that are representative of practical devices. A modern frontier in this area includes the chemistry of fuel oxidation at elevated pressures since most engines operate at pressures much greater than atmospheric pressure. The goal of this CAREER award is to better understand the chemistry of fuel ignition and oxidation through experimental research using a facility that is ideal for reproducing high-temperature, high-pressure engine conditions in a laboratory environment: a shock tube.An important global topic such as energy production requires not only advances in scientific research, but trained people to carry it out. Engineers and scientists with a worldview will certainly further the advancement of science at an international level. A critical aspect of this CAREER award therefore involves the participation of students in related research abroad in countries such as Germany and Ireland. Each summer, a student will spend 3 months conducting research at the host international university laboratory. At the grassroots level, the development of future scientists and engineers begins at high school, middle school, and even elementary school. Exposing young students and their teachers to scientific research will help to instill the excitement of science and the desire to pursue careers in scientific research. This CAREER effort includes a K-12 outreach component including a panel of local teachers to serve as an advisory committee for ideas and plans for involving students at a young age in engineering and science. In fact, this 5-year CAREER award alone will give more than a dozen university students several being female or of minority status a first-hand experience in scientific research. Many others will be impacted by the proliferation of ideas and resources into university and K-12 classrooms. In summary, this CAREER effort will acquire much-needed, higher-pressure chemical kinetics data and expose several students at both the university and K-12 levels to the scientific research process. The focus of the study will be on the oxidation kinetics of CO/H2 and certain lower-order hydrocarbons at pressures up to 100 atm, with emphasis on the 10-to-30 atm range and temperatures between roughly 800 and 2000 K. The overall effort is divided into seven tasks: 1) design and construction of a low-temperature, high-pressure shock tube; 2) conduct ignition and oxidation experiments; 3) perform kinetics modeling studies; 4) measure rate coefficients of key reactions; 5) incorporate research experiences at international and industry laboratories; 6) launch a K-12 outreach program to encourage interest in engineering research at an early age; and, 7) instigate a program that involves undergraduate students conducting research year round.The Combustion and Plasma Systems Program and the Office of International Science and Engineering cofund this project.