Alternative fuels form an important part of the existing and future solutions to sustainability in sectors like mobility and transport, energy as well as the chemical industry. Hence, understanding how these fuels are converted chemically either through combustion or pyrolysis and how emissions are generated within these processes is of importance. This course introduces the chemistry required to obtain this understanding. The course starts with basics of thermodynamics, fuels and chemistry (no prior knowledge in chemical kinetics is assumed) and slowly advances towards a detailed understanding of the reactions involved during the pyrolysis and combustion of fuels. The exercises in the course are designed to start from the basics and then advance towards introducing and using chemical kinetic tools like RMG (Reaction Mechanism Generator) and CANTERA for the creation and analysis of the reaction mechanisms of the fuels. The course also introduces the combustion chemistry of sustainable aviation fuels, oxygenated fuels, ammonia, nitrogen oxides and aromatics (soot precursors). By the end of the course, you are be able to create and reduce chemical kinetic mechanisms using state-of-the-art tools.
The following topics are covered:
- Basics on energy and fuels
- Introduction into fuel processing
- Thermodynamics of combustion
- Molecular Transport phenomena
- Chemical kinetics
- Reaction mechanisms
- Mechanism reduction
- Combustion chemistry of alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, aromatics, oxygenated fuels and ammonia
- Soot formation and modeling
- NOx formation and
- Surrogate fuel formulation
A prior knowledge in the fundamentals of thermodynamics (Thermodynamics 1) is expected. Some knowledge in numerical analysis and coding (in Python and MATLAB) is recommended, but also students without a background in coding who are willing to learn are welcome. No prior knowledge on chemical reaction kinetics is required.
For more information on the course, visit the course site in TUM-Online.