Meadows joins a DOE effort to optimize hydrogen power for cleaner energy
Joseph Meadows , assistant professor in mechanical engineering , is part of a multi-group team receiving federal funding to integrate hydrogen-fueled rotating detonation combustors ( RDC ) with gas turbines to optimize performance . Total group funding from the Department of Energy ( DOE ) is $ 800,000 to be distributed between the partnering institutions .
This is disruptive technology with the potential of significantly improving thermal efficiency , but the technology needs further development before it can be adopted by gas turbine manufacturers . If successful , the project will advance the technology towards implementation in power generating gas turbine engines .
The University of Alabama leads the project , partnering with Meadows , Aerojet Rocketdyne , Inc ., Kulite Semiconductor Products , Inc ., and the Navy Research Lab . The partnering institutions will develop a robust methodology to integrate a rotating detonation combustor with a gas turbine .
Meadows ’ group is responsible for the design and optimization of the RDC using computational fluid dynamics , using experimental data from partner members to validate the approach . By analyzing this data , Meadows and his team will provide the foundation for design and optimization of RDC with traditional gas turbines fueled on hydrogen or hydrogen / natural gas blends , while other partner members will perform experiments to demonstrate the design at gas turbine relative conditions .
The DOE seeks to increase the reliability , efficiency , and performance of hydrogen power to reduce carbon emissions in pursuit of a national goal of 100 % clean electricity by 2035 . This project is one of several by the DOE Office of Fossil Energy ’ s University Turbines Systems Research program that will study fundamental scientific challenges and applied engineering issues associated with advancing the performance and efficiency of combustion turbines fueled with pure hydrogen , hydrogen and natural gas mixtures , and other carbon-free hydrogen containing fuels .
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