Project 4: Chemistry in Clean Combustion

Contact Information:

Prof. Fei Qi

Project Description and Objectives:

Combustion provides over 85% of the global primary energy supply nowadays. Clean combustion is one of the most important approaches to achieve an environmentally friendly energy supply. To reduce the air pollutants in combustion, many novel combustion concepts have been proposed, where chemistry plays a crucial role. In this study, the chemistry in low-temperature combustion (LTC), which is a novel combustion concept to reduce both NOx and PM emissions in engine combustion, will be investigated with advanced experimental approaches. Key elementary LTC reactions will be investigated using a newly designed shock tube over a wide range of pressures and temperatures. A flow reactor and a jet-stirred reactor combined with mass spectrometry (MS), gas chromatography (GC), and GC×GC technique will be used to understand the secrets in LTC engine-relevant conditions. A kinetic model for the investigated fuel will be developed and validated based on the experimental findings. The outcome from this study will be used to explore strategies for the control of combustion pollutant emissions in a more intelligent way.

Eligibility Requirements:

Understanding of lab safety.

Physical chemistry knowledge.

Students who have experience in labs are preferred.

Main Tasks:

Measurements of key elementary LTC reactions in a shock tube.

Measurements of key intermediates in a flow reactor and a jet-stirred reactor using various diagnostic tools.

Development of a kinetic model for a specific engine fuel.

Website:

Lab: http://combustion.sjtu.edu.cn/home/

School: combustion.sjtu.edu.cn