Hydrogen's Role in Cleaning Up Combustion - Aachen University Research Focus
The "HyInHeat" project, backed by a €17.7 million grant from the European Union, is set to make a significant contribution to decarbonization in the processes of the aluminum and steel industry. This research initiative, coordinated by the Department for Industrial Furnaces and Heat Engineering (IOB) at RWTH Aachen University, involves a consortium of 30 partners from 12 countries, including TU Delft (Netherlands), Montanuniversität Leoben (Austria), Forschungszentrum Jülich (Germany), and other industrial and research partners.
The project's primary focus is on the procedures of processing, particularly melting, heating, and heat treatment, in the high-temperature processes of the aluminum and steel industry. It will conduct a comprehensive assessment of material flows and plant life cycles to determine the potential of using hydrogen as a fuel in these industries.
Professor Herbert Pfeifer, the head of the IOB, emphasizes the importance of holistically integrating hydrogen as a fuel in industrial thermal processes. This integration, he states, requires an adaptation of plant technology, process technology, and infrastructure.
One of the key strategies the project will explore is the use of oxygen-enriched combustion and hydrogen-oxygen combustion as alternatives to conventional hydrogen-air combustion. The aim is to improve energy efficiency and potentially reduce future hydrogen demand in these processes.
Another crucial aspect of the project is maintaining the existing product quality, a priority in the use of hydrogen in the aluminum and steel industry. The project will also develop digitalization of processes for successful hydrogen use and new concepts for NOx emission measurement in hydrogen combustion exhaust gas.
The sustainable use of refractory materials in hydrogen processes is another area of focus for the "HyInHeat" project. The possible reduction of CO2 and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions, coupled with a simultaneous increase in energy efficiency through new technology, would be an important contribution to achieving climate targets.
The "HyInHeat" project is expected to run until the end of 2026. It will focus on developing new methods for the sustainable use of hydrogen in the aluminum and steel industry, ultimately determining the potential of using hydrogen in industry and contributing to the decarbonization of these sectors.
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