SELECT-H is an ERC advanced grant lead by Institut de Mécanique des Fluides de Toulouse and CERFACS. It has started in 2023 for five years. SELECT-H focuses on hydrogen combustion. IMFT and CERFACS have a long history of research in the field of hydrogen flames.
Hydrogen can become a unique energy vector and provide both energy security and net-zero greenhouse emission goals if (1) it can be produced by low-carbon resources and (2) systems powered by hydrogen can be operated safely and reliably. Condition 2 can be met in fuel cells to produce electricity but also in combustion systems to produce heat or power. In all cases, due to its high reactivity, the use of H2 can result in undesired combustion phenomena, jeopardizing the integrity and reliability of the systems but also their safety.
The objective of SELECT-H is threefold:
These objectives will be achieved in SELECT-H by combining detailed experiments, low-order physics-based models and high-fidelity numerical simulations in two different sets of configurations with large societal impact. The first set considers technologies in which hydrogen must burn efficiently, in two fields: (1) laminar domestic boilers, cooking stoves and (2) turbulent gas turbines for propulsion and power generation.
The experimental setups of IMFT will cover a wide range of operating conditions, injection schemes, including laminar atmospheric cases and highly-turbulent flows at high pressures and temperatures. The combination of hydrogen and pure oxygen injection will also be studied since electrolyzers produce both gases. The second set considers cases where hydrogen combustion must be avoided. Typically, hydrogen leaks from fuel cells or high-pressure tanks will be considered to understand how hydrogen leaks may ignite and interact with walls. This fundamental set of results will allow the design of safe and reliable hydrogen-powered units.