TU Eindhoven researcher Jeroen van Ooijen is to receive a €1.5 million academic grant for his research into a sustainable internal combustion engine. The grant is intended for advanced academics who want to build their own research group.
TU/e writes this in a press release. A similar grant, part of the NWO-Vici programme, is for research two-dimensional nanomaterials for nanoelectronics and sustainable energy storage by Ageeth Bol.
Argon engine
Ooijen and his team from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering are set to develop a revolutionary internal combustion engine that converts renewable fuels into clean energy. The engine is based on a new technology, the Argon Power Cycle (APC), which uses argon instead of air to burn the fuel. Argon, widely used in the welding industry, is not only readily available and cheap, but also has a much higher efficiency than air. Furthermore, it produces no harmful nitrogen oxide emissions.
internal combustion engine ideally uses hydrogen as fuel, but also runs on biofuels. So it also functions when hydrogen is not available. Because the APC cycle is closed, argon does not leave the engine. Any CO2 produced is reused, so there are no emissions of polluting gases. According to its developers, the APC engine is ideal for use in energy storage because it can convert renewable energy stored as hydrogen into electricity much more efficiently than fuel cells.
Van Oijen is very happy with the NWO grant, he says in the press release. "It enables me and my team to develop the advanced computer models and laser measurement techniques needed to optimise this sustainable combustion process. And that's great news for the environment!"
Source: TU/e.
Photo to illustrate.
