The Hasti Research Laboratory, led by MAE Professor Veeraraghava Raju Hasti at NC State University received the DOE HPC4EI grant in collaboration with the Argonne National Laboratory, Power Systems Mfg., LLC (PSM), and Howard University to develop digital tools enabled by the AI for safe and reliable Hydrogen utilization for power generation.
The adoption of clean hydrogen within industrial sectors marks a significant step towards mitigating CO2 emissions, yet its widespread deployment faces formidable obstacles. Addressing these hurdles requires a concerted effort from governments, industries, research institutions and other stakeholders.
Collaboration and innovation will be key in overcoming these challenges and realizing the full potential of clean hydrogen to decarbonize sectors, create clean energy jobs, and advance the transition to a net-zero economy by 2050, as envisioned by U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm and the Energy Earthshots initiative.
Utilizing hydrogen for electrical power production could eliminate up to 31% of CO2 emissions in the United States. However, its highly flammable nature poses risks of destructive explosions, necessitating a comprehensive safety approach. As hydrogen gains prominence in power generation, industries, and transportation, ensuring safe operation becomes imperative, requiring accurate predictive models and real-time monitoring digital tools.
Hydrogen flashback, where flames propagate backward into upstream engine components, poses a serious concern. Understanding and mitigating this phenomenon is crucial for designing and operating hydrogen combustion systems safely. While test rig sensors can rapidly detect and cut fuel supply to prevent major damage, flashback phenomena can instantly melt injector hardware, posing a challenge.
To tackle these challenges, Hasti is working closely with the interdisciplinary team to develop digital tools enabled by artificial intelligence for safe and reliable hydrogen gas turbine combustors for power generation.
This collaborative effort underscores the importance of leveraging advanced technologies and interdisciplinary expertise to address critical safety concerns associated with hydrogen utilization. By developing predictive models and real-time monitoring tools utilizing supercomputers, scientific machine learning, computational fluid dynamics simulations, and experiments, the team seeks to enhance the safety and reliability of hydrogen combustion systems, instilling confidence in their widespread adoption as a clean and efficient energy source.
The integration of artificial intelligence with hydrogen technologies represents a significant step towards decarbonization and sustainability. Through collaborative research and innovation, Hasti and his team are paving the way for safe and reliable operation with hydrogen fuel, contributing to global efforts to combat climate change and achieve a sustainable energy future.