Scientists are examining the possibility of using iron powder as a fuel energy source. Scientists at the European Space Agency (ESA) are using the microgravity environment of space to conduct various experiments using metal as a fuel.
Solid fuels are not uncommon, such as matches, New Year’s fireworks, as well as Ariane (Ariane) rockets and several other rockets, using solid fuels. What is less noticed is that iron powder can also be burned, and the combustion process is smokeless, carbon-free, and an abundant resource within the earth’s crust.
As one of the alternative energy sources to traditional petroleum, can iron powder be used as an energy source for cars? Scientists have been considering this question for several years.
In addition to being a primary energy material, scientists are also considering the use of iron powder as a power storage material to store and transport clean energy like solar and wind power. Just like the so-called “hydrogen economy” concept mentioned before, there is a market operation system for the production, distribution, storage and use of hydrogen energy, iron powder can also be used for the same purpose to build a market framework as a power source for locomotives, ships and power plants. However, iron powder has advantages over hydrogen: it is more energy dense and easier to store and transport.
The obstacle to this technology is the development of a system to efficiently burn iron powder, which requires a deep understanding of the physical process of metal combustion.
To study the process, researchers need to suspend the iron powder for 30 seconds and observe the way the flame propagates. The European Space Agency used sounding rockets, parabolic flight lines and other environmental weightless conditions to conduct these experiments, testing the validity of existing theoretical models and analyzing new findings.
Similar to the process of burning gasoline in an engine, the density of iron particles and the composition of the combustion chamber gas are important parameters. These experiments in a microgravity environment help scientists find the best parameters to design the most suitable commercial incineration equipment.
A research group at the Technical University of Eindhoven (Technische Universiteit Eindhoven) in the Netherlands has worked with a commercial partner to design a metal combustion device to be installed at the plant of beer and soft drink manufacturer Swinkels Family Brewers to generate the steam needed for brewing.
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