Injection and droplet dynamics of cryogenic fluids under supercritical conditions

The project aims to create new fundamental knowledge and advanced numerical tools regarding the atomisation, heating and evaporation characteristics of liquefied gases, in order to significantly advance the technology required to efficiently control cryogenic injection. Liquid gases such as air, nitrogen or natural gas can serve as cost-effective energy vectors within power production units as well as transport "fuels" with zero emissions. For example, energy coming from renewables can be used in order to "cool" air or nitrogen, up to the point that they become liquids. Follow up injection of these liquids to a higher temperature environment causes rapid re-gasification and a 700-fold expansion in volume, which can drive a turbine or piston engine even without combustion. Most importantly, because of the low boiling point of cryogenic liquids, low-grade or ambient heat can be used as a heat source, which otherwise is wasted.

A better understanding and control of the injection dynamics of the cryogenic fluids could boost the efficiency of hybrid combustion systems to 60% (Ricardo’s Cryopowder split-cycle engine), and achieve zero emissions when used for work generation through isothermal expansion without the need of combustion (Dearman Engine and Libertine Free Piston Engine). Recently, there has been an increased interest towards cryogenic technologies, however this has been focused mostly on the liquefaction processes (such as the £6m EPSRC grant to the Birmingham Centre for Cryogenic Energy Storage). Within the suggested project the attention is shifted towards the injection process of the cryogenics in real life industrial applications.