PI: Ganesh Balasubramanian
Co-PI(s): Carlos Romero
University: Lehigh University
Industry partner: Santo Science
The research to support the national agenda for carbon pollution-free electricity by 2035 to mitigate the climate crisis requires innovation that can lead to the development and deployment of clean energy technologies. Embodying this mandate, the need for affordable clean hydrogen production to enable decarbonization and revenue opportunities across multiple sectors involves the use of the produced clean hydrogen as fuel for next-generation gas turbines. Co-firing hydrogen through hot gas path components, such as the combustors and boilers, offers benefits for energy efficiency and significantly reduced emissions. However, fundamental questions pertaining to the interaction of hydrogen with the materials of these high-temperature components need to be addressed to realize the commercial and environmental potential of this technology. The overarching goal of the proposed research is to understand the mechanisms and corresponding effects of hydrogen interactions with metallic alloys used in power generation devices. In pursuit of this goal, the research objectives are to describe the atomistic processes associated with (1) hydrogen diffusion through high-temperature alloys, and (2) internal absorption of hydrogen within these materials to form complex metallic hydride chemistries. Molecular dynamics simulations will be employed to model the atomistic interactions, and where feasible, the predictions will be validated against material synthesis (by arc melting and heat treatment) and characterization (by electron microscopy). Ni-based superalloys, such as Haynes 282 and Inconel 718, will be used as the testbeds given the deep database available for the validation of the material properties. Beyond the impact of the use of hydrogen as a co-fired fuel in a boiler, the results will be widely applicable to understanding the effects of burning hydrogen on complex metallic alloys operating at high temperatures. The commercial potential lies in the design and manufacture of embrittlement-resistant and hydride-repulsive alloys for high-temperature operations.