I2: Energy and Combustion Science

Since the first industrial revolution, combustion has played a central role in power generation, engine operation, industrial and domestic heating processes and appliances. This is not expected to change significantly in the mid-term future, in the frame of the fourth industrial revolution that sees the realization of digitalization, decarbonization and electrification.

Efficiency, environmental impact and flexibility are key challenges and drivers for the decarbonization of the energy industry. The path to decarbonization necessarily passes through combustion of “carbon-free” fuels such as hydrogen and ammonia for power generation and transportation and for low carbon footprint industrial processes, maintaining and improving efficiency and flexibility.

Responding to the above, the Energy and Combustion Science Section aims to provide a platform for cutting-edge research covering the entire spectrum of challenges towards the decarbonization of energy systems and processes that traditionally exploit combustion. These include the production, delivery and combustion of carbon-free fuels and biofuels, burner and combustion chamber design and operation, process and system design, modifications and adaptations, thermal energy production and storage and their techno-economic-environmental assessment. This Section considers full-length, short communications and review articles. Focal points of the Energy and Combustion Science include but are not limited to:

Scope

Applications:

• Fuel solutions for internal combustion engines and gas turbines;
• Power cycles for carbon neutral energy production;
• Low-carbon thermal energy for industrial processes;
• Carbon neutral domestic sector systems;
• Innovative thermo-chemical processes for e-fuels.

Energy topics:

• Hydrogen energy;
• Fuel cells;
• P-to-X systems;
• Energy sustainability;
• Energy modeling.

Combustion topics:

• Fossil and green fuels;
• Flame structure, characteristics and propagation;
• Experiments and modeling (e.g., burners, combustion chambers, furnaces, kilns, industrial processes);
• Chemical and reaction kinetics;
• Safety.