UCLouvain: Thermodynamics and fluid mechanics (TFL)

General expertise of the research group

The Sustainable Energy Systems research team consists of Profs. H. Jeanmart and F. Contino. Prof. Hervé Jeanmart works mainly on 3 energy-related themes: energy systems, biomass conversion and combustion. With his research team, he is studying the energy transition through the modelling of energy systems. In particular, his group is developing a tool for modelling energy systems in collaboration with EPFL, EnergyScope TD. Current work focuses on the multi-cell approach, agent-based optimisation and coupling with dispatch and economic models. Using EROI (Energy Return On Investment) as a metric, the group is
studying the global potential of renewable energies in relation to energy accessibility and economic trajectories. At the component level, the research team is working on thermochemical conversion of biomass, primarily small-scale gasification, including close collaboration with Burkina Faso to develop a local technology. At a more fundamental level, the group is active in the combustion kinetics of oxygenated compounds and synthetic fuels. This includes an experimental approach to low-pressure burners, the study of combustion in HCCI engines and the development of kinetic models.

Prof. Francesco Contino works at both micro (cogeneration systems, heat storage, Carnot batteries, gas microturbines, hydrogen storage, etc.) and macro (region, country) levels to understand the key factors that will help us achieve a successful energy transition. In this context, he is developing new methods and making them affordable – in terms of computing costs – by developing efficient optimisers and rapid methods for quantifying uncertainty. In the context of robust optimisation, he proposes alternatives that are less vulnerable to the uncertainties of the energy system’s operating environment. Over the past ten years, he has used this technique to create robust designs for various energy systems, including gas microturbines, solar photovoltaic systems with battery storage,  ydrogen applications and other e-fuels. Finally, he is also interested in the concept of antifragility in optimisation under uncertainty, in order to take advantage of rare and major events (e.g. COVID, war in Ukraine), to improve the energy transition trajectory rather than suffer the consequences. He also integrates other disciplines into his research by studying the social practices associated with energy consumption and the impact of policies on the transition.

Specific hydrogen- related expertise & research topics

• Experimental characterisation and modelling of cogeneration units (piston engines and gas turbines) powered by syngas, e-fuel (H2) and alternative fuels.
  – Internal combustion engine characterisation of e-fuels (methane, methanol, ammonia, hydrogen).
• Robust Design Optimisation of e-fuel (ammonia & hydrogen) production systems, taking account uncertainties (essential in a context of fluctuating renewable production)
• Development of tools to model energy systems (whole-energy model) including uncertainties and the uncertain path towards a sustainable transition (EnergyScope)
• Optimisation of energy systems at different scales (consumer group, city, region, country) including detailed hour-by-hour energy storage using available and developing technologies.

Available equipment/tools:

• Equipment to characterize combustion phenomena, with gas analysers, gas chromatography, mass spectrometer, etc.
• Low-pressure burners
• A 200 kW two-stage pilot gasifier (TGP)
• A drop-tube furnace for studying biomass conversion
• An HCCI test bench
• Cogeneration units
• Industrial compressor (delivering 1200 Nm3/h at 40bar)
• Several other research benches (ejector systems, syngas engines, etc.).
• Developer of EnergyScope TD

Participating in RW/B/EU funded projects with H2 related research:

• FLEXnCONFU (EU H2020): to assess the role of ammonia as an energy carrier. The role of UCLouvain is to evaluate the impact of ammonia on the whole-energy system.
• BEST (ETF, SPF-FOD Belgium) https://best-energy.be : role of e-fuels for Belgium. The tasks here focus on different levels of the system from the micro scale to the macro scale.
• METRIC (FNRS): machine learning for reactive system simulations. The methodologies developed in METRIC will be applied to reactive systems (furnaces, engines, …) but will also give momentum to the current project.
• BE_HyFE (2021-2025) https://www.behyfe.be/, BE-HyFE is a Belgian academic collaboration project, funded by the federal Energy Transition Fund, bringing together all Belgian knowledge institutes to join forces in fundamental research on the topic of hydrogen.
• FEDECOM (EU HE 2022-2026) – Federated – system of systems- approach for flexible and interoperable energy communities

Main relevant publications

1. Rixhon X., Limpens G., Coppitters D., Jeanmart H., Contino F., The Role of Electrofuels under Uncertainties for the Belgian Energy Transition. Energies, Vol. 14, no.4027 (2021). doi:10.3390/en14134027.
2. Contino F., Moret S., Limpens G., Jeanmart H., Whole-energy system models: The advisors for the energy transition. Progress in Energy and Combustion Science, Vol. 81, p. 100872 (2020). doi:10.1016/j.pecs.2020.100872
3. Coppitters D., Verleysen K., De Paepe W., Contino F., How can renewable hydrogen compete with diesel in public transport? Robust design optimization of a hydrogen refueling station under techno-economic and environmental uncertainty. Applied Energy, Vol. 312, no., p. 118694 (2022). doi:10.1016/j.apenergy.2022.118694
4. Lhuillier C., Brequigny P., Contino F., Mounaïm-Rousselle C., Experimental study on ammonia/hydrogen/air combustion in spark ignition engine conditions. Fuel, Vol. 269, no., p. 117448 (2020). doi:10.1016/j.fuel.2020.117448
5. Coppitters D., De Paepe W., Contino F., Robust design optimization and stochastic performance analysis of a grid-connected photovoltaic system with battery storage and hydrogen storage. Energy, Vol. 213, no., p. 118798 (2020). doi:10.1016/j.energy.2020.118798
6. Pochet M., Dias V., Moreau B., Foucher F., Jeanmart H., Contino F., Experimental and numerical study, under LTC conditions, of ammonia ignition delay with and without hydrogen addition. Combustion Institute Proceedings, 37, 621-629 (2019)