Motivation and Background

As part of the energy transition, fossil fuels must be replaced by renewable alternatives. One of the key challenges here is the efficient storage and transport of large amounts of energy. A promising approach is the use of iron powder as a CO₂-free energy source in a closed material cycle: iron is oxidized, the resulting energy is stored, and the iron oxide is then regenerated.

The aim of the current research project is to gain a better understanding of the internal processes involved in the oxidation of iron particles. As part of this master's thesis, an existing test bench is to be converted so that iron powder can be oxidized under different atmospheres and then collected after different reaction times.

After the conversion, the boundary conditions of the reaction are to be determined. This is followed by the collection of the samples. Finally, the collected samples are to be analyzed and the results interpreted.

Tasks

• Construction and conversion of an existing test bench
• Determination of boundary conditions (gas temperature, dwell time, etc.)
• Collection of samples
• (Analysis of samples)
• Evaluation and interpretation of results
• Preparation of a written report and presentation of results