Dr.-Ing. Fabian Hagen

Students of chemical/process engineering with an interest in energy storage applications, reaction engineering, and experimental work.

Location: CS

Motivation:

The reduction of iron oxide with hydrogen is a key step in cyclic processes for CO₂-free chemical energy storage. Fluidized bed reactors are well-suited for technical implementation, as they offer uniform temperature distribution and efficient mass transfer. However, reactivity, fluidization behavior, and process stability strongly depend on the chosen operating conditions. A systematic investigation of these interactions under realistic conditions is required to improve the understanding of reduction kinetics and to support the development of scalable reactor concepts.

Task:

The aim of this thesis is to experimentally investigate the reduction of iron oxide particles in a fluidized bed reactor. Both non-reactive fluidization experiments and reduction tests with H₂/N₂ mixtures are to be performed. Reaction progress is to be monitored using appropriate gas-phase diagnostics. Morphological and structural changes of the particles are to be analyzed using solid-state characterization techniques (SEM, XRD, BET).

Responsible:

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dimosthenis Trimis