Assistant Professor Elina Kyriakidou was Awarded $1.2 Million Grant from U.S. DOE-NREL

Eleni Kyriakidou and students in her lab.

From Left to Right: Timothy Buchanan, Judy Liu, Assistant Professor Kyriakidou, Junjie Chen, and Jungkuk Lee
Photo by Onion Studio

Published March 18, 2019 This content is archived.

Assistant Professsor Elina Kyriakidou has received a $1.2 million grant from U.S. DOE-NREL for low temperature CH₄ conversion by developing a novel after treatment system for future natural gas vehicles using palladium-based catalysts.

Development of Zeolite-Based Catalysts for Improved Low Temperature CH4 Conversion

Dr. Elina Kyriakidou will lead a $1.2 million U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) – National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) project on low temperature CH₄ conversion. The project team will address natural gas (NG) emissions and efficiency improvements by developing a novel aftertreatment system for future NG vehicles using palladium-based catalysts, which have shown the best activity for oxidation of CH₄ at low temperatures. The goal of the proposed project is to design a catalyst that can achieve 90% conversion of methane at temperatures <400^oC and demonstrate its performance though single-cylinder experimental testing. These novel materials will be used to fabricate a prototype catalytic converter, which will be tested on a research engine operating with natural gas in spark-ignition mode at Stony Brook University (SBU). Upon successful completion of the proposed work, the project team will deliver a catalyst technology that can significantly reduce emissions of unburned CH₄ from NG engines, which will contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gases emitted from the U.S. automotive fleet. Funding from DOE-NREL will allow these materials to be considered for use in future NGVs that will become commercially available in the 2020-2030 timeframe.