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 <400oC 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.

Collaborative Team

  • Dr. Sotirios Mamalis, Department of Mechanical Engineering at Stony Brook University