Exploring chemical combustion

Scientists of Samara National Research University (Samara University) conduct research to create physically based combustion models and develop environmentally friendly and energy efficient combustion chambers for gas turbine engines. In 2017, Samara University established a Combustion Physics and Chemistry research laboratory within the framework of a Russian Federation Government mega-grant and under the guidance of Prof. Alexander Mebel (1), Florida International University, USA. In the course of the research, Samara scientists and their foreign colleagues managed to discover previously unknown formation mechanisms of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with a variety of flat or non-planar structures.

Aromatic chemical compounds are harmful pollutants and they are present in the exhaust of any engine combusting hydrocarbon fuel. It was believed that the formation and growth of PAHs requires extremely high-temperature – above 700 °C in combustion chambers of aircraft and automobile engines. However, Samara University scientists have proved that PAHs can also form at very low temperatures – in hydrocarbon-rich atmospheres of planets and their satellites such as the atmosphere of the Saturn satellite Titan (-183°C). An experimental setup for the combustion reaction study was designed within the framework of the mega-grant in collaboration with Prof. Ralph Kaiser (2), University of Hawai'i, USA, and now it is expected to facilitate the research.

There are only three such setups in the world: two in the USA and one in China. With its help, the scientists will be able to understand in detail the chemical and physical processes occurring within the combustion process, which is crucial for both fundamental and applied research. On the one hand, it will allow engineers to design new engines using fuel more efficiently, which means they will be much more economical and environmentally friendly. On the other hand, these studies and new low-temperature mechanisms of PAH formation will help to understand better the formation processes of planets and other celestial bodies.

Scientific achievements of the laboratory are primarily associated with the contribution of famous scientists: Michael Frenklach (3), University of California, Berkeley, USA, Ralph Kaiser, Alexander Konnov (4), Lund University, Sweden, and Michael Heaven, Emory University, USA. Valerii Aziazov (5), Marsel Zagidullin and Pavel Mikheev, who are researchers at Samara Branch of P.N. Lebedev Physical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, significantly contributed to the laboratory establishment and development within the framework of a joint research and education center for Physics of Nonequilibrium and Open Systems. The research supervisor of the center is Igor Zavershinskii (6). The results of the joint three-year research are reflected in more than 30 articles published in the world’s leading scientific high-ranking journals such as Nature Astronomy, Nature Communications, Angewandte Chemie, etc.

The results obtained in the fundamental research under the guidance of Alexander Mebel allow the scientists to conduct a world-class applied research. The applied research is aimed at creating environmentally friendly aircraft engines and above ground installations. To do that, the Combustion Processes Department of the research and education center for Gas Dynamic Research (REC GDR) carries out a cycle of large-scale theoretical and experimental studies on physical and chemical processes determining high efficiency of low-emission combustion technologies. Sergei Matveev (7) is the department head and Mikhail Anisimov (8) is the director of REC GDR. Together with colleagues from Lund University, REC GDR researchers have already conducted a series of calculations and experiments proving the possibility to use blends of kerosene and ethanol produced from renewable sources as jet fuel. In the future, that should reduce harmful emissions from aircraft engines. Samara University also conducts an international research on process modeling for heating and evaporation of multifraction hydrocarbon fuel droplets. In the research, Samara University cooperates with Sergei Sazhin, University of Brighton, UK, Lei Li, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China, and Dario Pastrone, Polytechnic University of Turin, Italy. Lei Li studies the combustion in swirling streams and Dario Pastrone studies the formation of harmful substances in the combustion chambers of small engines.

The research was conducted within the framework of the Federal Target Program on Development and Validation of Environmental Characteristics Modeling Methods for Combustion Chambers of Gas Turbine Engines Based on Detailed Chemical Kinetics of Oxidation of Kerosene Surrogates and was supported by the Russian Scientific Foundation for research projects implemented by young scientists. In cooperation with colleagues from Sweden and Holland, Samara University researchers developed a special device, Heat Flux, to determine the normal speed of flame propagation when combusting various types of fuels. There are only a few such devices in the world. According to Alexander Konnov, the combustion model developed for blends of kerosene and various biofuels will allow finding the best solution for the fuel mixtures to both have all the necessary properties of kerosene and include biofuel. The results of both theoretical and experimental studies are reflected in more than 25 articles and published in reputable scientific journals in the field of combustion physics and chemistry such as Combustion and Flame, Fuel, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, etc. Active involvement of students in research at the Physics Department (the department head is Igor Zavershinskii) and Heat Engineering and Heat Engines Department (the department head is Sergei Lukachev (9)) of Samara University ensures high quality and practical significance of undergraduate and graduate theses.

Research areas and leading research teams 

Alexander Mebel

PhD Alexander Mebel, a world-renowned specialist in quantum chemistry, is a professor at Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, Florida International University, and the chief researcher of the Combustion Physics and Chemistry research laboratory, Samara University. In his research, the scientist studies the structure and properties of chemical compounds, reactivity, kinetics and mechanism of chemical reactions based on quantum mechanics. Alexander Mebel was awarded the Academia Sinica Research Award for Junior Researchers (2002), the IAMS Outstanding Publication Award (2003), the Florida International University CASE Research Award (2016), the FIU Faculty Convocation Award for Excellence in Research (2019).



Ralf Kaiser

Ralf Kaiser is a professor at Chemistry Department, University of Hawai'i, and a senior researcher of the Combustion Physics and Chemistry research laboratory, Samara University. He graduated from University of Münster, Germany, in 1991 and was awarded a PhD in Chemistry by the same university in 1994. After three years at University of California, Berkeley, as a postdoctoral fellow, he conducted his Habilitation in Physics before joining the Chemistry Department, University of Hawai'i, in 2002.


Michael Frenklach

Michael Frenklach is a professor at Mechanical Engineering Department, University of California, Berkeley. His research areas encompass chemical kinetics, computer modeling, combustion chemistry, pollutant formation (NOx, soot), shock tube, chemical vapor deposition of diamond films, homogeneous nucleation of silicon, silicon carbide, and diamond powders, interstellar dust formation.






Alexander Konnov

Alexander Konnov has been working as a professor at Combustion Physics Division, Physics Department, Lund University, since 2009. He has academic experience in experimental investigation and modeling of NOx and other pollutants formation in industrial flames, as well as in the development and validation of detailed reaction mechanisms for combustion modeling. 

Alexander Konnov was awarded an MSc in Physics by Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology in 1981 and a PhD in Physics and Mathematics by Institute of Chemical Physics, USSR Academy of Sciences, in 1985. Since then he has worked in Kazakhstan, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. His research activities cover fundamental research in combustion of conventional fuels and biofuels (biomass, syngas, etc.), dynamics of laminar flames, development of predictive models for NOx and other pollutants formation based on detailed reaction mechanisms. In 2020, Alexander Konnov was elected as Fellow of the Combustion Institute with citation "For excellent experimental and kinetic modeling research in flame".


Valeriy Azyazov

Valerii Aziazov is the director of Samara Branch of P.N. Lebedev Physical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences and a leading researcher of the Combustion Physics and Chemistry research laboratory, Samara University. He holds a Doctoral degree in Physical and Mathematical Sciences. Valerii Aziazov has been working as a professor at Physics Department, Samara University, since 2012. His research interests include laser physics, spectroscopy, chemical kinetics and combustion. He has 124 Web of Science publications, 137 Scopus publications and 213 Russian Science Citation Index publications.






Igor Zavershinsky

Igor Zavershinskii is the director of Natural Science Institute and the head of Physics Department, a leading researcher of the research and education center for Physics of Nonequilibrium Open Systems, Samara University. He is a Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences and a Professor. Igor Zavershinskii was awarded a Laureate of the Provincial Prize in Natural Sciences (2002) and an Honored Scientist of the Samara Region (2015).






Sergey Matveev

Sergei Matveev is the deputy research director of the research and education center for Gas-Dynamic Research (REC GDR-209), a professor at Heat Engineering and Heat Engines Department, a leading researcher of the Combustion Physics and Chemistry research laboratory. His research interests encompass experimental research and modeling of combustion processes in relation to combustion chambers of gas turbine engines and gas turbines, the formation and emission of pollutants in hydrocarbon fuel combustion process, modeling of combustion processes of aviation fuels based on kerosene surrogates. 


Mikhail Anisimov

Director of the research and education center for Gas-Dynamic Research (REC GDR-209), an associate professor at Heat Engineering and Heat Engines Department, a senior researcher of the Combustion Physics and Chemistry research laboratory, Samara University. His research interests include the study of combustion processes in combustion chambers of aircraft gas turbine engines and ground power plants. 






Sergey Lukachev

Sergei Lukachev is a Professor and a Doctor of Technical Science. He is the head of the Heat Engineering and Heat Engines Department, the chief researcher of research and education center for Gas-Dynamic Research, Samara University. His research interests include the study of combustion processes in combustion chambers of aircraft gas turbine engines and ground power plants. Sergei Lukachev is an author of more than 200 scientific and educational publications including 12 monographs and 50 registration certificates and patents for inventions.