Dr Hamidreza Gohari Darabkhani

Dr Hamidreza Gohari Darabkhani

Research Fellow in Energy Processes
Location: Building 40, Cranfield campus
E: h.g.darabkhani@cranfield.ac.uk
T: +44 (0)1234 750111 x2822
Environmental Science and Technology


Current activities

  • Conventional and renewable power generation systems
  • Oxy-fuel combustion for CO2 capture and storage
  • Pulverised coal and gaseous fuel boilers
  • Biomass and Waste-derived fuels
  • Gas Turbine – syngas firing, biomass/coal/waste
  • High pressure/high temperature combustion systems
  • H2-Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC)

Clients

  • Aerogen Co.
  • Alstom Power
  • BOC
  • Doosan Babcock Energy Ltd
  • E.ON UK
  • EPSRC
  • OXY-Cap UK
  • Siemens Power Generation

Background

Dr Hamidreza Gohari Darabkhani joined Cranfield University in 2010 as a Research Fellow in Energy Processes. He is involved in the demonstration of combine research strengths in conventional and renewable power generation systems within the Centre for Energy and Resource Technology (CERT).  Hamid is currently working on a new research project funded by E.ON and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) evaluating existing methods of coal-based power production and developing cleaner processes using Carbon Capture Sequestration (CCS). Oxy-fuel combustion as one of several CO2 capture technologies is proven, but essential research is needed to improve the cost and performance of this method. Cranfield University is working with five other institutions, including Cambridge, Imperial College and Leeds Universities, to improve Britain's CCS technique with oxy-fuel combustion technology.

Hamid gained a BSc followed by an MSc in Mechanical Engineering (Thermo-Fluids & Combustion) from Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran in 2001. Since obtaining his first degree and before the start of his PhD he has obtained more than 7 years work experience in both university and industry. He was awarded a fully funded PhD research scholarship in 2006 from the School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering (MACE), the University of Manchester. His PhD research was directly related to problems currently faced by the energy industry and in combustion systems; where elevated pressures and variable fuel and air flow rates lead to combustion instabilities and enhancement in soot formation.

The Best Research Presentation Award and the Runner-up Research Poster Prize, awarded by British Petroleum (BP), at the PGR-MACE 2009 Conference in Manchester University and also the best student paper award of the International Conference of Mechanical Engineering (ICME-2010) in Imperial College London are among his research achievements. Prior to this post at Cranfield University, Dr Darabkhani was a Postdoctoral Research Assistant working on a joint project between Manchester and Leeds Universities on THz-TDS transmission measurements of sooty laminar diffusion flames, sponsored by EPSRC. He has got more than 20 technical publications from his research works so far (5 published and 2 under review journal papers and more than 13 conference papers).

Selected publications

Journal Papers:

  • Gohari Darabkhani, H., Wang, Q. and Zhang, Y., “Impact of Co-flow Air on Buoyant Diffusion Flames Flicker,” Energy Conversion and Management (ECM), Vol. 52, No. 8-9, pp. 2996-3003, 2011
  • Gohari Darabkhani, H., and Zhang, Y., “Stabilisation Mechanism of a Flickering Methane Diffusion Flame with Co-flow of Air,” Engineering Letters (IAENG), Vol. 18, No. 4, pp. 369-375, 2010
  • Gohari Darabkhani, H., and Zhang, Y., “Methane Diffusion Flame Dynamics at Elevated Pressures,” Combustion Science and Technology (CST), Vol. 182, No. 3, pp. 231-251, 2010
  • Gohari Darabkhani, H., Bassi, J., Huang, H. W., and Zhang, Y., “Fuel Effects on Diffusion Flames at Elevated Pressures,” Fuel, Vol. 88, No. 2, pp. 264-271, 2009
  • Wang, Q., Gohari Darabkhani, H., and Zhang, Y., “Schlieren and Laser Sheet Investigation of Methane-air Co-flow Flames,” submitted to the Experiments in Fluids, 2010 (under review)

Conference Papers:

  • Gohari Darabkhani, H., Oakey, J and Zhang, Y., “Soot Concentration and Temperature Measurements in Co-flow Laminar Propane-Air Diffusion Flames at Pressures up to 7 bar,” Proceedings of 49th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting, Paper No.: AIAA 2011-243, 4-7 January 2011, Orlando, Florida, USA
  • Gohari Darabkhani, H., Oakey, J., and Zhang, Y., “Improving Stability Limits of Natural Gas Buoyant Diffusion Flames with Co-flow of Air,” Energy Sustainability Conference & Fuel Cell Conference (ESFuelCell2011), 7-10 August 2011, Washington DC, USA
  • Kumar, P., Pellegrini Susini, G., Gohari Darabkhani, H., Oakey, J., “Carbon Capture Options to Make Environmentally Viable Energy Processes”, UK-China Energy Conference, 8-9 March 2011, Beijing, China (poster presentation)
  • Gohari Darabkhani, H., A. Legrave, N., Simms, N., Oakey, J., “Fuel Variability Effects on Gaseous Emissions in a Pilot-scale Oxy-firing Combustor, Burning Pulverized Coal and Cereal Co-Product (CCP) Biomass,” 2nd Oxyfuel Combustion Conference, 12-16 September 2011, Queensland, Australia (accepted)
  • Gohari Darabkhani, H., A. Legrave, N., Simms, N., Oakey, J., “Optimum Recycled Flue Gas Ratio in an Oxy-Coal Burner to Achieve Similar Combustion Characteristics to an Air-Fired Operation,” 2nd Oxyfuel Combustion Conference, 12-16 September 2011, Queensland, Australia (accepted)
  • Franchetti, B. M., Cavallo Marincola, F., Gohari Darabkhani, H., Kempf, A. M., “Large Eddy Simulation of a Pulverised Coal Burner under Air and Oxy-Firing Conditions,” 2nd Oxyfuel Combustion Conference, 12-16 September 2011, Queensland, Australia (accepted)
  • Gohari Darabkhani, H., and Zhang, Y., “Suppression Dynamics of a Laminar Oscillating Diffusion Flame with Co-flow Air,” Proceedings of the World Congress of Engineering, The 2010 International Conference of Mechanical Engineering (ICME 2010), Vol. 2, pp. 1421-1426, 30 June-2 July 2010, Imperial College London, UK (Winner of the best student paper award of the ICME 2010)
  • Gohari Darabkhani, H., and Zhang, Y., “Pressure Effects on Structure and Temperature Field of Laminar Diffusion Flames,” Proceedings of 48th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting, Paper No.; AIAA-2010-779, No. of Pages: 17, 4-7 January 2010, Orlando, Florida, USA
  • Gohari Darabkhani, H., and Zhang, Y., “Impact of Pressure and Fuel Flow Rate on Flame Dynamics in a High Pressure Combustor,” Proceedings of CEAS 2009 European Air and Space Conference, Conference DVD, PP. Day2- Propulsion Session, 26-29 October 2009, Manchester, UK
  • Gohari Darabkhani, H., and Zhang, Y., “Methane Diffusion Flame Dynamics at Elevated Pressures,” PGR-MACE09 Conference, Book of Abstracts, pp. 12-13, 11th June 2009, The University of Manchester, UK, (Winner of the best presentation award)
  • Gohari Darabkhani, H., and Zhang, Y., “Impact of Pressure on Diffusion Flame Structure,” PGR-MACE09 Conference, Book of Abstracts, pp. 75,11th June 2009, The University of Manchester, UK (Winner of the 2nd poster prize)
  • Bassi, J., Gohari Darabkhani, H., Huang, H.W., and Zhang, Y., “Diffusion Flame Dynamics at Elevated Pressures,” 32nd International Symposium on Combustion, Abstracts of Accepted Papers, pp. 82, 3-8 August 2008, Montreal, Canada
  • Gohari Darabkhani, H., and Zhang, Y., “Experimental Investigation on Sooty Flames at Elevated Pressures,” PGR-MACE08 Conference, Book of Abstracts, pp. 22, 27th June 2008, The University of Manchester, UK