Our Beginnings
The Institute for Clean and Secure Energy (ICSE) grew from a long tradition of combustion research at the University of Utah beginning in the 1950s and continuing to today's level of 55 faculty, staff, and students. ICSE formed from the combination of several strong research programs that focused on combustion simulation, analysis, and experiments. In 2004, University of Utah officially recognized ICSE as a permanent institute.
Our Mission
The mission of ICSE is education through research on energy, combustion, high-temperature fuel utilization processes, and associated environmental, health, and performance issues.
Our Skills
ICSE employs an integrated, multi-disciplinary approach to the study of energy, combustion and high-temperature fuel-utilization processes by combining hands-on experimental work with analytical tools and simulation. This approach enables ICSE to develop predictive tools for these highly complex processes, which span multiple scales of time and space. ICSE has the resources and expertise to address and improve the understanding of these processes, which are often associated with applied systems and industrial applications.
Currently, ICSE resources are divided into three complementary, interconnecting groups: experimental, analytical and simulation. Below are brief descriptions of the current activities of each of the three groups.
Experimental. The objectives of the experimental group are threefold: (1) acquiring kinetic insights into important high-temperature processes; (2) providing high-quality data for model validation; and, (3) addressing industrial applications, such as development and testing of low-NOx burners. Work is focused on high-temperature processes, specifically controlled and uncontrolled fires and the combustion and gasification of fossil fuels: waste, black liquor, biomass, and other opportunity fuels. Much of the research on combustion and gasification concerns the formation and control of pollutants, including SOx, NOx, fine particles, black carbon, and air toxics. The group applies state-of-the-art diagnostic techniques and analytical methods to the study of high-temperature processes, which are critical to the achieving the group's objectives.
Analytical. The analytical group combines nuclear magnetic resonance capabilities, chromatography/mass spectrometry, and a variety of instrumentation for measuring emissions and properties of materials in combustion, gasification, and ambient environments. While some of the instrumentation belongs to the Departments of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, ICSE takes advantage of capabilities throughout the university through collaborations. Much of the instrumentation has been specially developed at the University of Utah or in collaboration with external partners. In addition, the analytical group has comprehensive capabilities in measurement and characterization of particulate matter.
Simulation. The major objectives of the simulation group are twofold, developing: (1) predictive tools for highly turbulent, two-phase, reacting flows which are applied to problems such as fires and large flames; and, (2) insights into the coupling between fluid dynamics and reaction mechanisms. The group is the core of the Fire Spread team in the Center for the Simulation of Accidental Fires and Explosions (CSAFE). ICSE has developed a hierarchy of activities to validate the highly complex models. Much of the success of the modeling effort is due to the close collaboration with the experimental and analytical groups as they supply the vital data required for model validation.
