Georg Hunaeus Prize 2018 goes to Researchers from Clausthal Technical University

In 2018, the Georg Hunaeus Prize for young scientists will be awarded to reservoir engineer Dr. Birger Hagemann from the Institut für Erdöl- und Erdgastechnik at Clausthal University of Technology. With his research on the chemical-physical-biological processes triggered by the storage of hydrogen in pore storage facilities, he has created a reference and basis for the complex of topics relating to the underground storage of hydrogen. His results are therefore very interesting for the storage industry, as this technology is of great importance for the success of the energy turnaround.

Dr. Birger Hagemann completed a double doctorate at the Universities of Clausthal and Nancy in 2017 and has since been working as a research assistant at the Institut für Erdöl- und Erdgastechnik at Clausthal University of Technology. Thomas Rappuhn, Chairman of the DGMK, presented Hagemann with the certificate for the prize, which is endowed with 5,000 euros, at the DGMK Spring Conference in Celle.

Important building block for the energy turnaround

In comparison to the large-scale storage of natural gas, which has been practiced for many decades, hydrogen has a number of specific properties - including low density and viscosity - which have a fundamental influence on the flow and mixing processes in the storage reservoir. Furthermore, since hydrogen is a suitable substrate for many anaerobic microbial species, microbial reactions can also play a significant role.

Dr. Hagemann first examined these phenomena in detail analytically and then developed numerical solution methods. Finally, the expected results were simulated in realistic storage cycles.

Hydrogen could play an important role as an energy carrier that can be obtained from renewable energies such as wind energy and photovoltaics in the context of the desired reduction of greenhouse gases. In order to be able to replace fossil energy sources such as natural gas in the long term, the intermediate storage of large quantities of hydrogen will be necessary. The existing infrastructure of underground gas storage facilities represents an obvious solution to this problem. Due to its physical and chemical properties, however, hydrogen places very specific demands on the technology and the gas storage facility itself.

Dr. Hagemann's research contributes to a better understanding of these requirements in order to develop strategies for the successful implementation of this new technology for energy system transformation.