Periodic Reporting for period 1 - ICONIC (Stable and Clean Iron Power from ICONIC)
Reporting period: 2023-09-01 to 2025-02-28
Within the MetalFuel ERC Advanced Grant, a comprehensive multi-scale modeling and experimental approach has been developed to study metal aerosol combustion, focusing on iron powder. This work supports the development of clean combustion systems, including the innovative ICONIC (Ignition COntrolled low-NOx Iron Combustion) concept. ICONIC utilizes hot flue gas recirculation to improve flame stability, reduce NOx emissions, and prevent nanoparticle formation.
At the core of ICONIC is the cyclonic "tornado-swirl" burner, which stabilizes a high-temperature flame through controlled air and iron powder flow. Although the recirculation flow is challenging to manage, early tests have shown promising results regarding ignition stability and emissions.
Key research and development efforts include:
* Studying iron particle ignition in hot gas flows,
* Stabilization of iron aerosol jets,
* 1D/3D modeling of the ICONIC burner,
* Development of a flexible 10 kW test burner and a conceptual scale-up.
Market and implementation efforts are led by TU/e and Metalot, aiming to establish an Iron Power ecosystem. Applications span industries with high-temperature needs (e.g. food, petrochemical, cement, and power generation).
* Business case studies are being conducted for industrial integration, dependent on access to affordable green energy.
* Further intellectual property protections are being pursued to support commercialization and licensing efforts.
At the core of ICONIC is the cyclonic "tornado-swirl" burner, which stabilizes a high-temperature flame through controlled air and iron powder flow. Although the recirculation flow is challenging to manage, early tests have shown promising results regarding ignition stability and emissions.
Key research and development efforts include:
* Studying iron particle ignition in hot gas flows,
* Stabilization of iron aerosol jets,
* 1D/3D modeling of the ICONIC burner,
* Development of a flexible 10 kW test burner and a conceptual scale-up.
Market and implementation efforts are led by TU/e and Metalot, aiming to establish an Iron Power ecosystem. Applications span industries with high-temperature needs (e.g. food, petrochemical, cement, and power generation).
* Business case studies are being conducted for industrial integration, dependent on access to affordable green energy.
* Further intellectual property protections are being pursued to support commercialization and licensing efforts.
This summary outlines the progress across three work packages (WP) in the ICONIC burner project, focused on developing and commercializing an innovative iron powder combustion system.
WP1: Eco-system Development
T1.1 Iron Power Ecosystem: The team expanded industrial and investor collaborations to promote the ICONIC10 prototype. Efforts included grant applications and participation in funding events (e.g. Hello Tomorrow 2025). A major €450M multi-partner proposal was prepared but not submitted due to a Dutch government funding change.
WP2: ICONIC Research & Development
T2.1 Small-Scale Burner (ICONIC10):
A 10 kW burner with enhanced control over combustion parameters (e.g. recirculation, cooling) was designed and manufactured. Delays occurred due to manufacturer coordination and lab relocation.
Preliminary tests were completed; comprehensive testing and performance reporting are ongoing. Full CFD simulation using OpenFOAM was hindered by the loss of a key expert but is compensated by a model development and validation.
T2.2 Conceptual Design of 1 MW Burner:
A larger-scale ICONIC burner is being developed for integration with Heat Power BV’s RCG power cycle.The system is intended to co-generate heat and electricity, suitable for SMEs with steam and power needs.
T2.3 CFD Modelling for 1 MW Burner:
Full CFD modeling is not yet completed due to resource constraints. However, the foundational 1D modeling gave sufficient insights to proceed. The OpenFOAM-based optimization work will be further explored.
WP3: ICONIC Market and Protection
T3.1 Market Study:
Analysis revealed strong market potential for 250 kW–1 MW systems. Smaller systems (10–50 kW) have limited profitability, but residential and SME applications remain viable.
The technology offers reliable, zero-emission energy solutions for various sectors.
T3.2 IP Implementation:
Patents have been filed both nationally and internationally (e.g. N2036153, PCT/NL2024/050586).
Licensing discussions with commercial partners are planned, with interest from potential start-ups.
T3.3 Maximising Impact:
Dissemination efforts include conferences and trade fairs such as the NWO NERA Energy Symposium and Hello Tomorrow Global Summit.
Strong engagement with stakeholders like Heat Power BV supports future adoption.
WP1: Eco-system Development
T1.1 Iron Power Ecosystem: The team expanded industrial and investor collaborations to promote the ICONIC10 prototype. Efforts included grant applications and participation in funding events (e.g. Hello Tomorrow 2025). A major €450M multi-partner proposal was prepared but not submitted due to a Dutch government funding change.
WP2: ICONIC Research & Development
T2.1 Small-Scale Burner (ICONIC10):
A 10 kW burner with enhanced control over combustion parameters (e.g. recirculation, cooling) was designed and manufactured. Delays occurred due to manufacturer coordination and lab relocation.
Preliminary tests were completed; comprehensive testing and performance reporting are ongoing. Full CFD simulation using OpenFOAM was hindered by the loss of a key expert but is compensated by a model development and validation.
T2.2 Conceptual Design of 1 MW Burner:
A larger-scale ICONIC burner is being developed for integration with Heat Power BV’s RCG power cycle.The system is intended to co-generate heat and electricity, suitable for SMEs with steam and power needs.
T2.3 CFD Modelling for 1 MW Burner:
Full CFD modeling is not yet completed due to resource constraints. However, the foundational 1D modeling gave sufficient insights to proceed. The OpenFOAM-based optimization work will be further explored.
WP3: ICONIC Market and Protection
T3.1 Market Study:
Analysis revealed strong market potential for 250 kW–1 MW systems. Smaller systems (10–50 kW) have limited profitability, but residential and SME applications remain viable.
The technology offers reliable, zero-emission energy solutions for various sectors.
T3.2 IP Implementation:
Patents have been filed both nationally and internationally (e.g. N2036153, PCT/NL2024/050586).
Licensing discussions with commercial partners are planned, with interest from potential start-ups.
T3.3 Maximising Impact:
Dissemination efforts include conferences and trade fairs such as the NWO NERA Energy Symposium and Hello Tomorrow Global Summit.
Strong engagement with stakeholders like Heat Power BV supports future adoption.
Overall, the ICONIC concept demonstrates transformative potential by combining high control, low emissions, and system-level integration. It positions iron fuel combustion as a viable, clean alternative for hard-to-decarbonize industrial heat and power applications.
The ICONIC (Ignition COntrolled low-NOx Iron Combustion) concept represents a significant advancement beyond the current state of the art in metal fuel combustion systems. Traditionally, metal combustion technologies have faced critical limitations, including requirement of a pilot flame, uncontrolled ignition, high NOx emissions, and the formation of undesirable nano-particles due to iron evaporation. The ICONIC approach tackles these challenges through a novel design and control strategy that integrates ignition-based flame stabilization, flue gas recirculation, and advanced thermal management.
Key innovations and progress beyond the state of the art include:
* Controlled Ignition and Flame Stabilization
ICONIC introduces a fundamentally different ignition mechanism through targeted thermal preconditioning and staged air injection, enabling precise control over the ignition delay and stable flame anchoring, even under low-oxygen conditions.
* Minimization of NOx and Nano-Particle Formation
By leveraging internal and external flue gas recirculation, ICONIC reduces peak flame temperatures and controls oxidation pathways, significantly lowering NOx emissions and suppressing iron particle evaporation—two persistent issues in high-temperature metal combustion.
* Advanced Burner Design:
A new 10 kW burner prototype was developed featuring controllable ejectors, heat recovery, and swirl-stabilized flow, allowing full control over key combustion variables such as recirculation ratio, cooling rate, and oxygen concentration. This flexibility in burner operation marks a major step beyond static, fixed-parameter systems.
* Scalability and Integration into Power Cycles
The ICONIC burner is being assessed to scale to a 1 MW system and integrated with the Rankine Compression Gas (RCG) cycle for co-generation of heat and electricity. This integration represents a novel pathway for high-efficiency, on-demand power from solid fuels, extending iron combustion applications from lab to industrial scale.
The ICONIC (Ignition COntrolled low-NOx Iron Combustion) concept represents a significant advancement beyond the current state of the art in metal fuel combustion systems. Traditionally, metal combustion technologies have faced critical limitations, including requirement of a pilot flame, uncontrolled ignition, high NOx emissions, and the formation of undesirable nano-particles due to iron evaporation. The ICONIC approach tackles these challenges through a novel design and control strategy that integrates ignition-based flame stabilization, flue gas recirculation, and advanced thermal management.
Key innovations and progress beyond the state of the art include:
* Controlled Ignition and Flame Stabilization
ICONIC introduces a fundamentally different ignition mechanism through targeted thermal preconditioning and staged air injection, enabling precise control over the ignition delay and stable flame anchoring, even under low-oxygen conditions.
* Minimization of NOx and Nano-Particle Formation
By leveraging internal and external flue gas recirculation, ICONIC reduces peak flame temperatures and controls oxidation pathways, significantly lowering NOx emissions and suppressing iron particle evaporation—two persistent issues in high-temperature metal combustion.
* Advanced Burner Design:
A new 10 kW burner prototype was developed featuring controllable ejectors, heat recovery, and swirl-stabilized flow, allowing full control over key combustion variables such as recirculation ratio, cooling rate, and oxygen concentration. This flexibility in burner operation marks a major step beyond static, fixed-parameter systems.
* Scalability and Integration into Power Cycles
The ICONIC burner is being assessed to scale to a 1 MW system and integrated with the Rankine Compression Gas (RCG) cycle for co-generation of heat and electricity. This integration represents a novel pathway for high-efficiency, on-demand power from solid fuels, extending iron combustion applications from lab to industrial scale.