FOR 5409: Structure-preserving numerical methods for volume and transition coupling of heterogeneous models

Research Goal

The research group conducts research on the modeling and simulation of coupled systems to describe magnetized plasmas, complex fluids, and electrochemical processes. In coupled systems, multiple processes are considered in the same region of a selected physical domain (volume coupling) or mathematical models used in different parts of a domain are combined at common boundaries (transition coupling). The goal is to develop efficient numerical methods that guarantee important structural properties of the underlying continuous models and to implement them on high-performance computers.

Project partners

The chair TP I from RUB is involved with three (of nine) projects:

Project A2 (Rainer Grauer, RUB): Coupling the two-fluid/Maxwell system to Magnetohydrodynamics/Ohm's law
Project A3 (Jürgen Dreher, RUB): Adaptivity in Computational Cardiac Electrophysiology
Project B2 (Rainer Grauer, RUB and Christiane Helzel, HHU): An Active Flux Method for the Vlasov/Maxwell System

More information can be found here.

CRC 1491: Cosmic Interacting Matters - From Source to Signal

Research Goal

In the night sky we see with the naked eye the same constellations year after year, so that the impression could arise that it is a static construct - a thought that lasted for centuries before it was possible to prove at the beginning of the 20th century that the universe is a dynamic system that came into being with a "big bang" and continues to expand.
Dynamics are also high on smaller scales, with stars forming and passing away in powerful supernova explosions, like this affecting the dynamics of the galaxies in which they are hosted. The explosions create clouds of particles or of plasma that interact with cosmic magnetic fields. The interplay of cosmic matter that drives these processes is the guiding theme of Collaborative Research Center (CRC) 1491, which grew out of the activities of the Ruhr Astroparticle and Plasma Physics Center (RAPP Center). "How are the different forms of matter and energy transformed into each other? How are the smallest, elementary particles accelerated to the highest energies ever observed?

How do large-scale magnetic field structures form in the plasma of galaxies? What influence does dark matter have on the dynamics of the systems?" is how Prof. Dr. Julia Tjus, spokesperson of the new SFB from Ruhr-Universität Bochum, names some of the research questions.
Sixteen leading researchers have joined forces to create a unified picture of the detectable traces of interacting matter. 11 researchers are from Ruhr University Bochum, 4 are working at TU Dortmund University, and Bergische Universität Wuppertal is involved with one researcher. They all want to understand how small galaxies like our Milky Way work, but also large ones with an active supermassive black hole in their core. For this purpose, theoretical astrophysical models are combined with experimental observations of all wavelengths and particles. Furthermore, the SFB provides knowledge about the fundamental properties of matter from theoretical calculations, cosmological observations and terrestrial experiments on particle interactions: "This knowledge can be used directly in the astrophysical models. The combination of the two research strands provides a detailed and precise picture of how galaxies function and evolve," comments Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Rhode of TU Dortmund University, co-spokesperson in the SFB.

Understanding this interplay of cosmic matter is only possible if researchers from different fields of physics work together: At RUB, the collaboration between astro- and plasma physics is well-established, and expertise from particle and astroparticle physics at the neighboring universities of Dortmund and Wuppertal is added. The links between the subfields of astro-, plasma-, astroparticle- and particle physics have been investigated in the RAPP Center in the Ruhr region since 2015. The work within the SFB will significantly advance research at the RAPP Center in the coming years.

Spokesperson

Prof. Dr. Julia Tjus
Theoretical Physics IV
Theoretical physics, in particular plasma astroparticle physics
Ruhr-Universität Bochum
Universitätsstraße 150
44801 Bochum
Tel.: +49 (0) 234 - 32 28778
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PLASNOW (Plasma generated Nitric Oxide in Wound healing)

The DFG granted research project PLASNOW (Plasma generated Nitric Oxide in Wound healing) is an interdisciplinary collaboration within the research field of plasma medicine. Two groups from electrical engineering (AEPT, Prof. Dr. P. Awakowicz) and plasma physics (Plasma Interface Physics, Jun.-Prof. Judith Golda (piplab), former lead by Experimental physics II, Dr. V. Schulz-von der Gathen) are involved. It is a successor and continuation of projects that were beforehand bundled in the cooperation “Plasma2Cell“. In this cooperation, other groups participate e.g. from chemistry, medicine, and biology at the Ruhr-University, the Heinrich-Heine-University in Düsseldorf and the DLR in Cologne. 

The research field of plasma medicine made big progress in the last years, not only from the plasma physical aspect but also regarding the understanding of the interactions of physical plasmas with biological samples and tissue. First clinical trials on wound healing were conducted revealing promising results for the application of cold atmospheric pressure plasmas (CAP) in medicine.

Independent of the progress made, the clinical application of plasma is just in the beginning. It is generally accepted that NO represents one of the essential regulative factors in wound healing. Therefore, the analysis of the impact of plasma generated nitrogen-containing species in the gas phase on the generation of species in the liquid phase is of great importance. This analysis is in particular essential regarding biomedical plasma application as these species are in turn responsible for chemical responses or modifications of biomolecules and treated tissues. The goal is a detailed fundamental understanding of operation conditions influence on two distinctly different plasma sources, a direct (Dielectric barrier discharge, DBD) and an indirect one (COST-jet), on the plasma itself and the plasma-liquid interface. In order to compare the gained results to all other plasma sources applied in that field, the whole chain from electrical power input to NO output under the most important conditions will be investigated and quantified. By observing the behavior of distinct biomolecules, process optimization based on scientific understanding will be feasible. 

The whole chain from the plasma generation to the impact on liquids, biomolecules, cells, and biological tissues can be completed in close collaboration with the group of Prof. N. Metzler-Nolte (Bioinorganic Chemistry, RUB) and Prof Ch. Suschek (HHU). The respective links are the output of species fluxes from the plasma sources and the influence of plasma generated species in liquid on specific biomolecules. 

Due to the complexity of the system of plasma, gas, liquid and biological molecule, it is required to control the ambient conditions as much as possible. So, both groups have access to the plasma chamber in the shared lab set up at Experimental Physics II (EPII) and are provided with samples from the defined plasma sources.

With this rather interdisciplinary approach, the understanding of the interactions of plasma with liquids and models with clinical relevance to the benefit of future patients will be enhanced.

The project was approved in November 2019 for 36 months. It will start with the start it will only start with the start of contract of the PhD student which is still in process at the moment.

Me2H2

The project Me²H₂ aims at the development of processes for a climate-friendly production of hydrogen with minimal power consumption. Water electrolysis is the benchmark for future H₂ production without direct CO₂ emissions. If operated with renewable electricity, H₂ generation would also be climate-friendly with regard to upstream electricity generation. However, water electrolysis specifically consumes significantly more energy than today's industrial benchmark - the steam reforming of natural gas. Methane pyrolysis, on the other hand, would operate CO₂ free with a similarly low specific energy requirement as steam reforming. In project U2, plasma-heated processes for methane pyrolysis on a laboratory scale are under investigation.

CRC 1316: Transient atmospheric plasmas - from plasmas to liquids to solids

Research Goal

Non-equilibrium processes are the basis of a multitude of phenomena in nature such as transport, excitation of atoms and molecules and de-excitation and dissipation at surfaces. The non-equilibrium character of plasmas is especially pronounced due to the high energy density in these systems and the very selective excitation of, for example, only the electrons. If these plasmas are brought into contact with solids or liquids, the non-equilibrium character can be transferred to other states of matter. An excellent example are plasma chemistry processes that are directly coupled to catalytically active surfaces.

The use of non-equilibrium atmospheric pressure plasmas is most interesting since they can most easily be combined with standard chemical processes. The non-equilibrium character of these plasmas can be controlled by large gas flows or by short pulsed excitation assuring strong cooling mechanisms. Thereby, a huge variety of desired plasma chemistries or emission patterns can be adjusted following an empirical strategy. However, any further progress is hampered by the lack of a fundamental understanding of those discharges and their interaction with fluid and solid Interfaces.

The Collaborative Research Centre (CRC) 1316 “Transient atmospheric plasmas – from plasmas to liquids to solids” addresses these research questions by combining expertise in plasma physics, surface physics, chemistry, biotechnology, and engineering. This CRC focuses on transient atmospheric plasmas at varying spatial and temporal scales for the nanostructuring and activation of catalytic surfaces, for the coupling to catalysis and biocatalysis, as well as for electrochemical processes. Due to the strong interaction between these plasmas and the confining interfaces, special in-situ, real-time, and in-operando methods will be employed. The research program follows three consecutive phases with reaching a basic understanding at the beginning to the optimum integration of plasma and active surface, until the up-scaling of these plasmas. The CRC 1316 seeks optimal solutions for systems for energy conversion (solar fuels, CO₂ harvesting, photocatalysis), to health (removal of volatile organic compounds from air streams), for biotechnology (plasma-driven biocatalysis), and for technical chemistry (bottom-up synthesis from small molecules to valuable chemicals).

Spokesperson

Prof. Dr. Achim von Keudell
Experimental Physics II
Physics of Reactive Plasmas
Ruhr-Universität Bochum
Universitätsstraße 150
44801 Bochum
Tel.: +49 (0) 234 - 32 23680
Fax: +49 (0) 234 - 32 14171
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Deputy Spokesperson

Prof. Dr. Martin Muhler
Industrial Redox Catalysis
Ruhr-Universität Bochum
Universitätsstraße 150
44801 Bochum
Tel.: +49 (0) 234 - 32 28754
Fax: +49 (0) 234 - 32 14115
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Current projects of the research department Plasmas with Complex Interactions are carried out within the framework of various funding programs and with different research partners on the RUB campus and with international partners.