Impact of the project:
Your work will hel
p
ensure
that the lights stay on in times when society needs it most by preventing
failures in critical power generation equipment.
Background:
The aim of the PhD project is to investigate the
creep and creep fatigue behaviours of CSEF power plant steels subject to
realistic plant loading cycles.
The current market conditions are such that
combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) plants are now considering double two-shift
operation, so potentially accruing upwards of 600 starts per year. The pressure
to reduce the extent of pressure system inspections and repairs continues to
increase, with the most recent capacity auction clearing prices for generation
showing a significant reduction when compared to previous years. For operators
of large generation facilities, the key consideration is the through life revenue
return, which will guide decisions on new plant builds and any capital
investments on plant currently operating. On this basis the need for effective
life prediction and condition monitoring tools to support the supply chain
(designer, fabricator, operator and technical service provider) is evident.
Over the years, significant development has been
made on the 9–12%Cr creep strength enhanced ferritic (CSEF) steels.
Traditionally, in material development for power plant components, creep
ductility, which can be treated as resistance to damage, has received much less
attention. However, the risk of catastrophic failure due to low damage
tolerance is a real challenge, in particular, in the situation where mechanical
and metallurgical constraints are present. In addition, due to the increasing
frequency of cyclic operations, i.e. starts up and shut downs for main steam
pipelines of power plants, low cycle creep fatigue failure due to low ductility
of the materials has become an important concern.
The aim of the PhD project is to investigate creep
and creep fatigue behaviour which takes into account the variable ductility for
CSEF power plant steels subject to realistic plant loading cycles, through a
comprehensive theoretical, experimental and computational programme.
Specific objectives will include:
High temperature mechanical testing and physical characterization will be carried out using well-established facility. The theoretical and modelling work will be carried out using finite element package ABAQUS through user defined subroutines.
Applications are welcome from graduates with a
relevant STEM or engineering background. We would like you to have a
strong background of Mechanics of Solids and Computational Modelling or the
willingness to learn. Furthermore,
you will work closely with your industry sponsor giving you plenty of
opportunity to gain more industry experience. You should possess good presentation and
communication skills and the willingness to learn how to write high quality
academic papers.
We would like you to start October 2022, within the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training
(CDT) “Resilient decarbonised Fuel Energy Systems”. The studentship which will
cover full university fees and a tax-free, enhanced annual stipend to UK candidates. A limited amount of partial funding is available for
exceptional international applicants who are highly qualified and motivated.
Due to the nature of this funding, the CDT would only be able to cover the cost
of the Home fees and therefore the applicant would need to either find
alternative funding or self-fund the fee difference.
Please apply to
the University of Nottingham.
Informal enquiries
may be sent to Dr Walid Tizani (walid.tizani@nottingham.ac.uk). Please note that applications sent directly to
those email addresses will not be accepted.
Impact of the project:
Your work will ensure that we can supply reliable, CO2-free power with the use of plant-based material
Background:
This project will explore the fundamental link
between biomass milling, classification and conveying to optimise biomass
processing. The project will explore the fundamental science of milling
fracture mechanics to develop a test for the critical particle size for
comminution through compression for biomass particles. This test will be bench
marked against the industry standard bond work index milling test and milling
in a lab scale vertical spindle mill.
The fundamental science behind classification will
be investigated to ascertain the impact of biomass particle size and shape on
classification and linked back to milling fracture mechanics. A model will be
developed which can predict if classification will be successful based on the
milled product from the grinding bed. An existing rig which examines biomass
conveying in pipes will be further developed to analyse a wide range of biomass
particle flow conditions.
A novel biomass particle roping rig will be built
to investigate roping and its link to biomass particle size and shape. Roping
mitigation strategies will be developed, which will then be verified on a
laboratory vertical spindle mill with pneumatic classification.
This would be a four-year project based in the new
Resilient Decarbonised Fuel Energy Systems CDT based at The University of
Nottingham and working alongside Net Zero Research partners.
We would like you to start in October 2022. Applications are welcome from applicants with a relevent STEM or engineering background. The project will be a mixture of lab based and
modelling experiments. You should have a broad interest in renewable and low
carbon technologies, and in the application of these technologies. Furthermore,
you will work closely with your industry sponsor giving you plenty of
opportunity to gain more industry experience. You should also be able to
demonstrate excellent written and oral communication skills or a willingness to
learn, which will be essential for collaborations, disseminating the results
via journal publications and attendance at international conferences.
The PhD student will work within the EPSRC Centre
for Doctoral Training (CDT) “Resilient Decarbonised Fuel Energy
Systems”. In addition to the standard EPSRC stipend and payment of UK
fees, there will be a stipend enhancement of £3,750 per annum for 4 years, with
£6,000 per annum of funding for research costs and travel.
To apply, please send a cover letter and CV to Dr Orla Williams (orla.williams@nottingham.ac.uk).
Impact of the project:
You will use microwave-based technology to turn
waste plastics into the feedstock for chemical processes – high value recycling
and avoiding the need for new hydrocarbon feedstock – reducing dependence on
oil and gas.
Background:
We are seeking applicants with a process
engineering background to start in Autumn 2022 on a project with Mitsubishi
Chemical UK Ltd. The funded studentship is the result of a major expansion of a
programme to decarbonise the entire value chain around acrylic polymer
manufacturing. Chemical recycling of current and legacy acrylic materials is a
key challenge that needs to be met in order to realise the broader
decarbonisation programme, and microwave heating has been identified as a key
enabling technology that can meet this challenge. Mitsubishi Chemical have
partnered with the University of Nottingham to carry out this work due to their
world-leading expertise in microwave heating technologies. The partnership aims
to better understand the impact of material properties and processing
conditions on recycled product and its ability to displace fossil resources in
the acrylic manufacturing process. A continuous, industrial-scale demonstration
process will be developed towards the end of the programme.
The aim of the PhD project will be to gain better
understanding of how both microwave and conventional heating technologies can
be used to process waste plastic and produce monomer product that is of
sufficient quality to re-use in acrylic manufacture. Working with the industry
partner, other PhD students and project team members, you will establish and model concepts for refining feedstock and crude monomer to
the required quality, where challenges will be around variable feedstock
composition and the separation of close-boiling components. These refining
processes will be combined with new technologies for acrylic recycling to
produce a number of system-level process models that can be used to establish
feedstock-technology-product relationships. These models will in turn be used
to direct technology development for recycling processes and to develop a
broader industry implementation strategy for recycled acrylic, optimising the
acrylic circular value chain.
This is an excellent opportunity for an
enthusiastic first or upper second class graduate with a relevant STEM or engineering background to develop expertise and key skills in the sustainable manufacture
and recycling of plastics, and to establish relationships with international
academic and industrial partners.
The project will be part of the EPSRC-supported
Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) "Resilient Decarbonised Fuel Energy Systems".
The student who undertakes it will be one of a cohort of over 50 students in a
broad range of disciplines across the Universities of Sheffield, Nottingham and
Cardiff.
Please apply to the University
of Nottingham.
Informal enquiries
may be sent to Prof. John Robinson (john.robinson@nottingham.ac.uk). Please note that applications sent directly to those email
addresses will not be accepted.
Impact of the project:
Your
work will allow plant-derived fuels to be used to power heavy motor vehicles
that cannot easily be run on electricity, massively reducing their CO2
emissions.
Background:
The impact of carbon-based deposits on climate change and human health
is the driver for legislation, fuel technology change and engineering
improvements. The carbon species produced by the internal combustion engine
have various impacts on emissions and despite many years of research are still
not fully understood. Recent work at Nottingham has shown a paradigm shift in
the understanding of injector deposits:
“Spatially Resolved Molecular Compositions of Insoluble Multilayer
Deposits Responsible for Increased Pollution from Internal Combustion
Engines”
Max K Edney, Joseph S Lamb, Matteo Spanu, Emily F Smith, Elisabeth Steer,
Edward Wilmot, Jacqueline Reid, Jim Barker, Morgan R Alexander, Colin E
Snape, David J Scurr. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 12 (45),
51026-51035, 2020.
“Internal Diesel Injector Deposit Chemical Speciation and
Quantification Using 3D OrbiSIMS and XPS Depth Profiling” Joseph S Lamb, Jim Barker, Edward Wilmot,
David J Scurr, Colin E Snape, Emily F Smith, Morgan R Alexander,
Jacqueline Reid. SAE
International Journal of Advances and Current Practices in Mobility, 2020,
349 364.
This work has informed industry mitigator chemistries and thus reduced
emissions. This project is a unique opportunity to use very sophisticated
surface science techniques such as Orbitrap 3D SIMS and XPS. Your study will
involve carbon material from across the powertrain vista, road, rail, off road,
marine, and standing. The material will be associated with injector deposits and filter deposits to enable emission reduction and soot, especially those
associated with respiratory inflammation, cardiovascular health problems, and
premature mortality. The information regarding the structure of these species
will be used to invent mitigation strategies for the benefit of all.
We would like you to start in October 2022. Applications are welcome from graduates
with a relevant STEM or engineering background. You will work closely with your industry sponsor
giving you plenty of opportunity to gain more industry experience.
Please apply to the
University of Nottingham.
Informal enquiries may be sent to Dr David Scurr (david.scurr@nottingham.ac.uk). Please note that applications
sent directly to this email address will not be accepted.
Hydrogen proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are a key
technology in enabling the transition to net-zero carbon energy. Hydrogen powered fuel cell stacks have been
demonstrated to be eminently suitable for powering cars and especially trucks,
because battery solutions are not viable for most larger vehicles. A recent
Hydrogen Council report (link below) emphasises the synergy in using both
battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) to
have a major impact on transport derived CO2 emissions. The heavy duty truck
market is expected to be the first to become fully commercialised FCEV
application due to the less-demanding infrastructure network requirements.
However, a key issue severely impacting the performance and efficiency
of PEMFCs is water flooding. Water flooding occurs in the cathode-side catalyst
layer whereby water generated in the cathode reaction condenses out in the
pores of the catalyst support thereby blocking access for in-coming oxygen.
Hydrophobic ionomer is added to the cathode catalyst layer to attempt to
mitigate against flooding. In order to design the optimal formulation and
fabrication process for the cathode catalyst layer, it is necessary to
understand the relationship between the properties of the layer, especially
pore size, pore connectivity and surface wettability/hydrophobicity, and the
performance in the actual PEMFC. However, it has been found that current
characterisation methods used are unable to distinguish sufficiently between
the pore network and wettability characteristics of different layers to predict
differences in their eventual PEMFC performance. Hence, new characterisation
techniques are needed, and this is the aim of this project. The objectives of
this project are to test three such candidate techniques for suitability. NMR
spectroscopy and relaxometry of hyperpolarised (hp) krypton and xenon have been
shown to be sensitive probes of pore size and the spatial distribution of
hydro-phobic/-philic surfaces within a probed network. We, thus, intend to test
hp Kr and hp Xe NMR techniques for determining the spatial distribution of
ionomer and inception of water adsorption within cathode pore networks. The
second candidate is adsorption calorimetry. Previous combined gravimetric and calorimetric
studies of gas uptake in gas shales have suggested the technique can readily
assess the spatial arrangement and juxtaposition of pore condensate in complex
geometries, and its impact on mass transport. This technique will also be tried
on catalyst layers. Finally, serial water adsorption and mercury porosimetry
studies on catalyst pellets have revealed that this method can characterise the
spatial distribution of the adsorbed water and the impact on percolation
pathways within the pore network, and will thus be tested on cathode catalyst
layers. We will also aim to develop a characterisation technique that can be
used as a quality control, near-to-line measurement during manufacturing.
References
https://hydrogencouncil.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Transport-Study-Full-Report-Hydrogen-Council-1.pdf
This project
is open to home students only. The PhD project is of four years duration, starting
October 2022, within the EPSRC Centre for Doctor Training (CDT) “Resilient
decarbonised Fuel Energy Systems”. The studentship which will cover full
university fees and a tax-free, enhanced annual stipend. The student
who undertakes it will be one of a cohort of over 50 students in a broad range
of disciplines across the Universities of Sheffield, Nottingham and Cardiff.
To apply, please send a cover letter and CV to Prof Sean Rigby (sean.rigby@nottingham.ac.uk).
Application deadline: 23.08.2022
Impact of the project:
You will help accelerate the availability of hydrogen as a carbon-free fuel.
Background:
According to the UK Hydrogen Strategy
published in 2021, UK will largely depend on green hydrogen fuel to decarbonise
heating, transport, industrial and other sectors to meet 2050 emission targets.
Green hydrogen fuel is produced using electrolysers (which split water into
hydrogen and oxygen) powered by electricity generated from renewable energy
sources such as solar or wind energy sources. Alkaline electrolysers, compared
to other electrolysers, are reliable and cheap. Clean Power Hydrogen (CPH2) has
developed a novel and efficient membrane free alkaline electrolysers which
employ very cheap materials, thus substantially reducing the cost of the water
electrolysis system and boosting the adoption of this green hydrogen generating
technology.
This project looks for ways to further
improve the efficiency and the durability of the membrane-free electrolysers
through investigating new materials, surface-treatments and/or designs.
Particular attention is to be given to the materials of the electrodes where
the oxygen and hydrogen evolution half reactions take place. In this regard,
alternative materials will be investigated and shortlisted based on their
efficiency, durability, and corrosion-resistance. These materials will be
ex-situ and in-situ tested. Further, multiphysics models simulating the
corrosion process and/or the operation of the electrolyser will be developed to
shorten the design cycles and obtain insights on how to improve the performance
and the lifetime of the electrolyser.
Applications are welcome from graduates with a
relevant STEM or engineering background. A background in
electrochemistry, corrosion studies, electrolyser technology, and/or modelling
and simulation are desirable but not essential. This project is industrially sponsored by CPH2 which is a
leading electrolyser manufacturer in South Yorkshire that develops a unique
membrane free electrolyser. You will work closely with your industry sponsor
giving you plenty of opportunity to gain more industry experience. The successful
candidates will work under the supervision of Dr Mohammed S. Ismail and Prof
Mohamed Pourkashanian (University of Sheffield) and Mr Ian Pillay (CPH2).
If interested, please apply online at: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/postgraduate/phd/apply/applying mentioning the title of the project and the names of the supervisors in your
application and ensure that you enclose all the following documents:
An up-to-date CV
Degree transcripts
A cover letter detailing your suitability for the project (max 500 words)
Two references - at least one of which must be from an academic familiar with the applicant's academic work and abilities
References
UK Hydrogen Strategy: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-hydrogen-strategy
CPH2’s website: https://www.cph2.com/about/
Funding The project will be part of the
EPSRC-supported Centre for Doctoral Training in Resilient Decarbonised Fuel
Energy Systems. The studentship will cover full
university fees and a tax-free, enhanced annual stipend of £20,352. The student
who undertakes it will be one of a cohort of over 50 students in a broad range
of disciplines across the Universities of Sheffield, Nottingham and Cardiff. This
studentship is open to home students and EU students who have been residents in
the UK for at least 3 years prior to the start of the studentship. Where
possible, covering the international fees for outstanding students will be also
considered.
Informal
enquiries may be sent to Prof Derek Ingham (d.ingham@sheffield.ac.uk). Please note that applications sent
directly to this email address will not be accepted.
Application deadline: 23.08.2022
Impact of the project:
You will help to make CO2 capture both
cheaper and more compact, meaning that it can be fitted on equipment which
cannot be decarbonised by other means.
Background:
Carbon capture is considered the only technology able to
decarbonise the hard-to-abate industries. Many of these industries utilise
legacy sites with little space for large new unit operations required in
conventional carbon capture. Rotating packed beds (RPB) look to solve this
problem by intensifying carbon capture and reducing the footprint required by
up to ten times, while also significantly decreasing the capital cost of these
units. When combined with proprietary solvents, it is believed the cost of
capture can be reduced to $30/tonne CO2 in some cases, helping to
enable the rapid uptake of carbon capture and progression towards net zero.
RPB are a novel technology that utilise the principles of
process intensification to enhance the performance of mass transfer processes
between fluids. Given the application of RPB to the field of CO2
capture is relatively new, there is uncertainty regarding the impact of
different process variables on the performance of the RPB that would otherwise
require a significant amount of practical experimentation to investigate.
Computational fluid dynamics can enable the process to be accurately modelled,
allowing for quick and inexpensive prediction of performance under various
conditions.
In this project a rotating packed bed absorber will be
modelled in Ansys FLUENT, with validation of the model’s outputs through use of
the 1 tonnes of CO2 per day (TPD) pilot-scale rotating packed bed
absorber at the University of Sheffield’s Translational Energy Research Centre.
Initial research will involve investigating the impact of operational
conditions and physical properties of the solvent on capture performance. As
the project continues, the scope will widen to include sensitivity analysis of
design parameters and the impact of scaling the RPB absorber on the existing project
outputs and learnings. Additionally, further rotating unit operations could
also be investigated.
This project will utilise and develop your knowledge
surrounding CFD modelling, mass and heat transfer, reaction kinetics and
chemical equilibria. You will work closely with Carbon Clean, a global leader
in the development of carbon capture technology and pioneers in the use of RPB
for industrial decarbonisation. Your findings could directly impact the design
and operation of commercial working carbon capture facilities, supporting the
pathway to net zero.
Funding
The studentship will cover full university fees and a
tax-free, enhanced annual stipend of
£20,352, including £16,062 (2022/2023) a year for four years and a
stipend enhancement of £3,750 per annum.
We are seeking applicants to start in September 2022. Applications are welcome from graduates with a
relevant STEM or engineering background. The studentship is open to UK candidates, but exceptional and highly
qualified international applicants are also welcome to apply.
The project will be part of the EPSRC-supported Centre for
Doctoral Training in Resilient Decarbonised Fuel Energy Systems. The student
who undertakes it will be one of a cohort of over 50 students in a broad range
of disciplines across the Universities of Sheffield, Nottingham and Cardiff.
The research work will be based in the Energy Research
Group within the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Translational
Energy Research Centre (TERC) at Sheffield which is a brand new, high profile,
innovation focused national research facility. You will be working within an
exciting and dynamic group with approximately over 60 researchers undertaking a
broad area of energy research with approximately three years' extensive
research time in industry, preparing for high-level careers in the energy
sector.
Please apply to the
University of Sheffield.
Informal
enquiries may be sent to Prof Derek Ingham (d.ingham@sheffield.ac.uk). Please note that applications sent
directly to this email address will not be accepted.
Application deadline: 23.08.2022
Impact of the project:
You will help to make ammonia a viable, carbon-free fuel by developing a
detailed knowledge of what exhaust clean-up – similar to catalytic converters
for cars – it will require to be rolled out to transport worldwide.
Introduction :
As a company, Eminox’s global
strategy is to develop exhaust after-treatment systems (EATS) for on-road,
non-road mobile machinery (NRMM), rail, marine and power generation internal
combustion engines (ICE) that will eventually adopt Carbon-Free Alternative Fuels
such as NH3 and H2.
We now wish
to sponsor a PhD student to work on fundamental aspects of underpinning
knowledge that will help us to develop our business for a cleaner, low carbon
future. See: https://eminox.com/
Background:
Fuel decarbonisation will impact
significantly the global reduction of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2)
emissions the main source of greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions. Ammonia (NH3)
is considered a potential carbon-free fuel and a carbon-free energy vector (carrier).
Large scale NH3 production, storage and distribution has been
commercially established on a global scale for over a century. NH3
can be produced sustainably from waste sources, and renewable energy recognised
as green-ammonia (G-NH3). Fuel blending of NH3
with either H2, LPG (liquified petroleum gas) or diesel has the
potential to enhance the combustion properties for NH3. An understanding
of the engine in-cylinder thermo-chemical kinetics governing NH3 NOx
and Thermal-NOx formation for NH3 and NH3/Fuel
Blends (H2, natural gas LPG, diesel) is required. In addition, the
NOx reduction efficiencies for selective catalytic reduction (SCR)
systems needs evaluation, to understand if changes to the catalyst formulation
are required for effectively treating exhaust gas produced from NH3 -ICE
and NH3/Fuel Blend-ICE. Therefore, it is critical for
Eminox to develop a detailed understanding of the system requirements for an
exhaust after-treatment system suitable for NH3-ICE and NH3/Fuel
Blends-ICE.
Proposed project
In brief, the objectives of the studentship are as follows:
Modelling: Develop and utilise thermo-kinetic
models to investigate NOx formation mechanisms occurring during the
combustion of for pure NH3 and NH3 /fuel blends (H2,
LPG, Diesel) at a range of air-fuel equivalence ratios, temperatures and pressures.
Experimental: evaluation of NOx
reduction efficiencies for an SCR (selective catalytic reduction) system by way
of a fixed bed reactor (University of Sheffield). Simulating engine exhaust gas
emissions resultant from combusting pure NH3 and a NH3/fuel
blends (H2, nat. gas LPG, Diesel) for a range of fuel-equivalence
ratios.
Applications are welcome from graduates with a
relevant STEM or engineering background. You will work closely with your
industry sponsor giving you plenty of opportunity to gain more industry
experience. Please apply to the
University of Sheffield.
Informal
enquiries may be sent to Prof Bill Nimmo (w.nimmo@sheffield.ac.uk). Please note that applications sent
directly to this email address will not be accepted.
Currently
there is a growing demand to reduce carbon emissions from the power and
propulsion systems. Also, there is growing concern on the impact of fossil fuel
emissions on public health of urban populations. Hydrogen has the potential of
emerging as the leading energy carrier for the next generation of zero-carbon
combustion for propulsion systems. However, the utilisation of hydrogen for
combustion is hindered by considerable challenges, such as flame instability
and flashback.
This
project aims to set out new design and operational principles for hydrogen
combustors.
iNetic are an engine company specialising in automotive and aerospace based in
Andover in Hampshire. This project aims to set out new design and operational
principles for hydrogen combustors. The research will utilise both optical and
conventional diagnostic tools to develop optimised strategies for hydrogen
injection and efficient mixing with air, identify suitable operating conditions
that result in favourable lean hydrogen flames with suppressed emissions and
improve combustion stability. This work will enable us to fulfil the gaps in
the understanding of fundamental hydrogen combustion, and to identify
possibilities for high efficiency and near-zero emission operation in practical
hydrogen combustion systems.
The
selected candidate will be embedded in the Cardiff University – Centre for
Research into Energy, Waste and Environment and closely work with the iNetic
Engineering Team at Andover.
The PhD project is of
four years duration, starting October 2022, within the EPSRC Centre
for Doctor Training (CDT) “Resilient decarbonised Fuel Energy Systems”. The
studentship which will cover full university fees and a tax-free, enhanced
annual stipend. The student who undertakes it will be one of a cohort of over
50 students in a broad range of disciplines across the Universities of
Sheffield, Nottingham and Cardiff.
Please apply to the
University of Cardiff.
Informal
enquiries may be sent to Prof Richard Marsh (marshr@cardiff.ac.uk). Please note that applications sent
directly to this email address will not be accepted.
Application deadline: 23.08.2022
Impact of the project:
This project will allow you to fully understand options for removing CO2
which is already in the atmosphere – making a direct contribution to the
prevention of global warming.
Background:
This
study aims to quantify the cost and energy reduction by carrying out a
comprehensive study of the direct air capture (DAC) process integrated with CO2
to methanol conversion process. Specific novelties of this work are: (1) Currently
there is no commercial large-scale DAC plant existing in the world. We
will develop models for large-scale DAC plant (driven by wind electricity and solar heat).
We will answer the question how to design and operate such a plant; (2) No
study on the integration of DAC based on electrodialysis regeneration with the
CO2 utilisation process; (3) No study on rigorous optimisation and
detailed techno-economic analysis of the DAC process integrated with CO2
conversion to methanol; (4) No study on life cycle analysis to determine the
sustainability of the DAC process integrated with CO2 conversion to
methanol.
The research on DAC will be performed through process
modelling. Techno-economic analysis and life cycle analysis will be carried out
at commercial scale. The research outcome will be published in journal
papers and conference papers, which will be vital for policy makers, academic
researchers and industrial practitioners.
Applications are welcome from graduates with a
relevant STEM or engineering background. Please apply to the
University of Sheffield.
Informal
enquiries may be sent to Prof Meihong Wang (meihong.wang@sheffield.ac.uk). Please note that applications sent
directly to this email address will not be accepted.
Application deadline: 23.08.2022
Impact of the project:
You will work to understand the best options to decarbonise the emissions
from commercial fleet vehicles.
Background:
Long haul road freight transport and the HGV market in the
UK is currently dominated by diesel powered vehicles. As the cost of fossil
fuels continue to increase, together with the inherent need to move towards
zero emission vehicle fleets, HGV fleet operators and being increasingly pushed
towards operating electric HGV’s. However, the shorter range and longer
refuelling times for eHGVs when compared to their more conventional diesel
counterparts makes this shift to lower carbon goods transport more problematic
than is the case with private passenger vehicles.
This project addresses a currently under-investigated aspect
of the government push to net zero, and the issues surrounding decarbonisation
of commercial fleet vehicles. Significant work is targeted at the technology
and societal impact of the electrification of passenger vehicles, but the
longer ranges and significantly higher utilisation of fleet HGV’s for example
make the problems of decarbonisation an order of magnitude more difficult.
Since commercial transport hubs are geared up to handle
palletised goods, and often are situated on the outskirts of larger cities or
close to motorways as distribution hubs. This project will examine the
technical and commercial / logistical drivers behind using palletised batteries
for supporting eHGV traction and range extending. These palletised battery
packs will act as mobile energy storage, which will be easy to handle within
the existing logistics infrastructure; they can be re-charged off vehicle at
existing hubs / depots, where the power demands of the charging can be
controlled independently to the demands on the vehicles for transportation.
The aim of the project is to study and understand the impact
of HGV operation for example, on the energy use and decarbonisation of the
operational fleet as a whole. To this end, the student will examine the drivers
and barriers of range extending, palletised, mobile energy storage systems for
use in the commercial road transport sector. The project will encompass the fleet
operation logistics, and from that, the stored energy requirements for the
technology; alongside the technical issues surrounding the charging / grid
support, and interfacing of the proposed palletised system to existing
platforms. This will then be closely linked to the practical applications of
the industrial collaborator.
The study will also encompass the technology required to
allow the operational vehicle interfacing, together with the requirements for
the battery management system on the palletised storage. One further advantage
of this as a possible system to be explored is the ease with which the
palletised storage could be utilised as static energy storage once the
batteries / cells reach ‘end-of-life’ in the transport application, facilitating
an easier transition to second life battery use. Once the project establishes
the baselines for the energy storage requirements based on the fleet
operational constraints, these can form the base of a requirements
specification for further palletised technology, for example a fuel cell / H2
based system, for range extension, as appropriate.
Significant expertise exists within the sponsoring company
with respect to the handling and loading / unloading of palletised goods, with
operators and vehicle drivers being familiar with the technologies involved.
The use of a familiar infrastructure as the foundation for a study into a
removable energy storage / range extender technology, covering the impact of
the fleet operational requirements and the size / space / storage needs of the
palletised energy systems, will provide a case study to provide real-world
focus to the work. The impact of the use of freight hubs as recharging
facilities on the existing grid infrastructure will also be investigated, along
with the use of on-site (and inherently out of town / on motorway network)
alternative generation technology. Thus, the industrial partner will play an
important role by enabling the research to be constrained by some of the
practical issues which surround day to day HGV logistics operations, for
example client operational requirements, vehicle routing etc.
This proposed PhD project is truly multi-disciplinary,
primarily supervised by Dr Ballantyne from the Management School, who’s
expertise and contacts lie in the field of transport logistics, and Prof Stone
from EEE, who’s background is energy storage and conversion. The inclusion of
the external partner who will support the real-world application and impact of
the research.
Applications are welcome from graduates with a
relevant STEM or engineering background. You will work closely with your
industry sponsor giving you plenty of opportunity to gain more industry
experience. Please apply to the
University of Sheffield.
Informal
enquiries may be sent to Prof Erica Ballantyne (e.e.ballantyne@sheffield.ac.uk) and Prof David Stone (d.a.stone@sheffield.ac.uk). Please note that applications sent
directly to these email addresses will not be accepted.
Impact of the project:
Hydrogen
has the potential of emerging as the leading energy carrier for the next
generation of zero-carbon combustion for propulsion systems. You will work to
understand how it can best be applied in real-world systems such as internal
combustion engines.
Background:
Currently
there is a growing demand to reduce carbon emissions from the power and
propulsion systems. Also, there is growing concern on the impact of fossil fuel
emissions on public health of urban populations. Hydrogen has the potential of
emerging as the leading energy carrier for the next generation of zero-carbon
combustion for propulsion systems. However, the utilisation of hydrogen for
combustion is hindered by considerable challenges, such as flame instability
and flashback.
This
project aims to set out new design and operational principles for hydrogen
combustors.
Greens Combustion are a combustion engineering company
based in Poole in Dorset, producing burners for fired heaters, reformers,
crackers, incinerators and boilers. The aim of this project is to look at the
development of a hydrogen burner for industrial applications. This research
will involve the study of the fundamentals of hydrogen combustion, heat release
and stability, culminating in a series of design guidance to deploy hydrogen
burners across heavy industries.
The
selected candidate will be embedded in the Cardiff University – Centre for
Research into Energy, Waste and Environment and closely work with Greens Combustion.
The PhD project is of
four years duration, starting October 2022, within the EPSRC Centre
for Doctor Training (CDT) “Resilient decarbonised Fuel Energy Systems”. The
studentship which will cover full university fees and a tax-free, enhanced
annual stipend. The student who undertakes it will be one of a cohort of over
50 students in a broad range of disciplines across the Universities of
Sheffield, Nottingham and Cardiff.
We would like you to start in October 2022.
Applications are welcome from graduates with a relevant STEM or engineering
background. Please apply to the
University of Cardiff.
Informal
enquiries may be sent to Prof Richard Marsh (marshr@cardiff.ac.uk). Please note that applications sent
directly to this email address will not be accepted.
Impact of the project:
Hydrogen
has the potential of emerging as the leading energy carrier for the next
generation of zero-carbon combustion for energy systems. You will work to
understand how it can best be applied in real-world systems such as inductrial
and commercial boilers and heating systems.
Background:
Currently
there is a growing demand to reduce carbon emissions from the power and
propulsion systems. Also, there is growing concern on the impact of fossil fuel
emissions on public health of urban populations. Hydrogen has the potential of
emerging as the leading energy carrier for the next generation of zero-carbon
combustion for propulsion systems. However, the utilisation of hydrogen for
combustion is hindered by considerable challenges, such as flame instability
and flashback.
This
project aims to set out new design and operational principles for hydrogen
combustors.
CR Plus are an energy
consultancy, providing services across industry, with a particular interest in
the hydrogen economy. The aim of this project is to look at the infrastructure
challenges of converting the Wales / UK to hydrogen firing in industry. This
will involve working with their industrial partners to study the feasibility
and impact of decarbonising a range of industry sectors. Specific research will
likely involve the impact of hydrogen on the natural gas supply, including
flame stability, heat release and process effects.
The
selected candidate will be embedded in the Cardiff University – Centre for
Research into Energy, Waste and Environment and closely work with CR Plus.
The PhD project is of
four years duration, starting October 2022, within the EPSRC Centre
for Doctor Training (CDT) “Resilient decarbonised Fuel Energy Systems”. The
studentship which will cover full university fees and a tax-free, enhanced
annual stipend. The student who undertakes it will be one of a cohort of over
50 students in a broad range of disciplines across the Universities of
Sheffield, Nottingham and Cardiff.
We would like you to start in October 2022.
Applications are welcome from graduates with a relevant STEM or engineering
background.
Please apply to the
University of Cardiff.
Informal
enquiries may be sent to Prof Richard Marsh (marshr@cardiff.ac.uk). Please note that applications sent
directly to this email address will not be accepted.
Impact of the project:
Hydrogen
has the potential of emerging as the leading energy carrier for the next
generation of zero-carbon combustion for propulsion systems. You will work to
understand how it can best be applied in real-world aviation systems
Background:
Currently
there is a growing demand to reduce carbon emissions from the power and
propulsion systems. Also, there is growing concern on the impact of fossil fuel
emissions on public health of urban populations. Hydrogen has the potential of
emerging as the leading energy carrier for the next generation of zero-carbon
combustion for propulsion systems. However, the utilisation of hydrogen for
combustion is hindered by considerable challenges, such as flame instability
and flashback.
This
project aims to set out new design and operational principles for hydrogen
combustors.
This project is sponsored by
Toshiba. Hybrid electric propulsion systems uses proton exchange membrane fuel
cell (PEMFC) system with a battery to power on board electric motor. The PEMFC
converts the chemical energy of hydrogen fuel into electricity, heat and water
without carbon emissions. Power management to manage load balance between fuel
cell and battery remain the significant barriers to fuel cell to be used in
aviation. More fundamental research is then needed to overcome these barriers.
Issues such power conversion and Power management to manage load balance
between fuel cell and battery, remain the focus on fuel cell performance
improvement and reliability of the fuel cell system. This project need
modelling to investigate the thermal management, power distribution and control
strategy of a hybrid fuel cell system and an experimental study to validate the
power distribution, control and stability of the system. Potential benefits for
hybrid propulsion systems for aviation application will be evaluated.
The
selected candidate will be embedded in the Cardiff University – Centre for
Research into Energy, Waste and Environment and closely work with Toshiba.
The PhD project is of
four years duration, starting October 2022, within the EPSRC Centre
for Doctor Training (CDT) “Resilient decarbonised Fuel Energy Systems”. The
studentship which will cover full university fees and a tax-free, enhanced
annual stipend. The student who undertakes it will be one of a cohort of over
50 students in a broad range of disciplines across the Universities of
Sheffield, Nottingham and Cardiff.
We would like you to start in October 2022.
Applications are welcome from graduates with a relevant STEM or engineering
background. Please apply to the
University of Cardiff.
Informal
enquiries may be sent to Prof Richard Marsh (marshr@cardiff.ac.uk). Please note that applications sent
directly to this email address will not be accepted.
Impact of the project:
Hydrogen
has the potential of emerging as the leading energy carrier for the next
generation of zero-carbon combustion for propulsion systems. You will work to
understand how it can best be applied in real-world freight systems.
Background:
Currently
there is a growing demand to reduce carbon emissions from the power and
propulsion systems. Also, there is growing concern on the impact of fossil fuel
emissions on public health of urban populations. Hydrogen has the potential of
emerging as the leading energy carrier for the next generation of zero-carbon
combustion for propulsion systems. However, the utilisation of hydrogen for
combustion is hindered by considerable challenges, such as flame instability
and flashback.
This
project aims to set out new design and operational principles for hydrogen
combustors.
Clean Air Power provide
automotive technology for low carbon freight. They offer decarbonisation
options through the supply of technology and components that enable the
transition to cleaner, low carbon fuels. The technology can replace diesel
through the fuelling of renewables such as hydrogen, biogas and biomethane to
the more traditional natural gas options such as Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)
and Liquid Natural Gas (LNG). This CDT studentship will study The design and
development of a hydrogen/ammonia fuel system for a reciprocating internal
combustion engine. This will involve some studies of the fundamentals of
hydrogen / ammonia combustion, followed by deeper research into the provision
of design rules for the next generation of carbon-free engines.
The
selected candidate will be embedded in the Cardiff University – Centre for
Research into Energy, Waste and Environment and closely work with Clean Air Power.
The PhD project is of
four years duration, starting October 2022, within the EPSRC Centre
for Doctor Training (CDT) “Resilient decarbonised Fuel Energy Systems”. The
studentship which will cover full university fees and a tax-free, enhanced
annual stipend. The student who undertakes it will be one of a cohort of over
50 students in a broad range of disciplines across the Universities of
Sheffield, Nottingham and Cardiff.
We would like you to start in October 2022.
Applications are welcome from graduates with a relevant STEM or engineering
background. Please apply to the
University of Cardiff.
Informal
enquiries may be sent to Prof Richard Marsh (marshr@cardiff.ac.uk). Please note that applications sent
directly to this email address will not be accepted.