Our contribution is designed to bring significant, ideally unique capabilities, that can meet specific industry challenges, where it can bring in new capabilities not yet used, and particularly where it can bring a multidisciplinary approach to the various hydrogen challenges. Our primary focus is on the intermediate Storage, Distribution and Control Systems space of the hydrogen economy, specifically:
- Structural safety, reliability and design of hydrogen vessels and pipes
- Control systems integrating H2 into the grid. Whole & site-based cross-energy vector flexibility
- Thermal management for fuel cells and fuelling systems
- Hydrogen-containing fuels and ammonia fuels in existing and future zero carbon engines
- Additives for enhanced electrolysis
- Digitisation of the hydrogen economy
Our academics integrate their significant expertise in these areas:
Production
- Process design, modelling and optimisation of integrated carbon capture hydrogen production via novel routes e.g. sorption-enhanced steam methane reforming TRL 4 Dr Salman , Dr Jun Xia
- Additives for enhanced electrolysis (patent filed Dec 2021) TRL 2 Dr Abhishek Lahiri
Storage, Distribution and Control Systems
- Structural integrity, safety & reliability in hydrogen devices, vessels, and pipes. Design of safe structures in hydrogen gas/liquid service, e.g. pressure vessels and pipelines jointly with TWI TRL 1-4. Prof Rade ,
- Control systems integrating hydrogen into grid. Cross-energy vector flexibility for whole and site-based systems. TRL 2-4 Xin Zhang: Modelling and prototype design and operation of the renewable energy to hydrogen to storage to electric power systems for on and off grid applications , ,
- Thermal management of fuelling systems. TRL 6
- Fuel cell energy storage systems, VPP concepts design and modelling, and Nanostructured energy materials, renewable hydrogen production systems TRL 3-4 Dr Zahir
- Heat exchangers for fuel station cooling and waste heat recovery from electrolysers. TRL2 Prof Tassos
- Continuous monitoring systems for the safe storage, distribution and usage of hydrogen power for transport. Prof
- Application of Digital Twins to monitor and optimise operation of prototypes as they become real world physical systems.
- Developing digital twins for manufacturing processes TRL 2 – 4 Prof and Prof
- Doped Mg hydrides to speed up hydrogen charging. Prof
- Lightweight hydrogen storage vessels and possibly pipes in aluminium or aluminium + composite (derived from existing research). Prof and Prof
- Aluminium based alloys for low pressure hydrogen storage. Prof
- Use of hydrogen for waste heat recovery, heat transport and heating and cooling ‘H2-Heat’. This involves the development of a thermally based hydrogen pumping system, and metal hydride heat pumps operating in a closed system. Prof
- Green hydrogen with PV powered electrolysers in a closed system for energy storage, cooling, heating, and energy management ‘H2-Trigen’. TRL 2-3 Prof