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Feasibility of a wetting layer absorption carbon capture process based on chemical solvents |
Professor Stefano Brandani
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Materials and Processes |
New ideas for carbon capture are urgently needed to combat climate change. Retro-fitting post-combustion carbon capture to existing power plants has the greatest potential to reduce CO2 emissions considering these sources make the largest contribution to CO2 emissions in the UK. Unfortunately, carbon capture methods based on existing industrial process technology for separation of CO2 from natural gas streams (i.e. amine scrubbing) would be extremely expensive if applied on the scale envisaged, as exemplified by the recent collapse of the Government's CCS project at Longannet power station. Moreover, many of the chemical absorbents used, typically amines, are corrosive and toxic and their use could generate significant amounts of hazardous waste. So, more efficient and 'greener' post-combustion CCS technologies are urgently needed if CCS is to be adopted on a global scale.
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ETP Knowledge Exchange in Energy: Marine Energy |
Professor Ian Bryden
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Energy Systems |
Funding (ca. £3m) has been secured from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), Scottish Government, Scottish Funding Council, Scottish Enterprise and ETP Member Universities to establish a Knowledge Exchange (KE) Network. This will catalyse and accelerate KE activity between academia and SMEs, thereby increasing innovation, advancing the development of the low carbon economy in Scotland and supporting Scotland, UK and the EU to meet ambitious 2020 low carbon targets.
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MARINET: Marine Renewables Infrastructure Network for Emerging Energy Technologies |
Professor Ian Bryden
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Energy Systems |
MARINET, the Marine Renewables Infrastructure Network, is a network of research centres and organisations that are working together to accelerate the development of marine renewable energy technologies - wave, tidal and offshore-wind. It is co-financed by the European Commission specifically to enhance integration and utilisation of European marine renewable energy research infrastructures and expertise. MARINET offers periods of free-of-charge access to world-class R&D facilities & expertise and conducts joint activities in parallel to standardise testing improve testing capabilities and enhance training & networking.
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Multiscale characterisation of randomly oriented board strand composites from re-used prepreg scrap |
Francisca Martinez Hergueta
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Infrastructure and Environment |
The aim of this project is to develop manufacturing upcycling technologies to re-use prepreg scrap and determine the resultant mechanical properties. This project mitigates the environmental impact of conventional composite manufacturing processes reducing air emissions and energy consumption. It also contributes towards a sustainable economy reducing the waste disposal fees paid by commercial companies and recovering commercial value from the composite scrap.
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Reduce energy penalty in CO2 capture processes and the emission of SOx and NOx from coal combustion |
Dr Xiangfeng Fan
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Materials and Processes |
The research focuses on develop a microwave swing technique to selectively heat solid at molecular level for adsorbent regeneration, and then compare the results with temperature swing. The project is supported by EPSRC.
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Using short-ranged repulsion to tune suspension viscosity and shear thickening |
Dr. Jin Sun
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Infrastructure and Environment |
Dense suspensions of solid particles exhibit rich and fascinating flow behaviour.
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Models for manufacturing of particulate products |
Professor Jin Ooi
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Infrastructure and Environment |
This project aims to create a generally applicable framework for transferring academic innovations in the modelling of particulate materials into industrial practice in the UK. The process of twin-screw granulation has been selected as an exemplar industrial process which is simulated across multiple scales using the coupled methods of population balance modelling and the discrete element method.
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Measurement and modelling of powder flow in flexible containers |
Prof. Jin Ooi
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Infrastructure and Environment |
The research focuses on understanding cohesive powder flow in flexible bulk solid containers (buggies and bulk bags) with a view to develop a design methodology for ensuring reliable discharge from these containers. The project involves experimental powder flowability characterisation, finite element analysis of the stresses in flexible containers and pilot scale experiments to study the powder flow field and validate the new design methodology for reliable discharge.
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Rheology of Dense Suspension System containing Frictional and Frictionless Particles |
Dr. Jin Sun
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Infrastructure and Environment |
From cement and ceramic pastes to paints and drilling fluids, dense suspensions of solid particles immersed in a liquid are ubiquitous in industries. Understanding the rheology of dense suspensions is important for explaining and predicting the multiphase flow behavior in traditional and innovative industrial processes. In this project, DEM simulations are employed to understand the rheology of suspensions containing different particles with different surface properties.
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Simulation of Irregular, Abradable Particles in DEM |
Dr Kevin Hanley
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Infrastructure and Environment |
Particle shape has important effects on bulk materials as sandpiles and mixtures; temporal changes of the shape (e.g. due to surface abrasion) also have severe consequences in many industrial sectors. To represent irregular particles, a compact “irregularity function” can be stored for each particle which describes how the shape deviates from a bounding sphere. Abrasion can be studied by adopting irregularity functions which can change with time depending on contact force.
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