PhD Studentship: Making Lo-Carbon Fuels Sustainable: Biohydrogen and Biomethanol production via Hydrothermal Gasification

Start date: 29/09/2024   

Sponsored by EPSRC Engineering Hydrogen Centre for Doctoral Training and Purifier Labs, this studentship will cover tuition fee and provide a minimum annual stipend of £19,237 (tax free) for four years.           

Eligibility & Related Project Details

Type of studentship: CDT

Fee status of eligible applicants: UK

Duration of Award if full time preferred*:  4 years

Duration of Award if part time preferred: 4 years

1^st Supervisor: Dr Ali Nabavi

2^nd Supervisor: Dr Mingming Zhu   

Opportunity Reference No: SWEE0250

Main Content of Advertisement

Switching to low-carbon fuels is one of the key building blocks of energy decarbonisation and transition towards the net-zero target. With the support of EPSRC and Purifier Labs (PL), this project aims to combine experimental and process simulation approaches to develop an innovative biohydrogen and biomethanol synthesis route based on PL’s hydrothermal gasification process.

Switching to low-carbon fuels is one of the key building blocks of energy decarbonisation and transition towards the net-zero target. In collaboration with Purifier Labs (PL), this project aims to combine experimental and process simulation approaches to develop an innovative biohydrogen and biomethanol synthesis route based on PL’s hydrothermal gasification process. Methanol is the feedstock for many industries, which is mainly produced from fossil fuel sources, thus, is associated with a high carbon footprint. Accordingly, there is an urge to find sustainable and clean alternatives for the production of methanol. The proposed approach in this project is innovative and offers the production of biogenic methanol, which has a significantly lower carbon footprint and can particularly be used for the production of sustainable marine and aviation fuels. PL’s hydrothermal gasification enables the production of syngas, required for methanol production, from wet feedstock, therefore eliminating the need for drying feedstock, which is a significant challenge in conventional syngas production routes. The main challenge to address is to optimise syngas composition (hydrogen-to-carbon dioxide ratio) and to minimise carbon monoxide content that adversely affects catalysts during methanol production.

The successful candidate will first investigate the kinetics of syngas production at elevated pressures within PL’s hydrothermal gasification process to optimise the syngas content. Subsequently, the syngas will be used within the catalytic processes to synthesise methanol, the main objective of which will focus on achieving an optimal production yield. In addition, the process simulation models will be developed based on the experimental data to validate the models and optimise the entire process.

Entry requirements

Applicants should have a first or second class UK honours degree or equivalent in a related discipline.

Funding

Sponsored by EPSRC Engineering Hydrogen Centre for Doctoral Training and Purifier Labs, this studentship will provide an annual stipend of £19,237 plus tuition fee. An additional travel and related expenses grant during the course of the project worth up to £1000 per year for 4 years.

How to apply

For further information please contact:      
Name: Mingming Zhu
Email: mingming.zhu.152@cranfield.ac.uk

If you are eligible to apply for this studentship, please complete the online application form.

Keywords: hydrogen, carbon catpure and utilisation, catalysis, solid oxide electrolysis

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