PhD Study : Inherently safer fuelling of hydrogen storage tanks

Apply and key information  

Summary

The inherently safer fuelling of a hydrogen storage container is a challenging problem. Independent on a container design, materials used, its volume, initial and nominal working pressure (NWP), temperature of delivering hydrogen, the regulation and standards require that the temperature inside the tank doesn’t exceed 85C, the pressure does not exceed 1.25×NWP, i.e. 87.5 MPa for 70 MPa onboard storage tanks, and the State of Charge (SOC) does not exceed 100%. The consumer expectations include the fuelling time of onboard storage of passenger car within 3 min. Longer fuelling time is acceptable for busses.

The problem of fuelling control is complicated by changing pressure and temperature inside the tank and at inlet, changing diameter of fuelling nozzle to keep a required pressure ramp profile, requirements to the fuelling time, conjugate heat transfer from/to hydrogen through a piping system and a tank wall to/from the ambience, use of wall and liner materials of different thermal conductivity, thermal capacity, etc.

The aim of this doctoral study is development and validation of CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) and reduced models for better understanding and reproduction of underlying physical phenomena of hydrogen tank fuelling (both onboard and stationary). The models should be used for prediction of thermal behaviour of different systems “hydrogen storage at refuelling site – piping system – dispenser – hydrogen storage tank – atmosphere” during fuelling. The research results will be used for the establishment of inherently safer and automated hydrogen fuelling protocol.

This is a 4-year integrated PhD project funded via Centre for Doctoral Training in Sustainable Hydrogen (CDT SusHy). The CDT is a collaboration between the Universities of Nottingham, Loughborough, Birmingham and Ulster. The Centre has four overarching centre objectives:

1.Deliver high quality transdisciplinary training, covering fundamental science, applied engineering, and systems issues and build an appreciation of societal barriers to innovation.

2.Through innovation opportunities, build initiative and stimulate an entrepreneurial mind-set.

3.Deliver “industry ready” doctorates who have a comprehensive skill set and experiences.

4.Co-create research ideas and undertake in partnership with our stakeholders, cutting edge investigations of hydrogen-based solutions to deep decarbonisation of the energy systems.

The Centre is seeking to train at least 67 PhDs across five years of intake to achieve the mass uptake of hydrogen technologies in the UK and beyond.  Further project information is available here.

Essential criteria

Applicants should hold, or expect to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class Honours Degree in a subject relevant to the proposed area of study.

We may also consider applications from those who hold equivalent qualifications, for example, a Lower Second Class Honours Degree plus a Master’s Degree with Distinction.

In exceptional circumstances, the University may consider a portfolio of evidence from applicants who have appropriate professional experience which is equivalent to the learning outcomes of an Honours degree in lieu of academic qualifications.

Funding and eligibility

The University offers the following levels of support:

Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)

Due consideration should be given to financing your studies. Further information on cost of living

These fully funded scholarships include a tax-free stipend of £16,909 per annum, subject to satisfactory progress over a 4 year period, tuition fees, and a research budget. These awards are open to home/EU and overseas applicants.

The Doctoral College at Ulster University

Key dates

Submission deadline
Thursday 31 December 2020
12:00AM

Interview Date
Currently recruitment is open for the next student cohort expected to start in April 2021, interviews are anticipated later this year

Preferred student start date
April 2021

Applying

Apply Online  

Contact supervisor

Professor Vladimir Molkov

Other supervisors