PhD Study : Biohydrogen from waste through biomass electrolysis: challenges and opportunities

Summary

Low carbon hydrogen has been identified as one of the government ten-point plan for a Green Industrial Revolution that will bring the UK to achieve a net zero carbon society by 2050. The Committee on Climate Change’s 2019 report estimates that 270TWh of low carbon hydrogen will be needed to reach the Net Zero targets by 2050. The UK is aiming at producing 1GW by 2025 and 5GW of low carbon hydrogen production by 2030. At the same time, the UK has set the ambitious waste target to reduce the biodegradable waste component sent to landfill by 2030. Waste is, therefore, an ideal source of low carbon hydrogen.

Currently, 96% of hydrogen worldwide is generated from fossil fuels via natural gas and petroleum reforming or coal gasification with the remaining 4% produced through water electrolysis, either via the alkaline or proton exchange membrane routes. Thermochemical (gasification) and biochemical (dark fermentation) biomass conversion technologies also make a small dent in industrial hydrogen production.

While water electrolysis generates fewer CO2 emissions per kg of H2 compared to fossil fuel production, producing hydrogen from it is currently costly. Another disadvantage of water electrolysis is that electrolysis cells use rare metal catalysts, such as platinum and iridium. If electrolysis is to be applied on the large scale predicted, the current electrolysis set-ups will prove unsustainable.

This research project looks at biowaste (organic waste generated from industrial activities: food waste, agricultural residues, sewage sludge) electrolysis as an alternative to pure water electrolysis. This technology for high yielding offers a solution for both waste management and green hydrogen production. Literature studies show that biomass electrolysis can be carried out at significantly lower potentials and with comparable current densities to that of pure water and using sustainable electrode materials.

The research project aims to:

1. developing pre-treatment methods for biowaste electrolysis using electrical and thermal technologies improving hydrogen yields;
2. implementing a high-level design of the biowaste electrolysis process;
3. carrying out experiments for hydrogen production, identifying the optimal operating conditions of the biowaste electrolysis process;
4. performing computational modelling and simulation to analyse and optimise the biowaste electrolysis process;
5. evaluating the environmental and techno-economic performance of the full scale biowaste electrolysis process.

The research project will demonstrate the operating of an electrolysis cell using waste biomass to generate hydrogen in batch and continuous flow. We aim to investigate how operating conditions (applied voltage, temperature, pressure, biowaste concentration) influence hydrogen generation rate and optimize them. The student will have the opportunity to come in contact with the academic and industrial national and international network that the Centre for Sustainable Technologies has developed in more than 20 year-experience on the theme of energy production from biomass and more recently from biowaste. Of particular note is the link with Chinese Universities and Research Institutes. Examples of recent national and international research projects on which the work will be built on are: CHP SEWAGE GASFN, ECSC COAL&WASTE and H2020 ALICE and CLARA.

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.

• Clearly defined research proposal detailing background, research questions, aims and methodology

Desirable Criteria

If the University receives a large number of applicants for the project, the following desirable criteria may be applied to shortlist applicants for interview.

• Masters at 65%

Funding and eligibility

The University offers the following levels of support:

Vice Chancellors Research Studentship (VCRS)

The following scholarship options are available to applicants worldwide:

• Full Award: (full-time tuition fees + £19,000 (tbc))
• Part Award: (full-time tuition fees + £9,500)
• Fees Only Award: (full-time tuition fees)

These scholarships will cover full-time PhD tuition fees for three years (subject to satisfactory academic performance) and will provide a £900 per annum research training support grant (RTSG) to help support the PhD researcher.

Applicants who already hold a doctoral degree or who have been registered on a programme of research leading to the award of a doctoral degree on a full-time basis for more than one year (or part-time equivalent) are NOT eligible to apply for an award.

Please note: you will automatically be entered into the competition for the Full Award, unless you state otherwise in your application.

Department for the Economy (DFE)

The scholarship will cover tuition fees at the Home rate and a maintenance allowance of £19,000 (tbc) per annum for three years (subject to satisfactory academic performance).

This scholarship also comes with £900 per annum for three years as a research training support grant (RTSG) allocation to help support the PhD researcher.

• Candidates with pre-settled or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, who also satisfy a three year residency requirement in the UK prior to the start of the course for which a Studentship is held MAY receive a Studentship covering fees and maintenance.
• Republic of Ireland (ROI) nationals who satisfy three years’ residency in the UK prior to the start of the course MAY receive a Studentship covering fees and maintenance (ROI nationals don’t need to have pre-settled or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme to qualify).
• Other non-ROI EU applicants are ‘International’ are not eligible for this source of funding.
• Applicants who already hold a doctoral degree or who have been registered on a programme of research leading to the award of a doctoral degree on a full-time basis for more than one year (or part-time equivalent) are NOT eligible to apply for an award.

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