• Energy Research
• 2017 close

Company ESDA has developed HeatSel®, the first viable macro-encapsulation solution functioning with phase change materials (PCM) for latent thermal energy storage in heating and cooling systems. Accounting for 50% of the EU's annual energy consumption, heating and cooling is the sector with the biggest energy-saving potential in Europe, and urgently needs to become more sustainable. In the low temperature range (5 to +100°C), most thermal energy amounts are required and then discarded worldwide. PCM are key materials to save these huge energy and – at the same time – CO2 amounts. They can run through a reproducible phase-change at a substance-specific temperature, during which the thermal energy is either stored in very large amounts or returned at a constant temperature. Since decades, an adequate method is being sought to transfer PCM into a user-friendly form. Both existing micro- and macro-encapsulation solutions for PCM storage have until now revealed industrially, technically and economically inappropriate. Sensible heat storage with large water storage tanks has very low energy density and storage capacity. ESDA is specialist in the technical extrusion of blow-moulded parts and has in the past 5 years acquired expert knowledge in PCM and thermal storage technology. HeatSel® is a PCM-filled capsule for use in aqueous systems as a heat transfer medium. Most unique selling points of the solution are: universal applicability with diverse (even older) heat exchangers; high energy efficiency through the re-use of waste energy (4 times more efficient than water heat storage) and boosting of renewable energy such as solar thermal technology. Primary target market is the high-volume heating and cooling market in residential buildings in Europe, secondary market is industrial process heat/cooling. ESDA foresees a large impact for HeatSel® in combination with solar thermal and heat pump systems, with a cumulated turnover of €33.7M and 56 job creations by 2023.

The BAGETE project will focus on the development of nanostructurated metal oxide electrodes for their use as photo-anodes for hydrogen production by Photo-ElectroChemical (PEC) water splitting. This project fits in the frame of the Challenge 2 “Clean, safe and effective energy” for the Young Scientist competition. Solar energy is an attractive renewable energy source with low environmental impact. However, it remains a challenge to produce a continuous flow of usable energy from sunlight, due to the diffuse and fluctuating nature of the solar irradiation. Therefore this project aims at developing new materials that can directly convert solar energy into energetic chemical species, also called “solar fuels”, which can be stored and distributed on demand. The PEC approach combines, in a single structure, a light absorbing material (usually a semiconductor), and a catalytic part for the redox reactions. The principle of PEC cell has been confirmed for production of H2 and O2 by water splitting at the laboratory scale. However among all the different materials and architectures tested, none is totally satisfying yet. This is due to the fact that it is difficult to combine high solar-to-chemical energy conversion efficiency with stability of the semiconducting material toward photo-corrosion. The project will use titanium dioxide as a starting material. TiO2 is known for its good stability for photo-electrochemical applications. However its performances are largely limited by its wide bandgap that only allows absorption of UV light. Therefore in order to improve its performances, this work will focus on developing novel synthesis methods that can modify the morphology and the electronic structure of TiO2. The first objective will be to synthesize 1D aligned TiO2 nanostructures which will improve the photo-generated charge transport. Then, a large part of the project will be devoted to the development of original co-alloyed TiO2 structures. This approach aims to introduce large atomic percentage of cationic and anionic species in substitution of Ti4+ and O2- in the TiO2 lattice. This insertion should be stoichiometric to achieve a balance of the charge between anions and cations. By an appropriate selection of anions/cations pairs, we can modify the electronic band structure of TiO2, with the aim to reduce its bandgap for a better solar light absorption. Furthermore, thanks to the charge balance, the co-alloying approach will provide a more stable crystalline structure with fewer defects than the classical mono-doping approaches. This last point is important to preserve a high mobility of charge carriers and avoid their recombination. Cationic species insertion will be achieved simultaneously with the TiO2 nanotubes growth by an original in-situ method while the anion insertion will be achieved by adapted thermal treatments. Specific characterization methods will be developed to explore the properties of the co-alloyed materials, especially their crystalline structure (TEM with cartography, XRD) and electronic properties (photoluminescence, impedance spectroscopy). Ultimately, the knowledge we will gain on co-alloying method will be used to synthesize TiO2-NTs photo-electrodes with variable co-alloying elements concentrations, in order to absorb photon with different energies gradually in the thickness of the film. We expect these original structures will provide a better light absorption with efficient transport of charge carriers. To further improve the PEC properties of the co-alloyed TiO2 photo-electrodes, we will deposit catalytic nanoparticles on their surface to enhance the charge transfer and the overall efficiency of the reaction. Finally, the modified TiO2 nanostructures will be tested in PEC experiments in different conditions (such as irradiation, electrolyte pH) to identify the best approaches and modifications to reach stable and highly efficient solar-to-chemical energy conversion.

The project brief was to develop a technology that would supply steam to industrial and commercial users in India from a very innovative containerized solar thermal system developed originally by Larkfleet Limited under the name of Solar Steam. A team of engineers from Larkfleet have worked almost on a daily basis with Taylormade Renewables Ltd a company located in the north west state of Gujarat where there is a large city called Ahmedabad. This city is known locally as the "Manchester of the North" a very industrialized city of 6 million people where the air quality is heavily polluted from coal burning power stations, diesel emissions and wood burning because there has never been an alternative non polluting system for the production of steam. With the grant assistance the Indian company was contracted to build a modular containerized solar thermal system using Fresnel lenses which were specially designed in the UK. These lenses derive their energy from the sun which is then concentrated onto an evacuated tube abbsorber through which is pumped a thermal fluid or water which is then stored as steam and then used for various applications. The whole system is self energized from a battery pack that operate the hydraulic systems. This battery pack is re-charged from two solar Pv panels mounted on a cassette style platform on which is built the sub structure and lens array all of which is operated hydraulically from a PLC control system using a novel 2D tracking system that maximizes energy outputs from the sun. The system has now been constructed to the overall design supplied from the UK with some input from Cranfield University. This has been a very challenging project as working with Indian companies who have a totally different culture and working practices. In terms of timelines this has proved very difficult through out the period of the build. This has resulted in many delays and set backs to the timelines agreed with Innovate UK. However, the "as built system" is currently undergoing an agreed programme of test protocols after which Larkfleet will look for suitable commercial companies in India to manufacture and market this technology under a licencing agreement for specific territories. This technology has the ability and impact to change peoples’ lives as it will provide OFF - GRID energy in the form of heating, which can also be used for the treatment of saline and waste waters and also provide energy for cooling and irrigation systems particularly in very remote farming areas. This technology will create opportunities for start- up businesses particularly in agriculture and the dairy industries who need steam for processing , pasteurization and cooling. This will also help to provide jobs and lift people out of poverty so they can enjoy a normal healthy life expectancy. This containerized modular system is totally non-polluting with a ZERO carbon footprint which is easily transported to where there is the greatest need in any off-grid environment. There is a increasing demand for this type of technology particularly in the “sun belt” regions of the world which have the largest populations and a growing need for all forms of energy that can be used for water processing for the supply of food and to promote commerce enterprise including hospitals. Finally, there has been contact with the UN in Kyoto who are aware of this system and its suitability for disaster relief situations and they intend to view this system shortly for evaluation and possible use.

My research is motivated by a desire to aid the scientific effort to mitigate and prevent the impact of the climate and ecological emergency. It is recognized that dramatic technological and societal developments are required in order to achieve this. The global energy market encompasses approximately one seventh of worldwide gross-domestic-product (GDP) and produces around seventy percent of international CO2 emissions. I believe, therefore, that the transition toward a more equitable, sustainable society must begin here. Multiple renewable energy sources have been established. Whilst each such technology has its own merits, solar energy is the largest source and most widespread. It has the potential, therefore, to have the largest impact. Multiple solar technologies have been commercially established and are now amongst the cheapest sources to generate electricity. Despite this, next-generation solar materials which are thinner, more flexible, less energy intensive to produce, and which can be incorporated into buildings or other technologies more easily are motivated. Halide perovskite solar cells are widely recognized as the most promising next-generation solar technology. The group of materials synthesise with chemical formula ABX3, where A is a molecular (or atomic) cation placed at the centre of a metal-halide octahedral structure. The best performing solar devices are based upon 'mixed perovskites'; lab-based devices realise a power conversion efficiency of over 24% and are stable for more than a thousand hours. As the name suggests, mixed perovskites are composed of a mixture of A and X sites, and are usually composed of; A = CH3NH3, CH(NH2)2, and Cs, and X = I . Significant operational issues remain, however, which have limited the commercial success of these materials. These include but are not limited to: thermodynamic instability; ion conduction; J-V curve hysteresis; degradation due to hydration; phase separation; and strain/polar effects. The theoretical understanding of such processes is lacking and therefore these issues have not been mitigated. In an attempt to improve the commercial viability of this group of materials, my work is a theoretical study focused on discerning the underlying physical mechanisms which drive the operational behaviour of perovskite based solar devices. Initially, the study will be focused on improving our understanding of the structural phase behaviour of single cation perovskite materials. Many of the device issues introduced above are dependent upon the structural phase of the material; that is to say, we cannot understand or mitigate these effects until we have a comprehensive understanding of the phase behaviour. Further calculations will be subsequently performed in order to deduce the impact on device performance of our improved structural models. This work will be extended by contemplating state-of-the-art mixed-cation perovskite systems. I utilise a range of theoretical techniques to achieve this, including density functional theory (DFT), molecular dynamics (MD), the theory of thermodynamics, monte-carlo simultations (MC), group theory and the theory of electrostatics. The novelty of the approach relies upon the inclusion of all these theoretical techniques into a single workflow. The DFT calculations are informed by group theory. The MD simulations informed by the DFT calculations. The MC code, written using the theory of thermodynamics, is then informed by MD simulations. As a result of this workflow, this study will be able to simulate the behaviour of perovskite materials up to 1microm^3 - larger than any previous study.

The purpose of the project is to develop an autonomous & integrated sensor system for Tyre Pressure and Management System (TPMS). Development includes; a) printed kinetic harvesting element (based on piezoelectric materials), b) power management and sensing devices that enable real-time monitoring of individual tyre performance within a truck to reduce fuel costs and enhance truck safety. The novel active harvesting elements will be co-developed by Bath University and CPI (the HVM Manufacturing Catapult). This early stage prototype consists of an EH/S element alongside a pressure sensing MCU and RfID circuit capable of relaying data remotely without connection to the tyre. The practical work includes fabrication and testing to understand the power that can be harvested, the operating temperature window and the lifetime of the EH/S transducer. The project is looking to develop a system for the lead company to exploit in the fleet operator market and a leading tyre manufacturer long term.

Solar energy, attractive source of energy being it free and endless, can be converted into electricity by means of a Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) plant. However, the biggest limit of such technology is the intermittency and the diurnal nature of the solar light. For their future development, CSP plants need to be coupled with storage system. Among the existing thermal storage systems, the ThermoChemical Storage (TCS) is one of the most promising technology and it is based on the exploitation of the reaction heat of a reversible chemical reaction. Just recently, perovskite systems have drawn increasing interest as promising candidates for TCS systems. Perovskites are generally indicated as ABO3, with A and B the two cations of the structure and with O the oxygen. They exhibit a continuous, quasi-linear oxygen release/uptake within a very wide temperature range. Their reduction being endothermic consists in the heat storage step, while the exothermic oxidation releases heat when it is required. The overall objective of the proposal is to study more earth abundant compositions (Ca-, Fe-, Mn- or Co-based) of perovskites for identifying one or more promising candidate storage medium for the design and the realization of a prototype of a multilevel-cascaded TCS system. It aims at solving the no-easy solution problem of the wide temperature range to be covered by a TCS system for CSP plant by using perovskites with different operating temperatures cascaded from the lowest operating temperature to the maximum one. As main result it could bring the TCS systems to a level closer to the market scale. The research project will be developed in collaboration with the IMDEA Energy Institute and the Materials Science and Engineering Department of Northwestern University. This project idea is totally in line with the current strict global energy and environmental politics and also with the Horizon 2020 objectives.

WindTwin project aims to revolutionise the monitoring and maintenance of wind turbines both onshore and offshore by developing an innovative digital platform that will virtualise with a digital twin the wind turbine behaviour and operation. These virtual models or twins will combine the mathematical models describing the physics of the turbine's operation, with sensor data collected and processed from real assets during real world operations. For example, condition monitoring on gearbox will be applied and sensors will be placed on the real wind turbine asset; the data being collected will be processed and transferred to the digital twin, continuously resulting in a close to real digital twin of the wind turbine showing real time performance. These virtual models will allow wind farm operators to predict failure and plan maintenance thus reducing both maintenance costs and downtime. The application of WindTwin platform will include (1) design using data and knowledge based tools and simulated testing of wind turbines before manufacturing, (2) continous predictive and preventive maintenance and condition monitoring of wind turbine asset (3) different power setting operation scenerios analysis, and associated wear and tear at different power outputs.