Concerned about global warming, the UK government has launched its ‘2050 net-zero target’ to eliminate carbon emissions. Hydrogen is an important renewable fuel owing to its high energy content and no carbon dioxide emission [1], which can significantly contribute to the target, if it widely utilised in engines/generators.
Nevertheless, the presence of hydrogen will cause a critical problem to metals or alloys known as hydrogen embrittlement (HE) [2], which exacerbates mechanical properties of engine components and results in sudden fatal failure. Most studies on HE were all focused on stress-induced HE. However, many metallic components of heat engines, e.g., cylinder liner or turbine blade, are materials working in harsh environments where complex temperature and stress are applied simultaneously [4]. It indicates that the HE mechanisms of engine/generator components will be different under their working conditions from existing mechanisms. Consequently, HE to relevant materials under these conditions has to be understood and solved prior to wider commercial utilisation of hydrogen fuel in engines/generators.
This is a multi-disciplinary project related to the area of Energy, Solid Mechanics, Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer. The project aims to develop a thermal-mechanical model applicable to HE in engine components, and then couple it with statistical methods to predict their lifespan. You will need to:
- Develop a HE mechanism for the materials of engine/generator components in their working environment using finite element (FE) method.
- Carry out experiments on specimens of relevant materials using tensile & fatigue test machine (TFTM) and a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to validate the HE mechanism.
- Formulate a model to predict the time consumption of HE using the statistical tool based on the data collected on the components.
The HE mechanism will be developed using FE software Abaqus coupled with programming in Fortran/C++. The TFTM and SEM will be used to test the influence of HE on the specimen, and observe its fracture surface, respectively. This research will contribute to solving safety and durability issues of engine/generator components caused by HE, which is essential for vehicles and power plants applying hydrogen fuel.
In this project, Dr. Zhichao Zhang will be the principal supervisor to guide the PhD student based on his existing experience on hydrogen diffusion in metals [4], extensive knowledge of engines and skills of using Abaqus. Dr. Farnoosh Farhad will be the secod supervisor to provide insightful advice on developing experiments, SEM imaging and fractography. Dr. Shahid Rasul will be the third supervisor to provide professional guidance of analysing material properties.
Academic Enquiries
This project is supervised by Dr Zhichao Zhang. For informal queries, please contact [Email Address Removed]. For all other enquiries relating to eligibility or application process please use the email form below to contact Admissions.
Funding Information
Home and International students (inc. EU) are welcome to apply. The studentship is available to Home and International (including EU) students and includes a full stipend at UKRI rates (for 2022/23 full-time study this is £17,668 per year) and full tuition fees. Studentships are also available for applicants who wish to study on a part-time basis over 5 years (0.6 FTE, stipend £10,600 per year and full tuition fees) in combination with work or personal responsibilities).
Please also see further advice below of additional costs that may apply to international applicants.
Eligibility Requirements:
- Academic excellence of the proposed student i.e. 2:1 (or equivalent GPA from non-UK universities [preference for 1st class honours]); or a Masters (preference for Merit or above); or APEL evidence of substantial practitioner achievement.
- Appropriate IELTS score, if required.
- Applicants cannot apply for this funding if they are already a PhD holder or if currently engaged in Doctoral study at Northumbria or elsewhere.
Please note: to be classed as a Home student, candidates must meet the following criteria:
- Be a UK National (meeting residency requirements), or
- have settled status, or
- have pre-settled status (meeting residency requirements), or
- have indefinite leave to remain or enter.
If a candidate does not meet the criteria above, they would be classed as an International student. Applicants will need to be in the UK and fully enrolled before stipend payments can commence, and be aware of the following additional costs that may be incurred, as these are not covered by the studentship.
- Immigration Health Surcharge https://www.gov.uk/healthcare-immigration-application
- If you need to apply for a Student Visa to enter the UK, please refer to the information on https://www.gov.uk/student-visa. It is important that you read this information very carefully as it is your responsibility to ensure that you hold the correct funds required for your visa application otherwise your visa may be refused.
- Check what COVID-19 tests you need to take and the quarantine rules for travel to England https://www.gov.uk/guidance/travel-to-england-from-another-country-during-coronavirus-covid-19
- Costs associated with English Language requirements which may be required for students not having completed a first degree in English, will not be borne by the university. Please see individual adverts for further details of the English Language requirements for the university you are applying to.
How to Apply
For further details of how to apply, entry requirements and the application form, see
https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/research/postgraduate-research-degrees/how-to-apply/
For applications to be considered for interview, please include a research proposal of approximately 1,000 words and the advert reference (e.g. RDF23/…).
Deadline for applications: 27 January 2023
Start date of course: 1 October 2023 tbc
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