Engineering Doctorate (EngD): New exhaust gas clean up systems for the combustion of new, low carbon fuels in heavy duty engines

As a company, Eminox’s global strategy is to develop exhaust after-treatment systems (EATS) for on-road, non-road mobile machinery (NRMM), rail, marine and power generation internal combustion engines (ICE) that will eventually adopt Carbon-Free Alternative Fuels such as NH₃ and H₂.

We now wish to sponsor a PhD student to work on fundamental aspects of underpinning knowledge that will help us to develop our business for a cleaner, low carbon future.  https://eminox.com/

Background

Fuel decarbonisation will impact significantly the global reduction of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions the main source of greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions. Ammonia (NH₃) is considered a potential carbon-free fuel and a carbon-free energy vector (carrier). Large scale NH₃ production, storage and distribution has been commercially established on a global scale for over a century. NH₃ can be produced sustainably from waste sources, and renewable energy recognised as green-ammonia (G-NH₃). Fuel blending of NH₃ with either H₂, LPG (liquified petroleum gas) or diesel has the potential to enhance the combustion properties for NH₃. An understanding of the engine in-cylinder thermo-chemical kinetics governing NH₃ NO_x and Thermal-NO_x formation for NH₃ and NH₃/Fuel Blends (H₂, natural gas LPG, diesel) is required. In addition, the NO_x reduction efficiencies for selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems needs evaluation, to understand if changes to the catalyst formulation are required for effectively treating exhaust gas produced from NH₃ -ICE and NH₃/Fuel Blend-ICE. Therefore, it is critical for Eminox to develop a detailed understanding of the system requirements for an exhaust after-treatment system suitable for NH₃-ICE and NH₃/Fuel Blends-ICE.

Proposed project

In brief, the objectives of the studentship are as follows:

• Modeling - Develop and utilise thermo-kinetic models to investigate NO_x formation mechanisms occurring during the combustion of for pure NH₃ and NH₃ /fuel blends (H₂, LPG, Diesel) at a range of air-fuel equivalence ratios, temperatures and pressures.
• Experimental evaluation of NO_x reduction efficiencies for an SCR (selective catalytic reduction) system by way of a fixed bed reactor (University of Sheffield). Simulating engine exhaust gas emissions resultant from combusting pure NH₃ and a NH₃/fuel blends (H₂, nat. gas LPG, Diesel) for a range of fuel-equivalence ratios.

The project will be part of the EPSRC-supported Centre for Doctoral Training in Resilient Decarbonised Fuel Energy Systems. The student who undertakes it will be one of a cohort of over 50 students in a broad range of disciplines across the Universities of Sheffield, Nottingham and Cardiff