Power to Liquid (PtL) pilot plant with Fischer-Tropsch and RWGS
A state-of-the-art, fully automatic, first-of-its-kind world class plug and play pilot scale research facility with full solid to liquid and gas to liquid cycle capable of producing liquid fuels from coal, biomass and gas, at a production capacity of 36 litres of fuel per day with 75% conversion efficiency
Equipped with novel Reverse Water Gas Shift (RWGS) and Fischer-Tropsch (FT) reactors, offers the ability to synthesize sustainable alternatives to current petroleum distillates, enabling research into sustainable aviation fuels from captured CO2 and green H2
Capability to test different reactor designs and catalysts in both RWGS and FT reactors at a wide range of operational conditions
Able to separate and recycle excess/unreacted gases to enhance conversion efficiency
Includes a polishing step for CO2 to remove SOx and NOx to a level which does not hinder the FT catalyst
Online analysis available to monitor the feed and product gas streams at various locations
Ability to fractionate FT product into different grades (petrol, diesel, kerosene and heavy oil)
Shock Tube
A unique high pressure (up to 100 bar) single pulse shock tube with extended drivers
State-of-the-art laser diagnostic facilities
For chemical kinetics measurement of sustainable alternative fuels
Investigation into the chemistry which takes place during pyrolysis and oxidation of sustainable fuels
Kinetics of branched chain reactions to define ignition
APU
This very popular engine has passed the 100 million hours of service milestone. It is used on both Boeing B737 family and Airbus A320.
Thermal power input up to ~ 1.5MW
Any operating condition conditions could be achieved between 20-36 gm/s fuel flow
Air bleed flow output up to 1.17 kg/s at 4 bar
Up to 90 KVA electric power export
Ten dual-orifice fuel atomisers
High pressure ratio compressor (8:1)
Effusion-cooled annular combustor
Two stage axial turbine
Separate load compressor
Emissions, PM size, density and number distribution as well as gaseous emissions
Performance parameters, combustion acoustics
Diagnostics inside the combustor (depending on funding application)
Validation of medium pressure combustion models
Capability of operating on wide range of jet fuels including sustainable and renewable aviation fuels
Gas turbine
The Turbec T100 micro gas turbine is highly instrumented to allow monitoring of the whole gas turbine cycle (temperatures, pressures, etc.), including extensive emissions analysis from the exhaust
Conventionally fueled by natural gas, conversions are in place to fire a range of other fuels, including biogas
The system comprises of a single-stage centrifugal compressor (with a pressure ratio of 4.5:1), a lean, pre-mixed combustion chamber and a single-stage radial turbine
The generator and shaft rotate at up to 70,000 rpm to generate high-frequency electricity that is exported to the grid
The counter-current water-gas heat exchanger is used to recover thermal energy; overall, the system has an electrical output of100 kW, with a thermal output of 165 kW (electrical efficiency ~30%; total efficiency ~80 %)
The significant dilution ensures high combustion efficiencies and low levels of emissions (CO, NOx, etc.)
The system has been modified to include exhaust gas recycle (EGR & Selective EGR), by which CO2 injections enable the examination of the impacts of recycling the exhaust gases on the combustion system, efficiency and emissions under different operating conditions
Post-combustion CO2 capture research from the turbine system is available, since the flue gas pathway is integrated into the on-site capture systems
Fuel flexibility research means that we are also investigating including hydrogen blending and other sustainable alternative fuels into our system
High-resolution ELPI measurement instrument
Wide particle size range 6 nm – 10 µm with one single instrument and one measurement method
Real-time particle number size distribution in up to 500 size classes 1 Hz sampling rate
Possibility to collect size classified particles for chemical analysis using analysis collection plates
Possibility for long-term maintenance free particle measurements with sintered collection plates
Wide operational concentration range
High temperature aerosol measurements from up to 180 ° C
ISO16000-34 compliant measurement method for real-time determination of PM indoors
Insensitivity to variations in sample pressure
Several data saving options including analogue inputs and outputs
Can be used also in standard ELPI+ mode to measure particle active surface, mass and charge size distribution