Electrification of biogas upgrading via plasma-catalysis

About the Project

These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying.

Process streams containing methane present huge potential as a feedstock for chemicals synthesis. Methane is widely available as the major constituent of natural gas but becomes also increasingly more obtainable from sustainable sources, such as biogas and landfill gas, and unconventional sources, such as shale gas, coalbed methane and methane hydrates. Among many uses, the conversion of biogas via dry reforming can provide a sustainable route towards hydrogen production.

In recent years, plasma-catalysis has emerged as a promising technology to improve the performance of existing catalytic processes. The use of non-thermal plasmas in particular has proven effective in enabling catalysts to operate at low temperatures for a range of reactions [1-2]. In non-thermal plasmas, gas temperature can be as low as environmental, however highly energetic electrons colliding with molecules can produce a variety of species such as free radicals, excited states, ions, and other molecules that can participate in subsequent reactions. As such, there are species in the plasma, available to react on catalyst surfaces, which would typically be observed only at equilibrium systems of much higher temperature [3]. In certain cases, even synergistic effects have been experimentally demonstrated, where the performance achieved with plasma-catalysis was higher than the sum of plasma-alone and catalysis-alone [4].

Focus of the research programme will be on the plasma-catalytic conversion of biogas towards synthesis gas and higher hydrocarbons. A combined experimental and computational approach will be followed, with specific research objectives further defined based on the skills, experience and interests of the candidate. The experimental work will utilise a dielectric barrier discharge reactor setup and aim at elucidating reaction pathways and identifying most promising catalytic materials for the reaction. [5] Optical Emission Spectrometry will be used to detect plasma phase reactive intermediates. The modelling work will benefit from already developed elaborate plasma-chemical kinetic model and surface microkinetic models that systematically consider elementary reaction processes taking place in the plasma phase and on the catalyst surface. [6]

The project forms part of wider research in our School in the field of plasma-catalysis and will greatly benefit from and contribute to these efforts. The excellent research facilities and world-class expertise will provide a very attractive opportunity for a highly motivated PhD student looking to progress a career in the exciting field of chemical reaction engineering at the interface of plasma science.

Decisions will be based on academic merit. The successful applicant should have, or expect to obtain, a UK Honours Degree at 2.1 (or equivalent) MEng/BEng in Chemical Engineering or related discipline.

• Knowledge in reaction kinetics analysis and/or kinetic and reactor modelling.
• Experience in the operation of experimental apparatus and/or in the preparation and characterization of catalysts.
• Experience in programming using e.g., MATLAB or Python.
• Familiarity with methane conversion processes.

Application Procedure:

Formal applications can be completed online: https://www.abdn.ac.uk/pgap/login.php.

You should apply for PhD in Engineering to ensure your application is passed to the correct team for processing.

Please clearly note the name of the lead supervisor and project titleon the application form. If you do not include these details, it may not be considered for the studentship.

Your application must include: A personal statement, an up-to-date copy of your academic CV, and clear copies of your educational certificates and transcripts.

Please note: you do not need to provide a research proposal with this application.

Informal enquiries can be made by contacting Dr P Kechagiopoulos at p.kechagiopoulos@abdn.ac.uk. If you require any additional assistance in submitting your application or have any queries about the application process, please don't hesitate to contact us at researchadmissions@abdn.ac.uk

Funding Notes

This is a self-funding project open to students worldwide. Our typical start dates for this programme are February or October.

Fees for this programme can be found here Finance and Funding | Study Here | The University of Aberdeen

Additional research costs / bench fees of £2,000 per annum will be required in addition to tuition fees and living expenses.