Engineering: Fully Funded EPSRC and TATA Steel PhD Scholarship: Capture and reduction of carbon emissions to maximise circularity in the steelmaking process
Funding providers: EPSRC and TATA Steel
Subject areas: Engineering, materials science, chemistry
Project start date:
- 1 July 2022 (Enrolment open from mid-June)
- 1 October 2022 (Enrolment open from mid-September)
Expected interview date: June 2022
Supervisors:
- Swansea University- Professor Peter Holliman and Dr Ian Mabbett
- TATA Steel- Dr Ciaran Martin
Aligned programme of study: PhD in Materials Engineering
Mode of study: Full-time
Project description:
Steel is a critical material when transitioning to a more circular economy due to its inherent recyclability whilst maintaining its properties. However, the steel industry contributes 7-8% of the global anthropogenic CO2 emissions. The problem the steel industry faces is reducing emissions whilst increasing supply to meet additional demand. It is key that this paradox is solved within the UK to protect jobs and to prevent the CO2 emissions being “off-shored” which moves but does not solve the problem.
Carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS) has been shown to be technically feasible via a series of studies whereby CO2 emitted is captured processed and utilised as a feedstock to produce another material, examples being primary alcohols and aviation fuels. This project will study the capture and processing of blast furnace gases into valorised products (e.g., hydrogen, methane) which can then be re-cycled into other processes; e.g., as reductants in Direct Reduced Iron (DRI).
This project will be based between the new Sintec (Simulation and integrity testing under extreme conditions) facility within the Steels and Metals Institute at Swansea University and Tata Steel Port Talbot. The project will also link with complimentary EPSRC (e.g. SUSTAIN) and doctoral projects also working to optimise future sustainable steel manufacturing.
Established in 1920, Swansea University is a non-profit public higher education institution located in the suburban setting of the large town of Swansea (population range of 50,000-249,999 inhabitants), Wales. Officially accredited and/or recognized by the Privy Council, Swansea University is a large (uniRank enrollment range: 15,000-19,999 students) coeducational higher education institution. Swansea University offers courses and programs leading to officially recognized higher education degrees such as pre-bachelor degrees (i.e. certificates, diplomas, associate or foundation degrees), bachelor degrees, master degrees, doctorate degrees in several areas of study. See the uniRank degree levels and areas of study matrix below for further details. This 99 years old higher-education institution has a selective admission policy based on entrance examinations and students' past academic record and grades. International applicants are eligible to apply for enrollment.