KESS 2 A TATA STEEL UK
LLWYDDIANT YMCHWIL ÔL-RADDEDIG YM MHRIFYSGOL DE CYMRU
KESS 2 AND TATA STEEL UK
POSTGRADUATE COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH SUCCESS AT USW Wrth i ni nesáu at ddiwedd y rhaglen, hoffai KESS 2 a Phrifysgol De Cymru arddangos yr ymchwil rhagorol a gyflawnwyd drwy gydweithio â’n partner cwmni Tata Steel UK. Dros gyfnod o 8 mlynedd, mae Tata Steel UK wedi cefnogi 16 o brosiectau PhD ac 1 prosiect Meistr Ymchwil, gan gynhyrchu ymchwil o effaith genedlaethol ledled Cymru a’r DU.
As we near the end of the programme, KESS 2 and USW would like to showcase the outstanding research achieved through industry collaboration with our company partner Tata Steel UK. Over a period of 8 years, Tata Steel UK has supported 16 PhD projects and 1 Research Masters project, producing research of national impact across Wales and the UK.
Rhiannon Chalmers-Brown
Michal Czahor
Refining of Steel Manufacturing Co-Production Gases
Co-electrolysis of simulated coke oven gas using solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOC) technology
Rebecca Peters
Sjoerd van Acht
Using Big Data to increase productivity
Hydrogen separation from Coke Oven Gas
Shannan Southwood-Samuel
Ieuan Griffiths
Upgraded value of coke oven byproducts – deriving higher value chemicals from Coke Oven byproducts and wastes
Predictive Analytics of Real Time Caster Data
Adam Jones
Ruggero Bellini
Development of a Novel, NonDestructive Technique for In-Line Measurement of Chromium Thickness on Packaging, Electrolytic Chromium Coated Steel
Investigating the Robustness and Intensification of a Novel Biomethanation Process for Energy Recovery for the Steel Sector
Marie Clare Catherine
Samuel Baker
Bio plastics from C1 Gases - Substitute Sustainable Products for Polymer Coated Steel
Development of Hydrogen Storage Materials Based on Amine-Boranes
Dr Rhiannon Chalmers-Brown Refining of Steel Manufacturing Co-Production Gases
Datblygodd ymchwil PhD Rhiannon broses bioburo i gymryd allyriadau nwyon tŷ gwydr o weithgynhyrchu dur a’u trosi’n gemegau nwyddau i’w defnyddio mewn biopolymerau a phlastigau. Ers cwblhau ei PhD yn 2020, parhaodd Rhiannon i weithio gyda Phrifysgol De Cymru a Tata Steel UK am ddwy flynedd fel ymchwilydd a pheiriannydd proses ar brosiectau bio-adweithyddion.
Rhiannon’s PhD research developed a biorefining process to take greenhouse gas emissions from steel manufacturing and convert them to commodity chemicals for use in biopolymers and plastics. Since completing her PhD in 2020, Rhiannon continued to work with USW and Tata Steel UK for two years as a researcher and process engineer on bioreactor projects.
Ym mis Tachwedd 2022, ymunodd â Ricardo fel Uwch Ymgynghorydd ac mae bellach yn gweithio ar ystod eang o brosiectau o ddatgarboneiddio a thanwydd amgen i hyfforddiant risg cemegol ac ymateb brys. Yn ei rôl bresennol, mae Rhiannon wedi cael y cyfle i fynychu darlithoedd ymddygiad tân, gweithio gyda’r Awdurdod Gweithredol Iechyd a Diogelwch ac mae’n bwriadu siarad mewn sawl cynhadledd ar Ymateb a Diogelwch Hydrogen yn 2024.
In November 2022, she joined Ricardo as a Senior Consultant and now works on a wide range of projects from decarbonisation and alternative fuels to chemical risk and emergency response training. In her current role, Rhiannon has had the opportunity to attend fire behaviour lectures, work with the Health and Safety Executive and is planning on speaking at several conferences on Hydrogen Safety and Response in 2024.
“Dysgwch pryd bynnag y gallwch gan drysori’r teimlad bod mwy i’w ddarganfod bob amser.”
“Learn whenever you can and treasure the feeling that there is always more to know.”
Meddai, “Rhoddodd fy PhD KESS2 y sylfaen orau i mi ar gyfer gweithio mewn sectorau arloesol o ddiwydiant. Mae wedi rhoi’r sgiliau a’r hyder i mi weithio ar broblemau cymhleth i gleientiaid i’w helpu i ddatrys problemau byd go iawn. Rhan orau fy rôl bresennol yw trosglwyddo fy ngwybodaeth i’r dysgwyr ar ein cyrsiau mewn ffyrdd creadigol trwy arddangosiadau ac ymarferion gwyddoniaeth. Fy nghyngor i unrhyw un ar ddechrau eu taith yw na fyddwch chi byth yn rhoi’r gorau i ddysgu, hyd yn oed pan fyddwch chi’n meddwl eich bod chi ar y brig. Dysgwch pryd bynnag y gallwch gan drysori’r teimlad bod mwy i’w ddarganfod bob amser.”
She says, “My KESS 2 PhD gave me the best foundation for working in pioneering sectors of industry. It’s given me the skills and confidence to work on complex problems for clients to help them solve real world problems. The best part of my current role is passing on my knowledge to the learners on our courses in creative ways through science demonstrations and exercises. My advice to anyone at the beginning of their journey is that you never stop learning, even when you think you’re at the top. Learn whenever you can and treasure the feeling that there is always more to know.”
Dr Rebecca Peters Using Big Data to increase productivity
Edrychodd PhD Rebecca ar y system gastio barhaus y mae Tata Steel UK yn ei defnyddio yn y broses gwneud dur, lle mae dur tawdd yn cael ei solidoli i ffurf ‘lled-orffen’ i’w orffen wedyn. Yn benodol, ymchwiliodd Rebecca i’r data cymhleth a gynhyrchir yn ystod y broses hon, a sut yr effeithiodd ar gynhyrchiant casters Tata. Defnyddiodd yr offer Data Mawr diweddaraf i amlygu patrymau a pherthnasoedd sylfaenol o fewn y data, wrth weithio i ddatblygu technegau newydd gan ddefnyddio cymwysiadau newydd. Mae dur yn ddeunydd allweddol ar gyfer adeiladu a darparu ffynonellau ynni adnewyddadwy fel ynni gwynt, trydan dŵr a solar, ac mae angen hyd at 230 tunnell o ddur ar gyfer adeiladu un tyrbin gwynt. Nodau Rebecca oedd datblygu offeryn oedd yn rhagfynegi pryd y dylid tynnu caster allan o gynhyrchiad ar gyfer gwaith cynnal a chadw. Defnyddiodd yr offer Data Mawr diweddaraf i amlygu patrymau a pherthnasoedd sylfaenol o fewn y data, wrth weithio i ddatblygu technegau newydd. Gallai’r offeryn wedyn alluogi Tata i gynyddu cynhyrchiant effeithlon drwy leihau eu hamseroedd cau i lawr, gan leihau’r costau cysylltiedig. Dywed Rebecca,
“Roedd cael Tata Steel UK fel partner cwmni yn wych. Cefais weithio gyda data byd go iawn a chyfrannu at rywbeth a fydd, gobeithio, yn cael effaith wirioneddol.” Ers cwblhau ei PhD, mae Rebecca bellach yn Bennaeth Pwnc Cyfrifiadureg a Mathemateg yn y Gyfadran Cyfrifiadura, Peirianneg a Gwyddoniaeth ym Mhrifysgol De Cymru.
Rebecca’s PhD looked at the continuous casting system that Tata Steel UK use in the steelmaking process, where molten steel is solidified into a ‘semifinished’ form for subsequent finishing. In particular, Rebecca researched the complex data which is generated during this process, and how it affected the productivity of Tata’s casters. Steel is a key material for the construction and delivery of renewable energy sources such as wind, hydroelectric and solar power, with the construction of one wind turbine requiring up to 230 tonnes of steel. Rebecca’s aims were to develop a predictive tool to decide when a caster should be taken out of production for maintenance. She utilised the latest Big Data tools to highlight underlying patterns and relationships within the data, while working to develop new techniques using novel applications. The tool could then enable Tata to increase efficient productivity by lessening their unplanned shut-down times, and therefore reducing the associated costs. Rebecca said,
“Having Tata Steel UK as a company partner was brilliant. I got to work with real life data and contribute towards something that will hopefully make a real impact.” Since completing her PhD, Rebecca is now Head of Subject Computer Science and Mathematics at the Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Science at USW.
Dr Shannan Southwood-Samuel Upgraded value of coke oven by-products – deriving higher value chemicals from Coke Oven by-products and wastes
Bu PhD Shannan mewn cydweithrediad â Tata Steel UK yn ymchwilio i sgil-gynhyrchion poptai golosg, gan edrych yn benodol ar dar glo, i echdynnu nwyddau gwerth uchel o sgil-gynhyrchion gwastraff gan ddefnyddio methodoleg werdd a chynaliadwy.
Shannan’s PhD in collaboration with Tata Steel UK researched coke oven by-products, specifically looking at coal tars, to extract high value commodities from waste by-products using a green and sustainable methodology.
Gall poptai golosg ddal hyd at 36 tunnell o lo sy’n cael ei wthio i mewn gan ddramiau, ei selio dan amodau aerglos a’i gynhesu i 1100 - 1200°c. Mae’r broses yn cynhyrchu’r golosg a ddefnyddir yn ffwrneisi chwyth Tata. Mae llawer o sgil-gynhyrchion yn gysylltiedig â’r dull hwn, gan gynnwys tar glo, nad oeddent yn cael eu defnyddio i’w llawn botensial. Roedd ymchwil Shannan i uwchraddio gwerth y sgil-gynnyrch yn hanfodol wrth werthuso sut i ddefnyddio’r gwastraff, hybu rhagolygon gwyrdd a gwerth economaidd sgil-gynhyrchion Tata a chynyddu cynaliadwyedd eu prosesau diwydiannol.
Coke ovens can hold up to 36 tonnes of coal that is pushed in by drams, sealed under airtight conditions and heated to 1100 - 1200°c. The process, known as coal coking, produces the coke which is then used in Tata’s blast furnaces. There are many byproducts associated with this method, including coal tar, which were not being utilised to their potential. Shannan’s research to upgrade the by-product’s value was therefore fundamental in evaluating how to utilise the waste, boost the green prospectives and economic value of Tata’s by-products and increase the sustainability of their industrial processes.
Roedd y fethodoleg a ddefnyddiwyd yn ei hymchwil yn defnyddio hylifau ïonig, sy’n ddewis ecogyfeillgar i’r toddyddion traddodiadol a ddefnyddir ar hyn o bryd mewn cymwysiadau diwydiannol. Datblygodd prosiect llwyddiannus Shannan 18 hylif ïonig newydd ar gyfer echdynnu ffenol o dar glo mewn effeithlonrwydd echdynnu uchel. Mae potensial cryf i ddatblygu ei chanlyniadau gyda astudiaeth beilot o fewn Tata Steel UK.
The methodology employed in her research used ionic liquids, which are a greener alternative to the traditional solvents currently used in industrial applications. Shannan’s successful project developed 18 novel ionic liquids for the extraction of phenol from coal tars in high extraction efficiencies. Her conclusions hold strong potential to be taken forward in a pilot study within Tata Steel UK.
Dr Adam Jones Development of a Novel, Non-Destructive Technique for InLine Measurement of Chromium Thickness on Packaging, Electrolytic Chromium Coated Steel Dilynodd Adam raglen PhD mewn Peirianneg Drydanol ac Electroneg trwy ymdrech ar y cyd ag Ymchwil a Datblygu Tata Steel UK a Trostre Coated Products, a leolir yn Llanelli. Canolbwyntiodd yr ymchwil yn bennaf ar archwilio dull arloesol o fesur trwch haenau metelaidd ar lefel nano-raddfa, gan ddefnyddio egwyddorion ffotoneg. Cyflawnodd Adam gynnydd sylweddol yn natblygiad system prawf-cysyniad, gan ddangos ymarferoldeb y dechneg hon. Ar hyn o bryd mae’n cymryd rhan mewn trafodaethau gyda Tata ynghylch y posibilrwydd o integreiddio’r system hon i geisiadau arfaethedig a meysydd cysylltiedig eraill o ddiddordeb.
Adam pursued a PhD program in Electrical and Electronics Engineering through a collaborative effort with Tata Steel UK Research and Development and Trostre Coated Products, located in Llanelli. The research primarily centred on the exploration of an innovative method for measuring the thickness of metallic coatings at the nano-scale level, utilising principles of photonics. Adam achieved significant progress in the development of a proof-of-concept system, demonstrating the practicality of this technique. He is presently engaged in discussions with Tata regarding the potential integration of this system into proposed applications and other related areas of interest.
“Mae’r systemau hyn wedi’u cynllunio i leihau gwastraff a gwella effeithlonrwydd prosesau diwydiannol,”
“These systems are designed to minimise waste and enhance the efficiency of industrial processes,”
Meddai Adam, “Rwyf bellach wedi trawsnewid i swydd darlithydd amser llawn ym Mhrifysgol De Cymru, gan arbenigo ym maes Gwybodeg ac Electroneg. Ar yr un pryd, rwyf hefyd yn cymryd rhan weithredol mewn prosiectau ymchwil sydd â’r nod o gynorthwyo partneriaid diwydiannol i greu systemau mesur newydd. Mae’r systemau hyn wedi’u cynllunio i leihau gwastraff a gwella effeithlonrwydd prosesau diwydiannol, gan adlewyrchu ar fy ymroddiad i symud ymlaen yn y byd academaidd a diwydiant trwy ymchwil a chydweithio arloesol.”
Adam said, “I have now transitioned into a fulltime lecturer role at the University of South Wales, specialising in the domain of Informatics and Electronics. Concurrently, I am also actively involved in research projects aimed at assisting industrial partners in the creation of novel measurement systems. These systems are designed to minimise waste and enhance the efficiency of industrial processes, reflecting on my dedication to advance in both academia and industry through innovative research and collaboration.”
Dr Marie Clare Catherine Bio plastics from C1 Gases - Substitute Sustainable Products for Polymer Coated Steel
Roedd prosiect ymchwil Marie gyda Prifysgol De Cymru a Tata Steel UK, yn canolbwyntio ar un o gynhyrchwyr dur mwyaf y byd, sy’n allyrru mwy na 6 miliwn tunnell o CO2 bob blwyddyn, gyda ffwrneisi chwyth yn cyfrif am 70% o’r allyriadau CO2 hwn. Er mwyn lleihau faint o nwyon tŷ gwydr sy’n cael eu gollwng i’n hatmosffer, ac i gyfyngu ar eu heffaith ar yr amgylchedd, mae’n hanfodol ailgylchu’r nwyon hyn yn gynhyrchion cynaliadwy.
Marie’s research project with USW and Tata Steel UK, focused on one of the largest producers of steel in the world, which emits more than 6 million tonnes of CO2 annually, with blast furnaces accounting for 70% of this CO2 emission. To lessen the amount of greenhouse gases discharged into our atmosphere, and to limit their effect on the environment, it is crucial to recycle these gases into sustainable products.
Mae Tata Steel UK yn defnyddio cotio paent i atal cyrydiad. O ystyried bod eu haenau presennol, fel y mwyafrif o haenau ar y farchnad, yn deillio o betrocemegion, byddai cynnyrch bioddiraddadwy gyda phriodweddau tebyg yn cyfrannu at leihau effeithiau amgylcheddol negyddol y diwydiant dur.
Tata Steel UK uses paint coating to prevent corrosion. Given that their existing coatings, like the majority of coatings on the market, are derived from petrochemicals, a biodegradable product with comparable properties would contribute to reducing the negative environmental impacts of the steel industry.
Cynigiwyd defnyddio organebau sy’n cronni glycogen (GAO), sef bacteria a geir o weithfeydd trin dŵr gwastraff, i gynhyrchu cymysgeddau o fiopolymerau o’r enw polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA). Gydag asetad fel yr unig ffynhonnell garbon a thrwy amrywio nifer o amodau diwylliant, cafwyd cymysgeddau gwahanol o PHA. Daeth ymchwil Marie i’r canlyniad bod PHA a gynhyrchwyd o asetad trwy drawsnewid nwyon ffwrnais chwyth yn addas ar gyfer cotio dur.
It was proposed to use glycogen accumulating organisms (GAOs), which are bacteria obtained from wastewater treatment plants, to produce mixes of biopolymers called polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA). With acetate as the sole carbon source and by varying several culture conditions, different mixes of PHA were obtained. Marie’s research concluded that PHA produced from acetate through the conversion of blast furnace gases were suitable for steel coating.
Dr Michal Czahor Co-electrolysis of simulated coke oven gas using solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOC) technology
Ymchwiliodd Michal i’r defnydd o dechnoleg celloedd tanwydd ar gyfer gwell defnydd o nwy popty golosg (COG), sgil-gynnyrch gwastraff cynhyrchu dur. Tra bod tua 50% o’r COG a gynhyrchir yn cael ei ddefnyddio’n fewnol, mae’r gweddill yn cael ei wastraffu, gan gyfrannu at allyriadau carbon a gwastraffu adnoddau gwerthfawr yn ogystal â lleihau ansawdd yr aer. Dangosodd gwaith Michal y potensial sylweddol i uwchraddio COG gan ddefnyddio technoleg SOFC, a allai alluogi mwy o adferiad i lawr yr afon a phuro H2 o adnodd gwastraff diwydiannol nad yw’n cael ei ddefnyddio’n ddigonol.
“Rhoddodd fy mhrosiect KESS 2 mewn cydweithrediad â Tata Steel UK fewnwelediad gwych i’r broblem byd go iawn a’i goblygiadau ar y diwydiant.”
Michal’s research investigated the use of fuel cells technology for utilisation of coke oven gas (COG), a waste by-product of steel production. Whilst approximately 50% of COG produced is utilised internally, the rest is flared or wasted, contributing to carbon emissions and wasting valuable resources as well as reducing the quality of air. Michal’s work demonstrated the considerable potential to upgrade COG using SOFC technology, which could enable greater downstream recovery and purification of H2 from an underutilised industrial waste resource.
“My project through the KESS 2 programme in collaboration with Tata Steel UK provided great insight onto the problem in real life and its implications on the industry.”
Er bod angen astudiaethau pellach ar gyfer gweithredu’r dechnoleg, dangosodd y prosiect egwyddor o weithrediad SOCs ar COG ac mae’n awgrymu ateb posibl i allyriadau nwyon tŷ gwydr cynyddol o fewn y diwydiant haearn a dur.
Although further studies are necessary for implementation of the technology, the project demonstrated a principle of the SOCs operation on COG and suggests a potential solution to rising greenhouse gas emissions within the iron and steel industry.
Dywedodd Michal, “Rhoddodd fy mhrosiect KESS 2 mewn cydweithrediad â Tata Steel UK fewnwelediad gwych i’r broblem byd go iawn a’i goblygiadau ar y diwydiant. Helpodd KESS 2 i mi ennill amrywiaeth o sgiliau trosglwyddadwy mewn ymchwil trwy weithdai a hyfforddiant, gan hwyluso proses gyffredinol y PhD. Rwy’n parhau i ddefnyddio’r sgiliau a ddatblygais yn ystod fy PhD yn fy swydd bresennol fel Uwch Gynorthwyydd Ymchwil ym Mhrifysgol De Cymru. Rwy’n bwriadu parhau â’m gyrfa mewn ymchwil gan ymchwilio ymhellach i SOCs a thechnolegau eraill ar gyfer gwella cemeg gynaliadwy.”
Michal said, “My project through the KESS 2 programme in collaboration with Tata Steel UK provided great insight onto the problem in real life and its implications on the industry. KESS 2 helped me gain a variety of transferable skills in research via workshops and training, easing the overall process of the PhD. I still continue to use the skills I developed during my PhD in my current position as Senior Research Assistant at USW. I am planning to continue my career in research further investigating SOCs and other technologies for the improvement of sustainable chemistry.”
Dr Sjoerd van Acht Hydrogen separation from Coke Oven Gas
Dechreuodd Sjoerd van Acht ei ysgoloriaeth KESS 2 ym mis Medi 2017. Ei destun oedd adfer hydrogen o nwyon gwaith dur dan oruchwyliaeth DoS Jon Maddy, Cyfarwyddwr y Ganolfan Hydrogen ym Maglan fel rhan o Brifysgol De Cymru. Roedd yr ymchwil yn cynnwys arolwg llenyddiaeth cywrain ar dechnolegau gwahanu hydrogen a oedd, ynghyd â mewnwelediadau gan y partner diwydiant Tata Steel UK, yn sylfaen ar gyfer y gwaith dilynol.
Sjoerd van Acht started his KESS 2 scholarship in September 2017. His subject was hydrogen recovery from steelworks gases under supervision of DoS Jon Maddy, Director of the Hydrogen Centre in Baglan as part of USW. The research entailed an in-depth literature survey on hydrogen separation technologies which, along with the insights from the industry partner Tata Steel UK, formed the foundation for the subsequent work.
Defnyddiwyd y wybodaeth a gafwyd i ddyfeisio proses adfer a chywasgu hydrogen newydd, gadarn ac effeithlon yn seiliedig ar y dechnoleg Arsugno Siglen Pwysedd a Phuro Hydrogen Electrocemegol a Chywasgu (PSA-EHP/C) cyfun. Modelwyd y broses hon yn helaeth a gwireddwyd trefniant dilysu ar raddfa beilot yng Nghanolfan Hydrogen Baglan.
The acquired knowledge was used to invent a novel, robust and efficient hydrogen recovery and compression process based on the combined Pressure Swing Absorption and Electrochemical Hydrogen Purification and Compression (PSA-EHP/C) technology. This process was extensively modelled and a pilot scale validation set-up was realised at the Baglan Hydrogen Centre.
Canfu’r gwaith ganlyniadau addawol o safbwyntiau technegol, economaidd ac amgylcheddol a sicrhaodd botensial Tata Steel UK i brisio ei nwyon gwastraff sgil-gynhyrchion yn hydrogen gwerth uchel, purdeb uchel gan ddefnyddio’r broses PSA-EHP/C, tra hefyd yn lleihau ei allyriadau nwy tŷ gwydr. Dywedodd Sjoerd, “Roedd y gefnogaeth gymunedol gan dîm KESS 2 ym Mhrifysgol De Cymru a’r holl gyd-fyfyrwyr wedi gwneud y gwaith caled yn oddefadwy. Ar ôl cwblhau fy PhD ym mis Ebrill 2021 rwyf bellach yn gweithio yn y gofod hydrogen gwyrdd yn yr Iseldiroedd, lle rwy’n datblygu electrolyswyr AEM a PEM arloesol ar gyfer cynhyrchu hydrogen gwyrdd datganoledig.”
The work found promising results from technical, economical and environmental perspectives and reassured Tata Steel UK’s potential to valorise its by-product waste gases into high-value, high-purity hydrogen using the PSA-EHP/C process, whilst also driving down its greenhouse gas emissions. Sjoerd said, “The community-like support from the KESS 2 team at USW and all fellow students made the hard work bearable. After completing my PhD in April 2021 I now work in the green hydrogen space in Netherlands, where I develop innovative AEM and PEM electrolysers for decentralised green hydrogen production.”
Dr Ieuan Griffiths Predictive Analytics of Real Time Caster Data
Cynhaliwyd ymchwil Ieuan, ar y cyd â Tata Steel UK ym Mhort Talbot, o amgylch Cynnal a Chadw Rhagfynegol - maes pwysig a blaengar o’r diwydiant dur sy’n caniatáu i gwmnïau nodi gofynion cynnal a chadw a lleihau ei gyfradd amlder yn seiliedig ar ddata amser-real. Gall Cynnal a Chadw Rhagfynegol wella cynhyrchiad, lleihau amser segur, a gall hyd yn oed atal digwyddiadau sy’n bygwth bywyd. Felly gall cymhwyso Cynnal a Chadw Rhagfynegol yn y diwydiant dur greu amgylchedd gwaith mwy diogel i weithwyr a dod â buddion ariannol i’r cwmni. Cipiodd PhD Gwyddor Data Ieuan llawer o’r agweddau yr oedd yn eu gwerthfawrogi a’u mwynhau yn ystod ei astudiaethau israddedig, gan ysgogi ymhellach ei frwdfrydedd i ymchwilio i gyfrifiadura a rhaglennu wrth ddatblygu ei ddealltwriaeth ystadegol a mathemategol lefel uwch o’r algorithmau a ddefnyddiwyd. Mae Ieuan bellach yn cael ei gyflogi fel Uwch Ddarlithydd mewn Gwyddor Data a Mathemateg yng Nghyfadran Cyfrifiadura, Peirianneg a Gwyddoniaeth Prifysgol De Cymru.
Ieuan’s research, in collaboration with Tata Steel UK in Port Talbot, was conducted around Predictive Maintenance - an important and up-and-coming area of the steel industry that allows companies to identify maintenance requirements and minimise its frequency rate based on real-time data. Predictive Maintenance can improve production yield, reduce downtime, and can even prevent the occurence of life-threatening events. Applying Predictive Maintenance in the steel industry can therefore create a safer working environment for employees and bring financial benefits to the company. Ieuan’s PhD in Data Science captured many of the aspects he appreciated and enjoyed during his undergraduate study, further driving his passion to research computing and programming whilst developing his higher-level statistical and mathematical understanding of the algorithms used. Ieuan is now employed as a Senior Lecturer in Data Science and Mathematics at the Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Science at USW.
Dr Ruggero Bellini Investigating the Robustness and Intensification of a Novel Biomethanation Process for Energy Recovery for the Steel Sector Dechreuodd Ruggero Bellini ei ysgoloriaeth PhD KESS 2, gyda chefnogaeth Tata Steel UK, ym mis Medi 2017. Roedd ei ymchwil yn ymchwilio i gadernid a dwysáu proses biomethanation newydd ar gyfer adennill ynni yn y sector dur, gan ddefnyddio gwastraff H2 a CO2, dan oruchwyliaeth yr Athro Sandra Esteves a Dr. Tim Patterson.
Ruggero Bellini started his KESS 2 PhD scholarship, supported by Tata Steel UK, in September 2017. His research investigated the robustness and intensification of a novel biomethanation process for energy recovery for the steel sector, using waste H2 and CO2, supervised by Prof. Sandra Esteves and Dr. Tim Patterson.
Fel rhan o’r astudiaeth, cyflawnwyd yr agweddau canlynol: a) cyflawni gweithrediad biomethanation hyperthermoffilig gan ddefnyddio gwahanol gonsortia bacteriol ac archaeol cymysg, sy’n arbennig o bwysig wrth ymdrin â nwyon poeth o’r safle; b) cymharu gweithrediadau tymheredd amrywiol; c) optimeiddio dethol inocwla, strategaethau rhagbrosesu a bio-gynyddu yn ogystal â ffracsiynu cyfryngau maeth; d) ymchwilio i effaith N2 ac amonia ar berfformiad prosesau.
As part of the study, the following aspects were achieved: a) delivery of a hyperthermophilic biomethanation operation using different mixed bacterial and archaeal consortia, particularly important when dealing with hot gases from site; b) compared various temperature operations; c) optimised inocula selection, pre-processing and bioaugmentation strategies as well as nutrient media fractionation; d) investigated the impact of N2 and ammonia on process performance.
Cwblhaodd Ruggero ei astudiaethau PhD yn llwyddiannus ym mis Chwefror 2021 ac aeth ymlaen i weithio fel ymchwilydd ôl-ddoethurol yn yr Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia yn yr Eidal.
Ruggero completed his PhD studies successfully in February 2021 and proceeded to work as a postdoctoral researcher at the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia in Italy.
Samuel Baker Development of Hydrogen Storage Materials Based on Amine-Boranes
Yn ystod ei Radd Meistr Ymchwil KESS 2, a gydnoddwyd gan Tata Steel UK, ymchwiliodd Sam i’r defnydd o sgil-gynhyrchion amonia i gynhyrchu amin-boranau y gellid eu defnyddio fel cludwr hydrogen. Canolbwyntiodd ei astudiaethau ar ddefnyddio catalyddion seiliedig ar ruthenium i hwyluso rhyddhau nwy hydrogen o amin-boran ar dymheredd ystafell ac o dan lwyth catalydd isel. Dadansoddodd hefyd y cineteg a’r mecanweithiau posibl ar gyfer ffurfio hydrogen o’r cludwyr hydrogen hyn.
“Dysgais lawer ar y cwrs ac rwy’n teimlo’n ffodus iawn fy mod wedi cael y profiad.” Prif nod ei brosiect oedd canfod ailddefnydd posibl o’r nwyon gwastraff a gynhyrchir gan Tata Steel UK yn ystod cynhyrchu dur er mwyn cynyddu cynaliadwyedd y broses. Dywedodd Sam, “Fe ddysgais lawer ar y cwrs ac rwy’n teimlo’n ffodus iawn fy mod wedi cael y profiad. Diolch yn fawr i KESS 2 am hwyluso’r prosiect gan fy mod yn gwerthfawrogi’n fawr yr holl gymorth a chefnogaeth drwyddo draw. Rwyf hefyd yn ddiolchgar iawn i Gareth a Nildo am eu hamser a’u hymdrech yn y prosiect, ni allaf ganmol y naill na’r llall yn ddigon uchel”.
During his KESS 2 Research Masters, co-sponsored by Tata Steel UK, Sam investigated the utilisation of ammonia by-products to generate amine-boranes which could be used as a hydrogen carrier. His studies focused on the use of ruthenium-based catalysts to facilitate the release of hydrogen gas from amine-boranes at room temperature and under low catalyst loading. He also analysed the kinetics and potential mechanisms for the hydrogen formation from these hydrogen carriers.
“I learnt a considerable amount on the course and feel very fortunate to have had the experience.” The main aim of his project was to identify potential re-uses of the waste gases generated by Tata Steel UK during steel production in order to increase the sustainability of the process. Sam said, “I learnt a considerable amount on the course and feel very fortunate to have had the experience. Many thanks to KESS 2 for facilitating the project as I really appreciate all the help and support throughout. I am also very grateful to Gareth and Nildo for their time and effort in the project, I can’t praise either of you highly enough”.
SAFBWYNT Y CWMNI THE COMPANY PERSPECTIVE
Gareth Lloyd Tata Steel UK Dechreuodd y cydweithio rhwng PDC, KESS 2 a Tata Steel UK ym mis Hydref 2015 gyda chyfarfod rhwng yr Athro Richard Dinsdale a thîm Tata. Roedden ni eisiau gwybod mwy am y Ganolfan Ymchwil Amgylchedd Cynaliadwy ag o fewn ychydig wythnosau roedd gennym ni dri cais KESS 2 yn barod i’w cyflwyno.
The collaboration between USW, KESS 2 and Tata Steel UK started in October 2015 with a meeting between Professor Richard Dinsdale and the Tata team. We wanted to learn more about the Sustainable Environment Research Centre and within just a few weeks we had three KESS 2 applications ready to submit.
Wrth i’r rhaglen dyfu, cyfarfuom â’r Athro Gareth Owen ac mae’r cydweithio ag ef wedi esgor ar nifer o bynciau sy’n haeddu cael eu symud ymlaen y tu hwnt i’r cam PhD i ymchwil bellach ac astudiaethau planhigion peilot. Mae’r opsiwn i drin sgil-gynhyrchion popty golosg â hylifau ïonig yn newydd, yn effeithlon o ran ynni ac yn gynaliadwy. Mae gan ddal carbon gan ddefnyddio ligandau a chyfadeiladau hefyd botensial gwirioneddol. Mae’r ras ymlaen i ddod o hyd i’r dechnoleg dal a defnyddio carbon gyntaf ac mae’r tîm yn PDC yn sicr yn chwarae eu rhan.
As the programme grew, we met Professor Gareth Owen and the collaboration with him has yielded a number of topics that deserve to be progressed past the PhD stage and onto further research and pilot plant studies. The option to treat coke oven byproducts with ionic liquids is novel, energy efficient and sustainable. Carbon capture using ligands and complexes also has real potential. The race is on to find the first carbon capture and use the technology, and the team at USW are certainly playing their part.
Mae’r gwaith gyda yr Athro Cyswllt Christian Laycock ar gymwysiadau amrywiol o gelloedd tanwydd ocsid solet o fewn y diwydiant dur yn dangos addewid gwirioneddol. Mae gan unrhyw dechnolegau sy’n
The work with Associate Professor Christian Laycock on various applications of solid oxide fuel cells within the steel industry shows real promise. Any technologies that challenge the status quo on the use of fuel gases, hydrogen and ammonia have the potential to be taken up across our industry,
herio’r status quo ar ddefnyddio nwyon tanwydd, hydrogen ac amonia y potensial i gael eu defnyddio ar draws ein diwydiant nid yn unig yn y DU ond yn llawer pellach i ffwrdd. Gallai’r gwaith ar eplesu biolegol ddarparu llwybr datgarboneiddio ar gyfer nifer o ddiwydiannau, nid yn unig dur. Mae’r cysyniad y cyflwynodd yr Athro Alan Guwy i ni iddo yn gymharol syml gydag offer cost isel ond cynhyrchion gwerth uchel. Mae’r gwaith peilot o’r enw COACE sy’n trawsnewid y carbon mewn nwy ffwrnais chwyth yn asetadau wedi bod yn llwyddiant amlwg i’r holl gydweithio. Mae’r gwaith peilot a adeliadwyd yn dilyn y wybodaeth a gafwyd yn ystod y PhD a ariannwyd gan KESS 2 yn parhau i weithredu ac mae’n casglu data a fydd yn llywio datblygiadau pellach. Ar gyfartaledd, cyhoeddodd y grŵp ddau bapur academaidd fesul prosiect KESS 2. Roedd ffocws cryf ar helpu’r myfyrwyr i ddod o hyd i waith ac enillodd y grŵp nifer o wobrau yn ystod y cyfnod cydweithio, gyda Phrifysgol De Cymru a Tata Steel UK yn elwa o gyhoeddusrwydd cadarnhaol.
not just in the UK but much further afield. The work on biological fermentations could provide a decarbonisation route for a number of industries, not just steel. The concept that Professor Alan Guwy introduced us to is relatively simple with low cost equipment but with high value products. The pilot plant called COACE that transforms the carbon in blast furnace gas into acetates has been the stand out success of the whole collaboration. The pilot plant built following the knowledge gained during the KESS 2 funded PhD continues to be in operation and is collecting data that will inform further developments. On average the group published two academic papers per KESS 2 project. There was a strong focus on helping the students find employment and the group won a number of awards during the time of the collaboration, with both USW and Tata Steel UK benefitting from positive publicity.
SAFBWYNT Y GORUCHWYLWYR ACADEMAIDD Cyfadran Cyfrifiadura, Peirianneg a Gwyddoniaeth
THE ACADEMIC SUPERVISORS’ PERSPECTIVE Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Science
Yr Athro / Professor Gareth Owen,Yr Athro / Professor Alan Guwy a Dr Nildo Costa Mae gennym bedwar prosiect KESS 2 yn seiliedig ar gemeg sydd wedi bod mewn cydweithrediad â Tata a’r tîm goruchwylio (Owen/Costa/Guwy). Mae’r rhain wedi bod yn canolbwyntio ar ddatblygu methodolegau i liniaru’r cemegau gwastraff a gynhyrchir yng nghynhyrchiant dur Tata.
We have four chemistry based KESS 2 projects which have been in collaboration with Tata with the supervision team (Owen/Costa/Guwy). These have been focused developing methodologies to mitigate the waste chemicals generated within Tata’s steel production.
Mae un prosiect wedi canolbwyntio ar allyriadau carbon (CO2) ac wedi edrych ar y llwybrau synthetig newydd sy’n datblygu i foleciwlau newydd o’r nwy gwastraff hwn. Mae ystod o gyfadeiladau metel newydd wedi’u datblygu fel catalyddion posibl ar gyfer y trawsnewid hwn. Ymhellach, roedd y prosiect hwn yn allweddol ac yn gweithredu fel prosiect sbarduno a arweiniodd at dri phrosiect ymchwil ychwanegol gan gynnwys Gwobr Adeiladwr Gallu SERC Cymru, prosiect Canolfan Catalysis y DU a phrosiect IDRIC. Mae’r prosiectau hyn wedi canolbwyntio ar y moleciwl carbon deuocsid ac yn anelu at ddefnyddio CO2 fel porthiant ar gyfer synthesis cemegau nwyddau. Mae’r rhain wedi arwain at ddau gyhoeddiad hyd yma.
One project has focused on carbon (CO2) emissions and has looked at the developing new synthetic routes to new molecules from this waste gas. A range of novel metal-based complexes have been developed as potential catalysts for this transformation. Furthermore, this project was instrumental and acted as a seed project leading to three additional research projects including a SERC Cymru Capacity Builder Award, a UK Catalysis Hub project and an IDRIC project. These projects have focused on the carbon dioxide molecule and aiming at utilising CO2 as a feedstock for the synthesis of commodity chemicals. These have led to two publications to date.
Roedd ail brosiect yn canolbwyntio ar ddeall hanfodion pa mor effeithlon y gellir cynhyrchu hydrogen o foleciwlau amino-boran. Edrychodd y prosiect ar yr ynni sydd ei angen ar gyfer y broses hon er mwyn deall ei haddasrwydd posibl ar gyfer proses ddiwydiannol, lle gall y gydran
A second project focused on understanding the fundamentals of how efficiently hydrogen can be generated from amino-borane molecules. The project looked at the energy required for this process to understand its potential suitability for an industrial process, where the amine-component can originate from ammonia gas produced in the steel
amin darddu o nwy amonia a gynhyrchir yn y broses gweithgynhyrchu dur. Yn y bôn, gallai hyn ddefnyddio nwy amhuredd amonia gwastraff fel cludwr hydrogen a ffynhonnell hydrogen. Roedd trydydd prosiect yn canolbwyntio ar yr heriau sy’n gysylltiedig â phresenoldeb cyfansoddion sy’n seiliedig ar sylffwr o fewn nwy popty golosg. Canolbwyntiodd y prosiect ar synthesis a chymhwyso cyfadeiladau metel trosiannol ar gyfer trawsnewid cydrannau sy’n seiliedig ar sylffwr yn gemegau newydd. Mae rhai o’r canlyniadau a gyflawnwyd wedi’u cyhoeddi’n ddiweddar. Roedd y pedwerydd prosiect yn ymwneud ag echdynnu cydrannau nwyddau gwerth uchel (fel cyfansoddion ffenolig) o dar glo. Roedd yr ymchwil yn canolbwyntio ar ddylunio a syntheseiddio Hylifau Ïonig Tasg-Benodol (TSILs) newydd at ddibenion echdynnu a gwahanu cemegau gwerthfawr oddi wrth dar trwy ryngweithiadau toddyddion-hydoddyn penodol. Dangoswyd bod hyn yn llwyddiannus a dangosodd botensial ar gyfer profion ar raddfa fwy. Arweiniodd y prosiect hwn hefyd at gyflogi’r myfyriwr trwy gynllun graddedigion yn Tata Steel UK. Hyd yn hyn, mae dau brosiect wedi’u cwblhau, ac mae’r ddau fyfyriwr (SS a SB) wedi pasio eu viva yn ddiweddar. Mae un myfyriwr yn y cam ysgrifennu ar hyn o bryd a bydd yn cyflwyno yn yr ychydig fisoedd nesaf. Mae myfyriwr arall ar hyn o bryd yng nghamau olaf y gwaith labordy a bydd yn cwblhau ei astudiaethau yn gynnar y flwyddyn nesaf. I grynhoi, mae prosiectau KESS 2 wedi gweithredu fel prosiectau cychwynnol ar gyfer ymchwil pellach ac wedi darparu hyfforddiant i bedwar myfyriwr ôlraddedig yn ein maes ymchwil, yn ogystal ag arwain at nifer o gyhoeddiadau.
manufacturing process. Essentially, this could utilise waste ammonia impurity gas as a hydrogen carrier and source of hydrogen. A third project focused on the challenges associated with the presence of sulfur-based compounds within coke oven gas. The project focused on the synthesis and application of transition metal complexes for the transformation of sulfur-based components into new chemicals. Some of the results achieved have recently been published. The fourth project involved extracting high value commodity components (such as phenolic compounds) from coal tars. The research focused on the design and synthesis of new Task Specific Ionic Liquids (TSILs) for the purposes of extraction and separation of valuable chemicals from tar via specific solvent-solute interactions. This was shown to be successful and demonstrated potential for larger scale testing. This project also led to employment of the student via a graduate scheme based at Tata Steel UK. Thus far, two projects are complete, and the two students (SS and SB) have recently passed their viva. One student is currently in the writing up stage and will be submitting in the next couple of months. Another student is currently in the later stages of the laboratory work and will be completing their studies early next year. In summary, the KESS 2 projects have acted as seed projects for further research and has provided training for four postgraduate students in our research area, in addition to leading to a number of publications.
Yr Athro Cyswllt / Associate Professor Christian Laycock Mae gennyf dri phrosiect KESS 2 sydd wedi’u cynnal ar y cyd â Tata Steel UK. Mae dau o’r rhain wedi canolbwyntio ar ddefnyddio technoleg celloedd tanwydd tymheredd uchel i adennill cynhyrchion defnyddiol o ffrydiau gwastraff a gynhyrchir o wneud dur. Ymchwiliodd y prosiect cyntaf i adfer hydrogen o nwy popty golosg gan ddefnyddio technoleg electrolysis solid ocsid a dangosodd y gallai’r broses hon o bosibl gynhyrchu digon o hydrogen i ragori ar y galw presennol am hydrogen ledled y byd. Roedd yr ail brosiect yn ymchwilio i waredu a defnyddio gwastraff amonia dyfrllyd a gynhyrchir o wneud dur a dangosodd y gellir defnyddio technoleg celloedd ocsid solet i gynhyrchu pŵer trydanol neu hydrogen o’r llif gwastraff hwn gan waredu amonia yn llwyr a dim allyriadau o lygryddion ocsid nitraidd niweidiol. Roedd y prosiectau hyn yn allweddol i ddatblygiad ac allbynnau prosiect RICE ERDF a phrosiect IDRIC. Yn ogystal, roeddent yn allweddol i ddatblygiad y gyfres o gynadleddau Amonia Energy dan arweiniad Prifysgol Caerdydd a’r symposia celloedd tanwydd oddi mewn. Cyflwynwyd yr ymchwil yn y gynhadledd hon yn 2022 a 2023, yn ogystal â’r 17eg Symposiwm mawreddog ar Gelloedd Tanwydd Ocsid Solid ym mis Gorffennaf 2021, a 242ain Cyfarfod y Gymdeithas Electrocemegol ym mis Hydref 2022. Yn ogystal, bu pedwar cyhoeddiad o’r prosiectau hyn yn Trosi a Rheoli Ynni a Thrafodion ECS, a disgwylir cyhoeddiadau pellach yn 2023 a 2024. Hyd yn hyn, mae Czachor wedi cwblhau ei PhD ac mae Ragu yn agosáu at ddiwedd ysgrifennu traethawd ymchwil. Yn y prosiect terfynol gan Standing, ymchwiliwyd i adfer sinc o adnoddau metel sgrap gan ddefnyddio technoleg batri sinc-bromin. Mae’r prosiect hwn wedi dangos adferiad glân ac effeithlon o sinc purdeb uchel gan ddefnyddio dyluniad batri sinc-bromin di-bilen wedi’i addasu sy’n syml, yn rhad ac yn gofyn am ddeunyddiau sy’n anfalaen i’r amgylchedd. Mae’r gwaith hyd yma wedi’i gyhoeddi yn y cyfnodolyn mawreddog ChemSusChem ac mae Standing ar hyn o bryd yng nghamau olaf ysgrifennu thesis.
I currently have three active KESS 2 projects which have been carried out in collaboration with Tata Steel UK. Two of these have focused on the use of high temperature fuel cell technology for the recovery of useful products from waste streams produced from steelmaking. The first project investigated the recovery of hydrogen from coke oven gas using solid oxide electrolysis technology and showed that this process could potentially generate enough hydrogen to exceed the current demand for hydrogen worldwide. The second project investigated the disposal and utilisation of aqueous ammonia waste generated from steelmaking and demonstrated that solid oxide cell technology can be used to generate electrical power or hydrogen from this waste stream with complete disposal of ammonia and no emissions of harmful nitrous oxide pollutants. These projects were instrumental to the development and outputs of the ERDF RICE project and an IDRIC project. In addition, they were key to the development of the Ammonia Energy conference series led by Cardiff University and the fuel cell symposia within. The research was presented at this conference in 2022 and 2023, as well as the prestigious 17th Symposium on Solid Oxide Fuel Cells in July 2021, and the 242nd Electrochemical Society Meeting in October 2022. In addition, there have been four publications from these projects in Energy Conversion and Management and ECS Transactions, with further publications expected in 2023 and 2024. To date, Czachor has completed his PhD and Ragu is nearing the end of thesis writing. In the final project by Standing, the recovery of zinc from scrap metal resources has been investigated using zinc-bromine battery technology. This project has demonstrated clean and efficient recovery of high-purity zinc using a modified membrane-free zinc-bromine battery design which is simple, low-cost and requires environmentally benign materials. The work has so far been published in the prestigious journal ChemSusChem and Standing is currently in the closing stages of thesis writing.
Yr Athro Cyswllt / Associate Professor Jaime Massanet-Nicolau Uwch Ddarlithydd mewn Microbiolegydd Bio-ynni / Senior Lecturer in Bioenergy Microbiologist Ar gyfer y prosiectau bioburo/CCUS rydym wedi cydweithio â Tata Steel UK ar ddau brosiect KESS 2 yn cynnwys Marie-Claire Catherine a Rhiannon Chalmers-Brown, dan fy ngoruchwyliaeth i, Alan Guwy a Richard Dinsdale. Mae’r prosiectau hyn wedi canolbwyntio ar drawsnewid nwyon carbon gwastraff yn gyfansoddion gwerthfawr trwy lwybrau trosi microbaidd.
For the biorefining/CCUS projects we have collaborated with Tata Steel UK on two KESS 2 projects involving Marie-Claire Catherine and Rhiannon Chalmers-Brown, supervised by myself, Alan Guwy and Richard Dinsdale. These projects have focused on the conversion of waste carbon gases into valuable compounds through microbial conversion routes.
Roedd prosiect Rhiannon yn ymwneud â datblygu technoleg yr ydym bellach yn cyfeirio ato fel COACE sy’n ymwneud â harneisio gallu micro-organebau i drawsnewid carbon monocsid sy’n bresennol mewn nwy ffwrnais chwyth yn asid asetig, sef cemegyn platfform amlbwrpas gwerth $600 y dunnell, gan ddarparu ffordd unigryw i Tata drin nwyon gwastraff a creu ffrydiau refeniw newydd trwy gynhyrchu’r cemeg llwyfan hwn, sydd fel arfer yn cael ei gynhyrchu o danwydd ffosil, yn gynaliadwy.
Rhiannon’s project involved developing a technology we now refer to as COACE which involves harnessing microorganisms’ ability to convert carbon monoxide present in blast furnace gas into acetic acid, a versatile platform chemical worth $600 per tonne, providing a unique way for Tata to treat waste gases as well generate new revenue streams through the sustainable production of this platform chemical, which is normally produced from fossil fuels.
Mewn cydweithrediad â Tata, mae Prifysgol De Cymru wedi adeiladu gwaith arddangos ar raddfa beilot yng Ngwaith Dur Port Talbot. Mae’r safle yn integreiddio bio-adweithydd 100L gyda thechnolegau gwahanu a chrynhoi newydd ar gyfer adfer yr asid asetig a gynhyrchir yn y fan a’r lle. Mae’r gwaith wedi’i gyflwyno yn 17eg Cynhadledd Byd yr IWA ar Dreulio Anaerobig ym Michigan, lle enillodd Wobr Lettinga fawreddog, y tro cyntaf i Grŵp Ymchwil yn y DU wneud hynny. Mae hefyd wedi cael sylw ar raglen Wales Today y BBC. Mae gwaith ar y dechnoleg echdynnu, sy’n cynnwys cyfuniad newydd o dreiddiad ac electrodialysis hefyd wedi arwain at gyhoeddi papur yn Bioresource Technology. Roedd yr ail brosiect yn ymwneud â micro-organebau yn defnyddio’r asid asetig a gynhyrchir trwy COACE i gynhyrchu PHAs, sef dosbarth o foleciwlau biolegol y gellir eu defnyddio i gynhyrchu bioblastigau yn gynaliadwy. Mae PHA werth hyd at $5500 y dunnell sy’n golygu y gellir lluosi’r refeniw o gynhyrchu asetad os caiff ei ddefnyddio fel porthiant i gynhyrchu PHA. Mae polymerau a phlastigau sy’n deillio o PHA
In collaboration with Tata, USW has built a pilot scale demonstration plant at the Port Talbot Steel Works. The plant integrates a 100L bioreactor with novel separation and concentration technologies for the in situ recovery of the acetic acid produced. The work has been presented at the 17th IWA World Conference on Anaerobic Digestion in Michigan, where it won the prestigious Lettinga Award, the first time a UK Research Group has done so. It has also been featured on the BBC’s Wales Today programme. Work on the extraction technology, which involves a novel combination of pervaporation and electrodialysis has also led to the publication of a paper in Bioresource Technology. The second project involved microorganisms utilizing the acetic acid produced via COACE to produce PHAs, a class of biological molecules which can be used to sustainably produce bio-plastics. PHA is worth up to $5500 per tonne meaning that the revenue from acetate production can be multiplied if it is used as a feedstock to produce PHA. Polymers and plastics derived from PHA are also biodegradable, preventing harm from their accumulation
hefyd yn fioddiraddadwy, gan atal niwed rhag cronni yn yr amgylchedd, a darparu llwybrau cynaliadwy i gynhyrchu polymerau. Drwy gydweithio â Tata, llwyddodd Marie-Claire i ddatblygu bio-adweithydd ar raddfa labordy wedi’i fwydo ag asid asetig a theilwra’r broses drosi nid yn unig i optimeiddio cynhyrchiant ond hefyd i ddylanwadu ar y PHAs canlyniadol a gynhyrchir fel eu bod yn arddangos eiddo a oedd o ddefnydd penodol i’r diwydiant dur, megis haenau ar gyfer cynhyrchion dur. Cyflwynwyd ei gwaith hefyd yn 17eg Cynhadledd Fyd-eang yr IWA ar Dreulio Anaerobig ac mae wedi arwain at un cyhoeddiad yn barod, gydag ail gyhoeddiad eisoes wedi’i gyflwyno. Mae Rhiannon a Marie Claire wedi pasio eu vivas yn llwyddiannus ac mae eu gwaith hefyd wedi arwain at gyllid dilynol yn cael ei sicrhau ar gyfer cynhyrchu VFAs a PHAs o garbon gwastraff trwy raglen ymchwil IDRIC a ariennir gan UKRI.
in the environment and providing sustainable routes to polymer production. By collaborating with Tata, Marie-Claire was able develop a lab scale bioreactor fed with acetic acid and tailor the conversion process not only to optimise production but also to influence the resultant PHAs produced so that they exhibited properties which were of specific use to the steel industry, such as coatings for steel products. Her work was also presented at 17th IWA World Conference on Anaerobic Digestion and has led to one publication already, with a second publication already submitted. Both Rhiannon and Marie Claire have successfully passed their vivas and their work has also led to follow-on funding being obtained for the production of VFAs and PHAs from waste carbon through the UKRI funded IDRIC research programme.
PROSIECTAU KESS 2 A TATA STEEL UK SYDD DAL YN GWEITHREDU AR DDIWEDD Y RHAGLEN : KESS 2 AND TATA STEEL UK PROJECTS STILL IN PROGRESS AT PROGRAMME END : COLETTE GERMON Amser ysgrifennu PhD / PhD write-up period Zinc in steelmaking: Its significance and recovery MIRIAM JACKSON Amser ysgrifennu PhD / PhD write-up period Conversion of Sulfur Rich Compounds into Sulfate as a Synthetic Strategy to Sulfuric Acid RHYS STANDING Amser ysgrifennu PhD / PhD write-up period Extraction of Zinc from Scrap Steel Using Zinc-Bromine Battery Technology MARTA RAGU Amser ysgrifennu PhD / PhD write-up period Recovery and use of ammonia from coke-making processes JOE GOLDSWORTHY Amser ysgrifennu PhD / PhD write-up period Development of Methodologies for Conversion of Carbon Dioxide in Value Commodity Chemicals via Transition Metal Mediated RICHARD PUGH Amser ysgrifennu PhD / PhD write-up period Biological Desulphurisation of Coke Oven Gas (COG)