This project aims to compare the energy used in traditional foundry processes and a novel single shot foundry technology, CRIMSON, and to develop a model of the processes that encapsulates the energy content at each stage. This model can then be used to persuade casting designers to use more energy-efficient processes which consider casting quality as well as design flexibility. The UK retains a globally recognised casting expertise, in copper, aluminium and new light-metal alloys that underpins many competitive, technology-based industries vital to keep the UK's aerospace and automotive base ahead of the competition. These industries draw on advanced R&D work carried out by Birmingham's high-profile Casting Research Group.The University of Birmingham has been at the leading edge of casting R&D for many years. Today, it is internationally acknowledged as a front runner, and the CRIMSON technique - Constrained Rapid Induction Melting Single Shot method - is one such technology which is helping the casting industry make a step-change in product quality, manufacturing responsiveness and energy use.A typical light-metal foundry will tend to work in the following way: from 100 kg to several tonnes of metal is melted in a first furnace, held at about 700 oC in a second, transferred into a ladle and finally poured into the casting mould. It can take a shift (8 hours) to use all the melt in a typical batch and any leftover unused melt is poured off to be used again, or becomes scrap. Quality issues also arise, which must be mitigated: during the time for which the melt is held at temperature, atmospheric water is reduced to hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen is highly soluble in the metal at this temperature, but as the casting cools and solidifies, the gas is ejected into bubbles. The bubbles become porosity in the solid casting and have a detrimental effect on performance, therefore, as much gas must be removed as possible from the melt. The oxygen forms a thin layer of oxide on the melt surface, which is then inevitably entrained in the liquid metal when it is transferred between the different furnaces and when the metal is finally poured. The oxide layer (or bi-film) is now an inclusion which, again, has a detrimental effect on the material properties. The longer the metal is held liquid, the more hydrogen is absorbed and the thicker the oxide becomes on the surface.At each stage of the process there are energy losses due to oxidation and furnace inefficiencies, casting yields and eventually scrap. So from an initial theoretical 1.1 GJ/tonne required tomelt aluminium it is possible to estimate that each tonne of aluminium castings shipped will actually use about 182 GJ/tonne.Instead of going through this batch process, the CRIMSON method uses a high-powered furnace to melt just enough metal to fill a single mould, in one go, in a closed crucible. It transfers the crucible into an up-casting station for highly computer-controlled filling of the mould, against gravity, for an optimum filling and solidification regime. The CRIMSON method therefore only holds the liquid aluminium for a minimum of time thus drastically reducing the energy losses attributed to hold the metal at temperature. With the rapid melting times achieved, of the order of minutes, there isn't a long time at temperature for hydrogen to be absorbed or for thick layers of oxide to form. The metal is never allowed to fall under gravity and therefore any oxide formed is not entrained within the liquid. Thus higher quality castings are produced, leading to a reduction in scrap rate and therefore reduced overall energy losses.The first challenge in the project is to measure accurately the energy used at each stage in each of the processes investigated and to calculate the energy losses from oxidation and scrap. The second challenge is to incorporate this information into a model that can be used by casting designers and foundry engineers.

This project aims to compare the energy used in traditional foundry processes and a novel single shot foundry technology, CRIMSON, and to develop a model of the processes that encapsulates the energy content at each stage. This model can then be used to persuade casting designers to use more energy-efficient processes which consider casting quality as well as design flexibility. The UK retains a globally recognised casting expertise, in copper, aluminium and new light-metal alloys that underpins many competitive, technology-based industries vital to keep the UK's aerospace and automotive base ahead of the competition. These industries draw on advanced R&D work carried out by Birmingham's high-profile Casting Research Group.The University of Birmingham has been at the leading edge of casting R&D for many years. Today, it is internationally acknowledged as a front runner, and the CRIMSON technique - Constrained Rapid Induction Melting Single Shot method - is one such technology which is helping the casting industry make a step-change in product quality, manufacturing responsiveness and energy use.A typical light-metal foundry will tend to work in the following way: from 100 kg to several tonnes of metal is melted in a first furnace, held at about 700 oC in a second, transferred into a ladle and finally poured into the casting mould. It can take a shift (8 hours) to use all the melt in a typical batch and any leftover unused melt is poured off to be used again, or becomes scrap. Quality issues also arise, which must be mitigated: during the time for which the melt is held at temperature, atmospheric water is reduced to hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen is highly soluble in the metal at this temperature, but as the casting cools and solidifies, the gas is ejected into bubbles. The bubbles become porosity in the solid casting and have a detrimental effect on performance, therefore, as much gas must be removed as possible from the melt. The oxygen forms a thin layer of oxide on the melt surface, which is then inevitably entrained in the liquid metal when it is transferred between the different furnaces and when the metal is finally poured. The oxide layer (or bi-film) is now an inclusion which, again, has a detrimental effect on the material properties. The longer the metal is held liquid, the more hydrogen is absorbed and the thicker the oxide becomes on the surface.At each stage of the process there are energy losses due to oxidation and furnace inefficiencies, casting yields and eventually scrap. So from an initial theoretical 1.1 GJ/tonne required tomelt aluminium it is possible to estimate that each tonne of aluminium castings shipped will actually use about 182 GJ/tonne.Instead of going through this batch process, the CRIMSON method uses a high-powered furnace to melt just enough metal to fill a single mould, in one go, in a closed crucible. It transfers the crucible into an up-casting station for highly computer-controlled filling of the mould, against gravity, for an optimum filling and solidification regime. The CRIMSON method therefore only holds the liquid aluminium for a minimum of time thus drastically reducing the energy losses attributed to hold the metal at temperature. With the rapid melting times achieved, of the order of minutes, there isn't a long time at temperature for hydrogen to be absorbed or for thick layers of oxide to form. The metal is never allowed to fall under gravity and therefore any oxide formed is not entrained within the liquid. Thus higher quality castings are produced, leading to a reduction in scrap rate and therefore reduced overall energy losses.The first challenge in the project is to measure accurately the energy used at each stage in each of the processes investigated and to calculate the energy losses from oxidation and scrap. The second challenge is to incorporate this information into a model that can be used by casting designers and foundry engineers.

Summary: A novel laboratory scale continuous hydrothermal flow synthesis (CHFS) system has been developed for the controlled synthesis of inorganic nano-materials (particles <100nm) with potential commercial applications from sunscreens and battery materials to fuel cell components and photocatalysts. The CHFS system has many advantages; it is a green technology (using supercritical water as the reagent), which utilises inexpensive precursors (metal nitrate salts) and can controllably produce high quality, technologically important functional nano-materials in an efficient single step (or fewer steps than conventionally). This project seeks to move the existing laboratory scale CHFS system (developed over the past few years at QMUL) towards a x10 pilot scale-up (nano-powder production of up to 500g per 12h depending on variables). The proposed research will initially compare the ability to control particle characteristics of the CHFS system at the laboratory scale over a large range of process variables (flow rates, temperatures, pressures, etc), building full operational envelopes that will describe reactor variables versus particle properties for each material. In particular, we will utilise process analytical technology (PAT)and the data will help develop univariate and multivariate understanding of the temporal operational spaces and interactions between process variables and product quality. PATand chemometrics incorporated with combined computational fluid dynamics modelling of hydrodynamics/mixing and population balance modelling of particle size evolution via nano-precipitation will be used to study alternative nozzles designs and other potential bottleneck factors. This will lead to a generic strategy for scaling up and controlled manufacture of nanomaterials with consistent, reproducible and predictable quality. The scale up quantities of nano-powders from the pilot plant will allow industrial partners to perform prototyping or comprehensive commercial evaluation of nano-powders in a range of applications which they have hitherto not been able to conduct due to lack of sufficient high quality material. Importantly, the know-how acquired on the project and the proposed feasibility studies will reduce the risk and commercial barriers for industry that might consider building a larger industrial scale CHFS plant in the future.

Summary: A novel laboratory scale continuous hydrothermal flow synthesis (CHFS) system has been developed for the controlled synthesis of inorganic nano-materials (particles <100nm) with potential commercial applications from sunscreens and battery materials to fuel cell components and photocatalysts. The CHFS system has many advantages; it is a green technology (using supercritical water as the reagent), which utilises inexpensive precursors (metal nitrate salts) and can controllably produce high quality, technologically important functional nano-materials in an efficient single step (or fewer steps than conventionally). This project seeks to move the existing laboratory scale CHFS system (developed over the past few years at QMUL) towards a x10 pilot scale-up (nano-powder production of up to 500g per 12h depending on variables). The proposed research will initially compare the ability to control particle characteristics of the CHFS system at the laboratory scale over a large range of process variables (flow rates, temperatures, pressures, etc), building full operational envelopes that will describe reactor variables versus particle properties for each material. In particular, we will utilise on-line measurement of dynamic laser light scattering particle sizing, and at-line analytical methods. This data will help develop univariate and multivariate understanding of the temporal operational spaces and interactions between process variables and product quality. On-line sensing and chemometrics incorporated with combined computational fluid dynamics modelling of hydrodynamics/mixing and population balance modelling of particle size evolution via nano-precipitation will be used to study alternative nozzles designs and other potential bottleneck factors. This will lead to a generic strategy for scaling up and controlled manufacture of nanomaterials with consistent, reproducible and predictable quality. The scale up quantities of nano-powders from the pilot plant will allow industrial partners to perform prototyping or comprehensive commercial evaluation of nano-powders in a range of applications which they have hitherto not been able to conduct due to lack of sufficient high quality material. Importantly, the know-how acquired on the project and the proposed feasibility studies will reduce the risk and commercial barriers for industry that might consider building a larger industrial scale CHFS plant in the future.

The goal of the proposed EngD Centre is to produce research leaders to tackle the major national and international challenges over the next 15 years in implementing new power plant to generate electricity more efficiently using fossil energy with near zero emissions, involving the successful demonstration of CO2 capture, and also in reducing CO2 emissions generally from coal utilisation, including iron making. These leaders will be part of the new breed of engineers that will be thoroughly versed in cutting edge energy research and capable of operating in multi-disciplinary teams, covering a range of knowledge transfer, deployment and policy roles and with the skills to analyse the overall economic context of their projects and to be aware of the social and ethical implications. This proposal has involved wide consultation with the power generation sector which has indicated that the number of doctoral researchers required in the UK for the major developments in large-scale fossil energy power generation involving efficiency improvements and CO2 capture can be estimated conservatively as 150-200 over the next ten years. The Centre will play a vital role in meeting this demand by providing training in highly relevant technological areas to the companies concerned, as well as the broader portfolio of skills required for future research leaders. Further, Doosan Babcock, Alstom, E.ON, Rolls Royce, EDF, RWE, Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE), Welsh Power and Drax Power all support this bid and are willing to participate in the proposed Centre from 2009 onwards. Further, in terms of reducing CO2 emissions generally from coal utilisation, including iron making and smokeless fuel, this has drawn in other industrial partners, Corus and CPL. The innovative training programme involves a number of unique elements based around the social sciences and activities with China and is designed to ensure that the research engineers are not only thoroughly versed in cutting edge energy research but capable of operating in multi-disciplinary teams covering a range of knowledge transfer, deployment and policy roles and the ability to analyse the overall economic context of projects and to be aware of the social and ethical implications. The academic team draws upon the internationally leading fossil energy programme at Nottingham but also on colleagues at Birmingham and Loughborough for their complementary research in high temperature materials, plant life monitoring and energy economics. Given that virtually all of the research projects will benefit from using pilot-scale equipment in industry linked to the advanced analytical capabilities in the MEC and our overseas partners, together with the Group activities undertaken by the yearly cohorts, the training programme is considered to offer considerable added value over DTA project and CASE awards, as testified by the extremely high level of industrial interest in the proposed Centre across the power generation section, together with other industries involved in reducing CO2 emissions from coal utilisation.