PhD studentship - Feasibility of Shipboard Carbon Capture, Storage and Utilisation (1260820DA)

Supervisor:                 Prof. Dominic Hudson

Co-supervisor             Dr. Lindsay-Marie Armstrong

Project description

Global shipping is responsible for 3.1% of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions (IMO, 3rd Greenhouse Gas report, 2014), yet is outside of UNFCCC commitments to reduce emissions. In 2018 IMO set out its ambitions for reducing CO2 emissions from shipping – by 40% in terms of Carbon intensity by 2030 and by 50% in terms of absolute emissions reductions by 2050. To achieve the long-term goal will very likely require the development of new technologies and fuels for the shipping industry. 

If the CO2 emitted by a ship’s propulsion plant can be captured and stored onboard for transformation into a less emitting fuel, such as methanol through the addition of hydrogen, then it may be possible to utilise the energy potential of the capture carbon. Coupling this simultaneously with CO2 geological storage would drastically reduce, or eliminate, the CO2 emitted to atmosphere.  Given the volume of CO2 that may also be captured from land-based processes in the future, it is likely that shipment of this captured CO2 will be necessary for storage in geological formations or for other industrial usage. Designing vessels capable of carrying captured CO2 whilst enabling access for carbon conversion for propulsion would offer significant environmental and economic advantages. 

This project will investigate the technical and economic feasibility of shipboard carbon capture, storage and utilisation (CCSU) and assess its potential to contribute to the decarbonisation of global shipping. A combination of modelling and experimental techniques will be applied to identify and address any major issues highlighted.

This project will run in close collaboration with our industrial partner, Shell Shipping and Maritime, who will provide accurate and up to date data from their fleet of ships. The project therefore has the potential to properly target and quantify interventions leading to significantly decreased vessel emissions

Entry Requirements

A very good undergraduate degree (at least a UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent).

Closing date: applications should be received no later than 31 August 2020 for standard admissions, but later applications may be considered depending on the funds remaining in place.

Funding: full tuition fees for EU/UK students plus for UK students, an enhanced stipend of £15,285 tax-free per annum for up to 3.5 years. 

How To Apply

Applications should be made online, please select the academic session 2020-21 “PhD Eng & Env (Full time)” as the programme. Please enter Dominic Hudson under the proposed supervisor.

Applications should include: 

Curriculum Vitae

Two reference letters

Degree Transcripts to date

Apply online: https://www.southampton.ac.uk/courses/how-to-apply/postgraduate-applications.page

For further information please contact: feps-pgr-apply@soton.ac.uk 

Closing Date: 31 Aug 2020
Post Type: PhD Studentship (Funded)