Marcus Taylor

Centre for Doctoral Training Doctoral Researcher

Address

School of Chemical Engineering
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
B15 2TT
United Kingdom 

Email

m.taylor.4@pgr.bham.ac.uk

Lead Supervisor

Professor Robert Steinberger-Wilckens 

Research summary

Marcus Taylor is a Doctoral Researcher at the Centre for Doctoral Training in Fuel Cells and their Fuels at the University of Birmingham. He researches solid-oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology for heavy-duty vehicle propulsion. He is funded from 2018 until 2023 through the EPSRC CDT in Fuel Cells and Their Fuels: EP/L015749/1.

Qualifications

Master of Engineering (MEng), Chemical Engineering, Churchill College, University of Cambridge, 2017.

Biography

During 2019, Marcus completed a six-month traineeship at the Programme Office of the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU) in Brussels. Through his work there, he gained a broad oversight of current progress and challenges in fuel cell and hydrogen technologies in Europe. He assisted the Operations and Communication Unit at the FCH JU with policy, communication and dissemination activities. The work there has helped to inform and frame his current research in Birmingham.

Marcus has professional process engineering experience at two different SMEs with proprietary carbon capture technology, as well as with an international bulk chemicals company, in a project designing the world's largest helium purification plant. Most recently Marcus worked in 2018 at C-Capture Ltd. in Leeds. He designed, built, commissioned and operated pre-pilot scale experimental test rigs as part of a bio-energy with carbon capture demonstration project for Drax Power Station in the UK.

Marcus studied Chemical Engineering at the University of Cambridge, graduating in 2017. His master's project, supervised by Professor Silvana Cardoso, explored the fluid dynamic characteristics of methane plumes in the Arctic Circle, using a bench scale experimental analogue, to investigate their global warming impact potential.

Research

SOFCs are a potential technology for heavy-duty vehicle propulsion, in particular commercial vehicles such as road freight HGVs, buses and municipal vehicles. Advantages of SOFC technology are their high efficiency, fuel flexibility, electric drivetrain and off-heat availability. Marcus’ PhD will explore the potential of SOFCs to meet the requirements of commercial vehicles. The performance of SOFCs will be compared to other zero-emission drivetrain technologies and the option of integrating the SOFC into a hybrid powertrain will be investigated.

Other activities

Marcus speaks English and German. He is currently learning French too.

Publications