The Thermal Energy Conversion and Storage Group carries out fundamental and applied research focused on multiphase transport phenomena across length scales. The applied research is focused on the utilization of both thermal and thermochemical energy conversion and storage technologies for enhancing energy and resource efficiencies, thus contributing to decarbonisation.
The group collaborates extensively with both academic institutions and industrial companies on a national and international scale. Research projects carried out by the Thermal Energy Conversion and Storage Group are funded by UK EPSRC, BEIS, Innovate UK and Industry.
Research within the Thermal Energy Conversion and Storage Group includes:
- Formulation and characterization of new materials for thermal and thermochemical energy conversion and storage, with a focus on composite phase change materials (cPCM), composite thermochemical materials (cTCM) and hybridization of cPCM and cTCM, covering a temperature range of -160oC to +950oC;
- Design and optimisation of cPCM and cTCM modules and devices for stationary large scale centralized and small scale decentralised applications;
- Design and optimisation of cPCM and cTCM modules and devices for mobile applications including electrical vehicles, rail freight and passenger trains and cold chain applications;
- Development of manufacturing technologies for the cPCM and cTCM modules and devices;
- Integration and optimisation of the cPCM and cTCM based devices for a variety of applications;
- Cryogenic energy storage including large-scale liquid air energy storage technology for transmission/distribution side applications, and small-scale liquid air combined heating, cooling and power technology for user side applications;
- Thermal, thermochemical and cryogenic based energy conversion and storage technologies for offshore renewable transmission and distribution applications;
- Multiscale modelling and optimization of thermal and thermochemical energy conversion and storage systems.