SUMMARY REPORT
ENERGY RECOVERY AND STORAGE:
A NEW APPROACH FOR THE UK AND CHINA
18 – 22 March 2013
White Rose University Consortium
With support from:
British Consulate-General Shanghai, Science and Innovation Team
Hosting Institutions in China: The Joint Leeds - IPE Institute in Beijing and the Joint Leeds IPE - NCIP Lab in Nanjing
Funded by:
Global Partnerships Programme, Department of Business, Innovation and Skills
Introduction
The White Rose University Consortium of Leeds, Sheffield and York, plus the University of Hull, ran
two workshops on ‘Energy Recovery and Storage: A New Approach for the UK and China’, one in
Beijing and again in Nanjing in March 2013.
Our team of 8 UK academics had expertise in 3 key areas
1)
Utilisation of Waste Heat
2)
Energy from Biomass
3)
Energy Storage.
The aim of the workshops, run on an open-innovation model, was to present and share expertise
and then to encourage joint UK-CHINA discussions in each of the key areas in order to create a
number of potential project ideas for future collaborative R&D agreements. Follow up visits by the
Consulate General Shanghai Science and Innovation team to our Chinese colleagues were also part
of the project.
In Beijing, the workshop was hosted by the Chinese Academy of Sciences at the Institute of Process
Engineering. 12 Chinese academics from 9 different universities/organisations joined the workshop
In Nanjing, we were hosted by the Nanjing University of Science and Technology and supported by
the Joint Leeds - IPE - NCIP Lab. 15 Chinese academics from 10 different universities/organisations
joined the workshop.
We would like to express our thanks to the Science and Innovation Team at the British Consulate
General in Shanghai for their support with this project. And also to the Joint Institutes for Process
Engineering at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Nanjing University of Science and
Technology for their generous hosting and hospitality. And finally, also to the academics from both
the UK and China who participated so knowledgeably and enthusiastically during the workshops.
The project was funded by the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills Global Partnership
Fund
Julian White, CEO of the White Rose University Consortium
Claire Pickerden, Project Development Manager, White Rose University Consortium
www.whiterose.ac.uk
contact c.pickerden@whiterose.ac.uk
CPickerden
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Workshop Themes
The workshop was structured around short presentations on each theme, followed by a quickfire
discussion to collect initial thoughts, issues, ideas and questions. An additional Theme on CrossCollaborative Projects steered discussion towards synergy between the themes. Small discussion
groups focused on shared interests and the development of potential joint project ideas.
THEME 1) Utilisation of Waste Heat
Theme Lead: Professor Jim Swithenbank, University of Sheffield
It is widely recognised that the efficient use of energy requires that we should recover and use the
low grade heat rejected to atmosphere by power generation, in a combined heat and power (CHP)
system. However, it is not so widely appreciated that the gas boilers now used to produce low grade
heat for buildings or industry waste the fundamental power generation capability of high
temperature flames and should be replaced by micro-generation systems. Thus the challenge is to
develop and apply CHP in the urban environment in a cost efficient manner. There is an urgent need
to develop new and appropriate technologies and supporting measures which are needed to
enhance and exploit the large amount of unused low grade heat available from the wide range of
industries (eg iron/steel industry). This low-grade heat is predominately available in the gases (eg
flue gases) and liquid streams (eg cooling water).
District Heating/Cooling (DHC) provided by a Combined Heat and Power (CHP) system, offers an
increase in overall plant efficiency from approximately 55% for the best electricity generating plant
to approximately 85% for a CHP plant, reducing CO2 emission by 30%. Furthermore, CHP can also be
provided from municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration, which can represent almost 20% of the
total energy needs of a city, again contributing a major reduction to net CO2 emissions. In city areas
that have a heat demand during winter and a cooling demand during the summer the combination
of CHP, district heating and absorption refrigeration plants can be an optimal solution for ensuring
the efficient use of capital invested in production capacity.
THEME 2) Energy from Biomass
Theme Lead: Dr Mark Gronnow, University of York
Renewable sources of energy (eg wood, agricultural crops, biofuels, forestry residues, waste) can
make an important contribution to securing sustainable and diverse energy supplies and are
therefore an essential element of a cost-effective climate change programme. This Theme
addresses the international need to limit the emission of greenhouse gases by exploiting the energy
contained in biomass/biofuels by extending state-of-the-art technologies. This is particularly timely
since disappointing experience with industrial pilot-scale “energy-from-biomass” plants (e.g
gasification) has emphasised the importance of first establishing the enabling scientific and
engineering principles underpinning these technologies. The key areas will focus on the use of
microwave heating to convert agricultural and municipal wastes to solid and liquid energy products.
CPickerden
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The key to this work is energy densification through a range of means:
Enhanced seed oil recovery - Through essentially a steam distillation, oil can be recovered from seed
meal thereby enhancing oil value for use in bio-diesel.
Pyrolysis to Liquid Fuels- The use of microwave heating to create pyrolysis of biomass and wastes at
a much lower temperature to flash pyrolysis (200°C) and fractionate into liquid products such as
heavy heating oils, chemicals and liquid transport fuels.
Pyrolysis/Torrefaction to Solid Fuels - the microwave can be used to torrify materials and generate
materials with a higher energy density weight for weight and volume for volume than native
biomass or waste. These solid fuels can be used in co-firing applications. Furthermore, both pyrolysis
system generate gas products, this is a relatively new area of our research.
Hydrothermal Treatment to Sugar- Through the use of high water content, high pressure, relatively
low temperature microwave systems, we have observed the formation of sugar from lignocellulosic
materials which can subsequently be fermented to bioethanol, biobutanol etc.
THEME 3) Energy storage
Theme Lead: Professor Yulong Ding, University of Leeds
Energy Storage is to play a key role in large scale use of renewable energy resources, distributed
energy systems, and peak shaving of the power network. Integration of energy storage technologies
with industrial processes is also a highly effective way to significantly increase energy efficiency. This
theme will cover heat and cold storage technologies, conversion between thermal energy and
electrical energy, and techno-economic analyses.
We need new solutions to capture and “warehouse” green energy and allow it to be used, when
required, either on grid or in a vehicle. At one end of the scale, pumped hydro is limited
geograghically by requiring mountains; while, at the other end, batteries are expensive and have
short lifetimes. Liquid air is an alternative to “store” energy. It is cheap, uses mature components
and is highly scaleable. Additionally, the low boiling temperature of liquid air allows it to harness low
grade waste heat by increasing the expansion rate from liquid back to gas by about 700 times. As
with a traditional steam engine, a cryogenic engine relies on phase-change (liquid to gas) and
expansion within a confined space, eg engine cylinder or turbine.
Critically, the system can be scaled to 100MWs/GWhs of storage, similar to a medium scale pumped
hydro. Liquid air can easily be stored in the same low pressure tanks as used by the LNG industry; it
is hundreds of times more energy dense than water and the process does not need large mountains.
This cycle is beginning to be exploited for large scale electricity storage in UK, China and North
America for grid balancing and large scale energy storage, and in a number of novel vehicle engine
designs.
CPickerden
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Potential Project Collaborations – Large Scale
1)
Hydrogen generation through gasification of microwave torrified biomass
Joint lead: Leeds and York
Biomass has been selected as a key renewable resource for a step change in the energy use for a
green and sustainable future. Hydrogen is a clean energy which can be used in various applications
(i.e. fuel cell). Producing hydrogen from renewable resources will be important for a sustainable and
clean future, however currently there are many problems preventing the use of biomass as a
feedstock for hydrogen generation. In this project, we hope to integrate the known technologies of
torrefaction and gasification with an aim of demonstrating in China and Europe a complete
operational system for converting biomass into hydrogen with zero by-product. The first key part of
the project will be torrefaction comparing conventional and microwave generated chars and
addressing some of the major issues associated with its production. The second key unit operation
is the gasification process whereby biochar will be converted to gas. We anticipate the project will
then iterate between gasification and torrefaction to produce optimum bio-char for the gasification
process, in turn maximising hydrogen yields. Collaboration is currently being shaped with Huazhong
University of Science and Technology, the Institute of Engineering Thermophysics (IET,) Chinese
Academy of Science, Dalian University of Technology and Southeast University, Nanjing.
2)
District energy supply and management based on trigeneration and storage technologies
led by Leeds
This project will choose a real world example such as an 'industrial park' as the study case. The
investigation will cover the aspects of: i) supply and demand dynamic interaction ii) renewable
power connection iii) storage integration. The research and demonstration of this project will show
key technologies and operation of a mini 'smart grid' which enables high performances of all sectors.
The UK lead is Professor Yulong Ding, working alongside the Universities of Leeds, Sheffield and Hull
with Tongji University leading the Chinese team from the Peking, Sun Yat-Sen, Nanjing Science and
Technology and Shanghai Jiaotong Universities. Some potential industrial partners will also be
contacted and involved in both UK and China.
3)
Oxygen Separation Technology
led by Sheffield
Due to the need for oxy-fuel or oxy-gasification technology for future power generating systems that
include capture and sequestration of carbon dioxide, collaboration is being explored with Tianjin
University who specialise in cryogenic separation of oxygen. The team at Sheffield has
demonstrated the use of steam blowing through molten iron to separate oxygen by chemical looping
with biomass/coal.
CPickerden
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Potential Project Collaborations – Medium/Small Scale
This list of potential shared projects is currently undergoing further refinement and discussion.
1. Influence of alkali metals on catalytic biomass gasification
The influence of alkali metals released from biomass pyrolysis will be evaluated for catalytic
reforming for hydrogen production (Leeds and Huazhong University of Science and Technology)
2. Food waste biorefinery
Extending the refinery to generate both energy and chemical products, University of York, City
University Hong Kong
3. Medicinal Plant Waste for Energy and Chemicals
Generation of chemical and energy products from processed medicinal plant waste, University of
York, City University Hong Kong
4. Novel recovery of metal from fly ash
Microwave treatment of fly ash aluminium recovery, University of York, Huaneng Clean Energy
Research Institute
5. Graphene:
Development of composites based on carbonaceous mesoporous materials (Starbon) and conductive
polymer for making supercapacitors, University of York, Nanjing University of Science and Technology
6. Risk Assessment
Joint seminars and workshops on methodology with University of Sheffield, Tinjing University and
Beijing University of Chemical Engineering Technology in September 2014.
7. Coal-fired supercritical power plants
Modelling/simulation and analysis of coal-fired supercritical power plants, University of Hull with Prof
Zhu from the Shanghai Electric Power University.
8. Application of Energy Storage in Power Plant with Carbon Capture
Considering national grid requirements, University of Hull, working with North China Electric Power
University in Beijing.
9. Hydrogen production from thermo-chemical conversion of renewable resources
Mixing organic solvent (e.g. ethanol) into crude biooil will be carried out to improve the reforming
process in terms of reduction of coke formation and increase of hydrogen production.
10
Biomass algae feedstock for pyrolysis/gasification
Use of Sheffield’s slow pyrolysis rig to generate biochar which will be ground to powder and gasified in
the gasifier. The Collaboration involves the transfer of dried material from Tsinghua. This system can
also capture carbon dioxide for energy recycling.
CPickerden
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Future Collaboration
By late 2013, further visits by the UK academics to China will take place in order to develop the
projects up to and including funding application stage. The visits will:
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Foster UK/China Project Team working
Finalise collaboration research agreements
Enable project enhancement and refinement
Detailed Action planning
extend the project network to include (as appropriate); other Chinese research staff; links to
other HEIs; links to industry
Source potential funding and discuss application process
Discussion with funders at a provincial level with the aid of the Consulate
Act as a model for joint UK/China research project development and operation
Raise the profile of the academics involved and the benefits of UK/China collaboration
Summary
Both workshops were successful in the level of interaction and engagement between the academics
from the two countries, the presentation of expertise and areas of interest on both sides and the
identification of key areas for potential collaboration. The workshops were operational and
discussion based to encourage ‘on-the-ground’ development and uptake of project ideas and were
facilitated by White Rose staff. The thematic approach allowed both specialism and crosscollaborative discussion and the individual theme leaders were instrumental in presenting an
overview and analysis of potential projects that could be developed. On returning to the UK, the
research ideas were plentiful and work was done on refining and developing into potential projects
and outline action plans. There is interest in creating an overall framework for ‘Energy Recovery and
Storage’, with specialist themes, work packages and activities within it. Future visits to China by the
UK academic lead to refine project plans are key to maintaining engagement and momentum.
Funding sources need accessing in both UK and China by the project groups which would be enabled
by further face-to-face meetings, and by utilising the commercial and investment understanding of
the Consulate’s Science and Innovation Team in Shanghai. The White Rose University Consortium
welcomed the opportunity to facilitate this initial activity and is enthusiastic in helping to secure and
embed the potential projects and any further strategic interventions.
CPickerden
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UK Delegate List
University of Sheffield
Professor Jim Swithenbank
Dr Yajue Wu
University of York
Dr Mark Gronnow
Dr Vitaliy Budarin
University of Leeds
Professor Yulong Ding
Leader of Theme 1
Chairman of Sheffield University Waste Incineration Centre
Department of Chemistry and Biological Engineering
Lecturer, Department of Chemistry and Biological Engineering
Leader of Theme 2
Process Development Unit Manager
Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence
Senior Researcher, Microwave technology platform Leader
Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence
Dr Yongliang Li
Dr Chunfei Wu
Leader of Theme 3
Director, Institute of Particle Science & Engineering
Research Fellow, Institute of Particle Science and Engineering,
Research Fellow, Energy Research Institute
University of Hull
Dr Meihong Wang
Reader in Engineering
White Rose University Consortium
Dr Julian White
Chief Executive
Claire Pickerden
Project Development Manager
CPickerden
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Contributors in Beijing
Chinese Academy of Sciences
Professor Shimou Chen
Dr Yi Jin
Dr Liang Wang
Dr Fengwu Bai
Professor Haisheng Chen
Dr Yun Huang
Institute of Process Engineering
Institute of Process Engineering
Institute of Engineering Thermophysics
Institute of Electrical Engineering
Institute of Engineering Thermophysics
Institute of Process Engineering
Tsinghua University, Beijing
Professor Qun Chen
Professor Baoguo Wang
Dept of Thermal Engineering
Dept of Chemical Engineering
University of Science and Technology Beijing
Professor Hao Bai
Department of Metallurgical and Ecological Engineering
Professor Hongxu Li
Other Institutions
Professor Michael Leung
Dr Xiaolong Wang
Professor Xinrong Zhang
Dr Dongliang Chen
Professor Hongyuan (David) Wei
Dr Xiyun Yang
Ms Ming Liu
Professor John Loughhead
Dr Nicola Combe
CPickerden
City University of Hong Kong
Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute
Peking University
Beijing University of Chemical Technology
School of Chemical Engineering, TianJin University.
Control Science and Computer Engineering School, North
China Electric Power University
Head of Science & Innovation Office,
British Consulate-General Guangzhou
Executive Director, UK Energy Research Centre
UK Energy Research Centre
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Contributors in Nanjing
Mr Yangwei ZHAO
British Consulate General Shanghai
Mr Tim Standbrook
Ms Bronte Zhang
Ms Lily Zhu
Ms Ying ZHANG
Ms Tracy TANG
Director International Cooperation Division, Department of
Science and Technology, Jiangsu Province
Consul of Science and Innovation,
Senior Science and Innovation Officer
Science and Innovation Officer
Senior Trade Officer
Inward Investment Officer
Nanjing University of Science & Technology
Professor Lianjun Wang
Vice President
Professor Yang Dongmei
International Exchanges and Co-operation
Professor Qinhua Li
Deputy Dean of School of Chemical Engineering
Professor Dongping Sun
School of Chemical Engineering
Professor Qingli Hao
School of Chemical Engineering
Professor Junwu Zhu
School of Chemical Engineering
Southeast University, Nanjing
Dr Huiyan Zhang
Dr Dekui Shen
Energy Thermal Conversion and Control
School of Energy and Environment
Huazhong University of Science and Technology
Professor Haiping Yang
Key Laboratory of Coal Combustion
Professor Hanping CHEN
Deputy Director, Key Laboratory of Coal Combustion
Nanjing University Of Aeronautics And Astronautics
Professor Yimin Xuan
School of Energy and Power Engineering
Professor Bo Shi
Shanghai Electric Power University
Professor Weiguo PAN
Professor Qunzhi ZHU
Tong Ji University
Professor Dong Zhang
Yuefeng Li
Other Institutions
Dr Carol Lin
Changying Zhao
Dr Guanghui Leng
Professor Jianzhong Sun
Professor Jing Ding
Dr Hui Cao
Guo Hong
CPickerden
Vice President
Associate Dean, College of Energy and Mechanical Engineering
School of materials science and engineering
Assistant Professor of SEE, City University Hong Kong
Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Jiangsu University
School of Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University
University of Leeds
Deputy Director, International Co-operation Division
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