Job Description:
The Research Councils UK (RCUK) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST), New Delhi are looking to strengthen collaboration between UK and Indian research institutions. India remains one of the UK Research Councils’ priority countries for increasing research collaboration.
This call will focus on Fuel Cells. The area of the call was agreed upon through a dialogue between the UK Research Councils’ and the Government of India’s Department of Science and Technology (DST). Development of technologies relating to fuel cells was agreed to be of importance to both countries.
Background
Fuel Cells have been identified by both India and the UK as an area of significance in providing solutions to the problem of meeting future energy needs. The potential for the UK and India to work together in this area was outlined in a publication entitled Fuel Cells in India: Opportunities for UK-India Collaboration
(http://ukinindia.fco.gov.uk/resources/en/pdf/SIN/FuelCellReport101208). The agreement to collaborate on research funding was confirmed at Ministerial level in a meeting between the Indian and UK Science Ministers in July 2010.
Development of call for proposals
In order to scope the areas for potential collaboration, a workshop to bring together leading fuel cell technology researchers from both the India and the UK was arranged and held in Chennai in September 2010. This call is based around areas identified as themes of common interest during the workshop.
Types of Proposals Sought
RCUK and DST expect to support projects from this call which address the ‘Challenges’ set out below. In addition to the usual academic requirements for a research project a successful application must: · be a joint activity involving research groups from both the UK and India, · involve personnel exchange between the Indian and the UK partners
The Research Councils have committed to a contribution of up to £3M for this call over a three year period with matched resources from DST.
Scientific focus for the call
Within an overarching focus on research relating to fuel cells, the following ‘Challenges’ were agreed at the workshop to be of mutual interest to both the UK and India and where both countries shared complementary strengths:
1. Fundamentals of fuel cell operation
Key areas were identified as Kinetics and mechanism of oxygen reduction and oxygen evolution reactions, Kinetics and mechanism of fuel oxidation and hydrogen evolution reactions, Corrosion of catalysts, supports, and bi-polar plates, Development of in-situ tools and modelling, Electrode/ electrolyte interface, Development of new catalysts/ supports/ electrolytes/bi-polar plates, Characterising the voltage losses: mass transport,
kinetic and ohmic.
2. Durability and Degradation
Key areas were identified as Ageing tests (PEM: accelerated aging, real time evaluation, mechanical cycling (electrolyte creep), SOFC: thermal cycling,redox cycling,oad cycling), Mechanism identification – Understanding degradation (PEM: cold start, start up, shutdown, effect on catalysts and supports, Bipolar plates; SOFC: sealants, catalysts, anode poisoning), Diagnostic tools (PEM: non destructive, non intrusive, cellperformance post mortem; SOFC: gas analysis, thermal analysis, post mortem analysis, cell performance), Lifetime and reliability modelling (Durability of BoP; Test protocols;Develop accelerated life testing; Test on realistic conditions (load profile, environment, start stops, effect of dynamic conditions).
3. System Integration
Key areas were identified as Air, thermal and water management – mass and energy balance, Buffer in between reformer and FC stack, SOFC start up arrangement, Ease of maintenance/ replacement and Improving system efficiency (Improved efficiency and flexibility of the electrical power converters; CHP in SOFC and PEMFC; Improved thermal
efficiency by coupling heat to reformer (SOFC) or hydride store (PEMFC); H2 recycling strategies to improve reactant efficiency).
4. Fuel Flexibility
Key areas were identified as Fuel clean-up and mitigation of poisons (Gas purification e.g. removal of S from natural gas; Reduction of poison content in anode gas), Poison resistance (SOFC: S-tolerant/ internal reforming anodes; PEMFC: CO (and other poisons) tolerance; Hydrogen store: poisoning of solid state substrates) and Fuel storage (Fuel storage for mixed fuel applications; New storage materials).
This call invites proposals that address some or more of the challenges listed above –
with an emphasis on cost reduction and working with industry as appropriate.
Summary Guidance for applicants
As this is a joint application to DST and EPSRC1, applicants should ensure that identical applications are submitted by the closing date to DST and EPSRC. The UK application should be submitted through the UK Research Councils grant submission system which is known as
‘Je-S’ (further details on this below). The DST application should be a hard copy of the UK Je-S form and attachments. Applicants are to ensure that all documents are submitted to bothDST and JeS For further details see the JeS submission guidance on page 3. The costs ofthe UK Institutions will be met from Research Councils funds, those for the Indian partnerinstitutions will be met by the DST. A UK based lead partner and an Indian based lead partner, should be identified each of whom will lead on interaction with the funding agency in their respective countries.
The Research Councils UK (RCUK) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST), New Delhi are looking to strengthen collaboration between UK and Indian research institutions. India remains one of the UK Research Councils’ priority countries for increasing research collaboration.
This call will focus on Fuel Cells. The area of the call was agreed upon through a dialogue between the UK Research Councils’ and the Government of India’s Department of Science and Technology (DST). Development of technologies relating to fuel cells was agreed to be of importance to both countries.
Background
Fuel Cells have been identified by both India and the UK as an area of significance in providing solutions to the problem of meeting future energy needs. The potential for the UK and India to work together in this area was outlined in a publication entitled Fuel Cells in India: Opportunities for UK-India Collaboration
(http://ukinindia.fco.gov.uk/resources/en/pdf/SIN/FuelCellReport101208). The agreement to collaborate on research funding was confirmed at Ministerial level in a meeting between the Indian and UK Science Ministers in July 2010.
Development of call for proposals
In order to scope the areas for potential collaboration, a workshop to bring together leading fuel cell technology researchers from both the India and the UK was arranged and held in Chennai in September 2010. This call is based around areas identified as themes of common interest during the workshop.
Types of Proposals Sought
RCUK and DST expect to support projects from this call which address the ‘Challenges’ set out below. In addition to the usual academic requirements for a research project a successful application must: · be a joint activity involving research groups from both the UK and India, · involve personnel exchange between the Indian and the UK partners
The Research Councils have committed to a contribution of up to £3M for this call over a three year period with matched resources from DST.
Scientific focus for the call
Within an overarching focus on research relating to fuel cells, the following ‘Challenges’ were agreed at the workshop to be of mutual interest to both the UK and India and where both countries shared complementary strengths:
1. Fundamentals of fuel cell operation
Key areas were identified as Kinetics and mechanism of oxygen reduction and oxygen evolution reactions, Kinetics and mechanism of fuel oxidation and hydrogen evolution reactions, Corrosion of catalysts, supports, and bi-polar plates, Development of in-situ tools and modelling, Electrode/ electrolyte interface, Development of new catalysts/ supports/ electrolytes/bi-polar plates, Characterising the voltage losses: mass transport,
kinetic and ohmic.
2. Durability and Degradation
Key areas were identified as Ageing tests (PEM: accelerated aging, real time evaluation, mechanical cycling (electrolyte creep), SOFC: thermal cycling,redox cycling,oad cycling), Mechanism identification – Understanding degradation (PEM: cold start, start up, shutdown, effect on catalysts and supports, Bipolar plates; SOFC: sealants, catalysts, anode poisoning), Diagnostic tools (PEM: non destructive, non intrusive, cellperformance post mortem; SOFC: gas analysis, thermal analysis, post mortem analysis, cell performance), Lifetime and reliability modelling (Durability of BoP; Test protocols;Develop accelerated life testing; Test on realistic conditions (load profile, environment, start stops, effect of dynamic conditions).
3. System Integration
Key areas were identified as Air, thermal and water management – mass and energy balance, Buffer in between reformer and FC stack, SOFC start up arrangement, Ease of maintenance/ replacement and Improving system efficiency (Improved efficiency and flexibility of the electrical power converters; CHP in SOFC and PEMFC; Improved thermal
efficiency by coupling heat to reformer (SOFC) or hydride store (PEMFC); H2 recycling strategies to improve reactant efficiency).
4. Fuel Flexibility
Key areas were identified as Fuel clean-up and mitigation of poisons (Gas purification e.g. removal of S from natural gas; Reduction of poison content in anode gas), Poison resistance (SOFC: S-tolerant/ internal reforming anodes; PEMFC: CO (and other poisons) tolerance; Hydrogen store: poisoning of solid state substrates) and Fuel storage (Fuel storage for mixed fuel applications; New storage materials).
This call invites proposals that address some or more of the challenges listed above –
with an emphasis on cost reduction and working with industry as appropriate.
Summary Guidance for applicants
As this is a joint application to DST and EPSRC1, applicants should ensure that identical applications are submitted by the closing date to DST and EPSRC. The UK application should be submitted through the UK Research Councils grant submission system which is known as
‘Je-S’ (further details on this below). The DST application should be a hard copy of the UK Je-S form and attachments. Applicants are to ensure that all documents are submitted to bothDST and JeS For further details see the JeS submission guidance on page 3. The costs ofthe UK Institutions will be met from Research Councils funds, those for the Indian partnerinstitutions will be met by the DST. A UK based lead partner and an Indian based lead partner, should be identified each of whom will lead on interaction with the funding agency in their respective countries.
EPSRC and DST must receive your application by 4:00PM (Greenwich Mean Time) on Thursday 25th November 2010.
