Fuel production and use
Biodiesel
At a very different scale to the large commercial biodiesel facilities operating in the Tees Valley, technologies are under development for intensifying the biodiesel production process, eg. developing a portable production unit that produces no water effluent, and developing a process that runs on a solid catalyst. Other fields of activity include conversion of by-product glycerol into valuable chemical feedstocks and C1 chemistry for fuel synthesis from syngas.
Bioethanol
By developing cocktails of enzymes that can be brought into prolonged and intimate contact with cellulosic and other feedstocks, the process of converting biomass into fermentable sugars is being sped up 1,000 – 10,000 times. A range of molecular biology techniques is thereby brought to bear on the challenge of producing bioethanol from a wide range of feedstocks.
Engine development
Novel configurations for internal combustion engines are under development, exploring things like NOx reduction in biofuel engines, modification of engine injection systems to accommodate different biofuels, and Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition engines. Development work on free piston engines is also underway, with applications in linear generators where space is restricted and low-vibration operation required.
New transport applications
Dual-fuel engine technology is under development, aimed at using hydrogen as a fuel improver. In addition to engines for road transport applications, there is also work on boat and ship engines.
Non-transport uses
This area includes use of biofuels and biofuel/hydrogen mixtures in CHP and tri-generation applications.
Facilities
A new engine development and test laboratory has been established in 2008, with engines that are capable of handling a wide range of road and marine duties and CHP duties. Some of the larger tri-generation equipment has been located at the NaREC facilities in nearby Blyth.
