PhD Studentship: Development of a Multifunctional Reactor for Biochar Production and BECCS Technology

This fully funded PhD position focuses on designing and demonstrating a laboratory-scale multifunctional reactor capable of producing biochar and bio-syngas while integrating carbon capture and storage (BECCS) capabilities. The project, led by the University of Nottingham in collaboration with industrial partners, aims to advance net-zero technologies by combining reactor engineering, biomass utilization, and carbon capture. The successful candidate will work on conceptual design, reactor manufacturing, experimental testing, and advanced material characterization. The research will progress from simulated CO₂ streams to real-world flue gas experiments, contributing to sustainable energy solutions.

• Collaborate with a commercial laboratory furnace manufacturer to design a laboratory-scale electrically heated furnace for housing the multifunctional reactor.
• Design and manufacture at least two reactor configurations (fluidised-bed and fixed-bed) for biochar production and BECCS evaluation using calcium-based and other solid sorbents.
• Conduct biochar production experiments using various biomass feedstocks and characterize the resulting biochar materials using advanced techniques such as BET surface area analysis, SEM, XRD, and TGA.
• Perform CO₂ capture experiments using the multifunctional reactor testing system with calcium-based sorbents at elevated temperatures and alternative solid sorbents at lower temperatures.
• Progress from simulated CO₂-containing gas streams to experiments using real CO₂-containing flue gases.
• Work closely with academic researchers and industrial partners to develop innovative low-carbon technologies.