Details of Grant

EPSRC Reference:

EP/S032118/1

Title:

NewJet Network+

Principal Investigator:

Other Investigators:

Marsh, Professor R	Thornley, Professor EP	Maroto-Valer, Professor M
Raper, Professor D	Crayford, Dr A P	Andresen, Professor J
Pourkashanian, Professor M	Bowen, Professor P	Christie, Dr S

Researcher Co-Investigators:

Project Partners:

Department for Transport

Renovare Fuels Limited

Department:

Mechanical Engineering

Organisation:

University of Birmingham

Scheme:

Standard Research

Starts:

01 December 2019

Ends:

31 January 2024

Value (£):

1,026,632

EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:

Bioenergy

Sustainable Energy Vectors

EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:

Aerospace, Defence and Marine	Energy
Transport Systems and Vehicles

Related Grants:

Panel History:

Panel Date	Panel Name	Outcome
02 Apr 2019	Decarb Transport Full Prioritisation	Announced

Summary on Grant Application Form

A thriving aviation sector sits at the heart of the UK's vision for a global and connected Britain. Aviation and aerospace contribute more than £22bn a year to the UK economy. R&D in electric and hybrid aircraft technology is essential in the journey to decarbonise aviation, but will be realised initially in short haul travel. Medium and long-haul aircraft, where the majority of carbon emissions are produced, will remain dependent on liquid fuel for the foreseeable future.

The aviation sector demands a fuel of high quality to cope with the extreme conditions experienced in flight around the globe, and thus requires governmental and multilateral organisations to work closely together to ensure safety across the whole sector. This rigour means that the industry has several self-regulating bodies controlling the specification of fuel, principally ASTM International based in the US and the Aviation Fuels Committee, run by the UK MOD and the Energy Institute. The focus on safety has meant that the fuel used by the sector has not changed substantially since the 1960's, despite significant advances in the engine and airframe energy efficiencies. The NewJet Network+ would seek overcome the industry "inertia" by taking a longer term and more strategic view than is currently in place within the specification community.

The NewJet Network+ will explore the advantages to commercial aviation offered by the increasing levels of low carbon, synthetic fuel production beyond the existing fuel specification. The network will create a forum (free from commercial restraints that would limit freedom of forward and more strategic thinking) where an exploration of a new jet fuel specification for 2040 and beyond can be investigated. It will specifically focus on the improved properties of synthetic fuels over conventionally refined, fossil fuel feedstocks.

Building on the present model of developing synthetic fuels to mimic the behaviour of conventional fuels, the goal of NewJet is to provide new understanding and insights into the benefits and barriers to a new fuel specification by 2040. The outcome of NewJet will be a virtual centre of excellence linking the chemical properties of a fuel to improved performance properties in flight.

We believe that intervention at a whole system level will help provide a platform for discussions as to the possible benefits of a new fuel specification for conventional and alternative fuels - in terms of CO2 reductions, but also more widely, the non-CO2 benefits, performance and cost of ownership.

Key Findings

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Potential use in non-academic contexts

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Impacts

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Summary
Date Materialised

Sectors submitted by the Researcher

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Project URL:

Further Information:

Organisation Website:

http://www.bham.ac.uk