Millions in funds for research into water electrolysis and complex granular flows
TU/e researchers have received 2.5 million euros in grants to fund their research into water electrolysis and complex granular flows.
TU/e researchers Niels Deen and Hans Kuipers have been awarded the total sum of 2.5 million euros to fund their research into water electrolysis and complex granular flows. The money comes from the so-called TA-funds of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), which are aimed at improving the collaboration between research institutes and industry.
Niels Deen, professor and chair of the Power & Flow group in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the TU/e, will look at ways of improving the efficiency of water electrolysis. Electrolysis, which uses electrodes to convert water into hydrogen and oxygen, plays a key role in the transition to sustainable energy, but remains poorly understood.
The research will focus on the formation of hydrogen bubbles, the transport of chemical species near the bubbles and the electrodes, and the interaction between bubbles. The research is done in collaboration with University of Twente and TU Delft, and two industrial partners, Shell and Nouryon (formerly AkzoNobel). The companies will use the insights to improve the efficiency of their electrolysis processes.
Granular
Hans Kuipers, professor Multi-scale Modelling of Multi-phase Flows in the department of Chemical Engineering at the TU/e, will conduct research into the flow behaviour of small particles like sand, sugar or industrial polymers. Understanding these granular materials and the way they interact is vital for many industrial processes. The research will look primarily at complex granular flows, where both the form of the particles and the way they interact are complex. The research is partly funded by SABIC, Shell, Tata Steel en Teijin Aramid B.V.
About TA
Technology Areas (TAs) are funded within the NWO domain Science, and are aimed at public-private partnerships between at least two private companies and at least two research institutes. The projects are partly funded by industry (one third) and partly by NWPO (two thirds). The project size ranges from 750.000 euros (i.e. 250.000 euros private funds and 500.000 NWO funds) to 1.500.000 euros.