News
Oxsensis Leads Consortium in £1.2M Sensor Project for Advanced Hydrogen Combustion – Award Under Technology Strategy Board Carbon Abatement Technologies Programme
Oxsensis also Awarded Feasibility Study for Vibration Sensors for Gas Turbine Health Monitoring by Technology Strategy Board
A consortium led by Oxsensis Ltd with partners Rolls-Royce plc and Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery Ltd has won major UK support for the £1.2m FRETSGATE instrumentation project. The project is one of the ten major collaborative research and development projects aimed at reducing CO2 emissions from large single point sources (primarily fossil-fuel power plants and large process industries) announced under the Carbon Abatement programme of the Technology Strategy Board, joining with the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and the Northern Way partnership.
FRETSGATE will develop a novel optical temperature sensor which, when incorporated into advanced power systems, will contribute towards a potential saving of >1 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) through efficiency gains and is particularly aimed at improving the control of combustion using hydrogen, thus assisting the development of “Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle” (“Clean Coal”) and ultimately carbon capture and storage. The technology is also likely to have a role in aero engines. The project will develop an optical sensor head and matching interrogator. The system will be developed through proof of concept to a technology demonstrator suitable for testing in realistic environments.
The Carbon Abatement programme is a £15 million investment made by the Technology Strategy Board and its partners on behalf of the government in over 30 new research and development projects and studies which, once fully developed, will contribute significantly to meeting UK and EU climate change targets, whilst providing significant global market opportunities for British companies.
Explaining the background to the investment decision, the Technology Strategy Board’s Chief Executive, Iain Gray, said:
“The introduction of renewable energy technologies will, over time, reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. However, these will continue to dominate our energy supply for at least another 40 years. Given these scenarios, it is clear that the development and demonstration of innovative, cost effective technologies which reduce CO2 emissions are essential if our fossil-fuel power plants and large process industries are to remain viable. Working in partnership with DECC and the Northern Way, we hope to put the UK in a position to take advantage of the emerging global market in CO2 capture and storage.”
David Gahan, CEO of Oxsensis Ltd said, “The UK is developing a lead in sensors for advanced combustion control to enable higher efficiencies in gas turbines for power plants and aero engines. We are very happy that our project with Rolls-Royce plc and Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery has been selected by the Technology Strategy Board.”
Gahan also thanked the Technology Strategy Board for a feasibility study award for vibration sensors aimed at health monitoring for gas turbine systems.
Click here to download the press release