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Two important pieces of research that will deliver significant benefits to many business sectors have won significant funding from the government’s Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF). The first research project focuses on in-situ flow measurement, the second on the measurement of hydrogen gas when it is used as a vehicle fuel.
“We are delighted by this support, which highlights the confidence that the ISCF has in our capacity to deliver practical benefits to industry,” says Managing Director, Brian Millington. “We know the challenges involved and the goals we want to reach. It’s very exciting that we’ve now got the financial resources to conduct the leading-edge research required. What’s more, both projects dovetail nicely with the £16-million investment we are making in new facilities and with the on-going work of our Flow Programme.”
The flow measurement research addresses a major challenge affecting many industries. This is the fact that real-world conditions can affect the performance of flow sensors, causing significant errors that can, for example, affect taxation revenues. This problem is particularly challenging for oil and gas companies that must measure complex multiphase fluid mixtures in remote and inaccessible environments.
The research will develop a traceable methodology and standards for the verification of multiphase flow meters in-situ. In essence, it will provide a verification of flow meter performance that accounts for all relevant real-world factors. Applications will be many and varied, from upstream oil and gas production and reactor control in nuclear power, to food and beverage production control.
The research on hydrogen vehicle fuel is equally vital. Although hydrogen-powered vehicles offer a low-emission transport solution that could help tackle climate change, no effective and accurate methods currently exist to measure the quantities of fuel dispensed into such vehicles.
NEL will tackle two principle metrology challenges: metering the flow of hydrogen fuel and assessing its quality. The project will help facilitate the development of refuelling stations and hydrogen vehicles.
The government’s Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund was set up to identify and develop UK industries that are fit for the future, driving progress in technologies where the UK can build on its existing industrial and research strengths.
