Low Carbon Power Technology - Micro-credential

Overview

Who is this Micro-credential for?  

• This micro-credential targets relevant professionals interested in sustainable power generation technologies across industry and the public sector, including Mechanical and Electrical Engineers, Planners, Energy/Sustainability Consultants, Small Medium Enterprises.

Why should I take this Micro-credential? 

• Our modern society is highly dependent upon electricity for communications, computing, manufacture, transport, homes and services. Electricity generation must deliver a reliable energy supply with minimal toxic or greenhouse gas emissions. 

• Conventional electric power stations have contributed significantly to global carbon emissions in the past and there is a need to rapidly move away from coal and other fossil fuels. Achieving this requires diversification of energy sources, more efficient energy conversion and large-scale energy storage. 

• This micro-credential will establish the foundational physical principles that enable the extraction of useful work / energy from various sources (thermal, fluid, chemical, nuclear etc.), and present the current state of the art in power generation machinery. The important methods of power generation will each be examined, with foundational analysis, in the context of significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. 

When can I start this Micro-credential? 

• There is one intake per year in September:  

• Next available start date: 12th September 2023

What do I need to be accepted onto this Micro-credential? – Entry requirements & Prerequisite documents  

• Applicants must have a 2.1 grade in a level 8 degree in Engineering or a cognate discipline.

• CV & Transcript (2:1)

What will I learn? 

• Students will learn to analyse energy cycles for the important configurations of steam plants and gas turbines, including analysis of component performance including pumps, compressors, turbines, heat exchangers and combustors. 

• You will learn how to analyse advanced natural gas turbine power plants including cogeneration plants, trigeneration plants, hybrid GT Fuel cell plants and combined heat and power. 

• Students will learn about technology relevant to waste-to-energy and renewable energies including gasification, anaerobic digestion, pyrolysis, cogeneration gas turbines, biomass combustors. The main types of hydraulic turbines and pumps will be presented and analysed in the context of hydroelectric power generation and pumped hydro storage. Other methods of large-scale energy will be presented, including thermal storage, compressed air and gas, batteries, and electrolysis. 

• Students will learn the importance of effective storage as part of decarbonising energy and will analyse these systems to determine the overall round-trip efficiency of energy storage to judge their viability. Nuclear energy production will be presented, covering the history of nuclear, underlying physics, basic components, reactor types, neutron moderation, heat transfer and coolant system design. Students will learn to evaluate the different power generation technologies in the context of efficiency, cost, flexibility.

What will I do? 

• In this micro-credential you will participate in lecture classes that are delivered in a hybrid online and face-to-face format, and be encouraged to actively participate and contribute during classes 

• Students will undertake significant elements of independent assignment work, making use of published technical literature and other on-line resources, and will tackle tutorial problems to reinforce theory and concepts explained in class. 

• You will develop computational models of energy systems and use those to study efficiency, cost, and carbon emissions of different configurations.

How will this Micro-credential be delivered? 

• This 10 ECTS micro-credential comprises 44 hours lectures (hybrid synchronous online and face-to-face) and 22 hours tutorials (combination of in-person and online as appropriate). 

• Students will undertake a significant amount of independent learning that is structured around a series of continuous assessments and assignments. which include the design and analytical modelling of energy power plants and combined systems.

How is this Micro-credential assessed? 

• Students will be assessed through a series of structured assignments which include a technology report, class tests, computational models of complete energy systems and optimisation of component/machine designs.