RICH research themes are aligned with UAE and KU strategic goals to educate and develop valuable knowledge for energy and the environment. The four main themes covered by the center are CO2 capture, CO2 utilization, H2 production, storage and distribution, and Outreach and dissemination.

The themes and topics covered by RICH are aligned with the strategic priority that KU places in research and education for energy and the environment as well as the strategy of the UAE. Some selected projects are directly funded by the initial seed provided by Khalifa University to support the center, while other parallel projects complement the activities carried on by the center. The center is divided in four interconnected themes 


Research themes
1. T1- CO2 capture & storage 2. T2- CO2 utilization 3. T3- H2 production & storage 4. T4- H2 distribution and utilization 5. T5- Sustainable fuels 6. T6- Outreach, education, exploitation, and dissemination
1. T1- CO2 capture & storage
T1- CO2 capture & storage Theme Leader: Dr. A. AlHajaj

The objectives of the CO2 capture and storage theme are to develop novel materials and highly efficient processes for CO2 capture and storage with improved performance and lower cost than the ones currently used and assess the efficacy of CO2 storage/ decarbonization pathways. The theme also includes optimization of current materials/solvents and integration into emerging processes for CO2 capture.

 

2. T2- CO2 utilization
T2- CO2 utilization Theme Leader: Dr. M. Khaleel

The overall objective of T2 is to advance in the development of novel materials and processes that allow converting CO2 into CO2-neutral valuable products. RICH will incentivize start-ups with the new products developed from the theme as well collaborations with local industries interested in them. Collaborations with international experts are also envisioned in the different activities.

 

3. T3- H2 production & storage
T3- H2 production & storage Theme Leader: Prof. L. Vega

The objective of this theme is to develop and implement low-carbon hydrogen production processes (electrochemical, photochemical, thermochemical and biochemical processes, in addition to methane pyrolysis and combined reforming processes), as well as to establish materials and processes for high-capacity, reliable-availability H2 storage, including liquid hydrogen carriers, chemical and solid-state storage, by a combined modeling-experimental approach. Techno-economic and life cycle assessment will be performed to move forward the most promising materials and processes. RICH activities cover the whole value chain of hydrogen in themes 3, 4 and 5.

 

4. T4- H2 distribution and utilization
T4- H2 distribution and utilization Theme Leader: Prof. D. Kyritsis

The goal of T4 is twofold: to design and optimize materials and processes for hydrogen distribution in a safe and efficient manner, and to further advance selected applications of hydrogen in the HtX scenario, focused on fuel cells, ammonia as a carbon-less fuel, synthetic fuels and upgrading bio-oil (together with T5), and applications in hard-to-abate sectors (metal production, cement and heavy transportation). A combined modeling-experimental approach will be used, including techno-economics and life-cycle analysis, to move the technologies to higher TRLs and commercialization.

 

5. T5- Sustainable fuels
T5- Sustainable fuels Theme Leader: Prof. G. Palmisano

T5 aims to implement the technologies being developed in the vertical themes (T1-T4) and others for producing SFs, by focusing on demonstration at lab scale and prototype development to advance the TRL of the processes from low (1-3) to medium (4-6), while performing techno-economic and life cycle assessments of these technologies in the circular economy context.

 

6. T6- Outreach, education, exploitation, and dissemination
T6- Outreach, education, exploitation, and dissemination Theme Leader: Dr. Ali Almansoori

The overall objective is to foster outreach, technology transfer and educational activities aiming at accomplishing the goals of the center, serving KU, the Country, and the world. Specific objectives include:

  • The overall objective is to foster outreach, technology transfer and educational activities aiming at accomplishing the goals of the center, serving KU, the Country, and the world. Specific objectives include:
  • Promote and foster academic-industry partnership
  • Generate fundamental and applied knowledge
  • Train highly skilled scientists and engineers
  • Raise funding/support to the center
  • Serve UAE governmental agencies
  • Act as a contact point to UAE governmental agencies and companies for consultancy.
  • Educate the community and society in clean energy, sustainability, and hydrogen economy.

 

Key enabling technologies

 

Areas of expertise

  • CO2 capture at different industrial conditions

    Traditional solvents, novel alternative solvents, and process optimization Adsorbents and hybrid materials, including their process performance Interaction of CO2 with rocks at different conditions– CO2 storage lue hydrogen: combining CO2 capture with H2 production

  • Different fronts in CO2 utilization

    Integrated CO2 capture with CO2 utilization (DAC)

    Photocatalytic materials for CO2 conversion

    Direct uses of CO2 – circular economy – from waste to materials

    Supercritical CO2 as Green solvent

    Biological routes of CO2 utilization

    Chemical conversion: production of synthetic (solar) fuels (H2 & CO2)

  • Multiscale modeling

    DFT, molecular simulations, machine learning – design of materials or

    Process modeling – system level work: optimization of processes

    Techno-economics and environmental assessment

  • Low carbon H2 production and storage

    Production of green hydrogen from H2O and H2S splitting combined with solar energy – photocatalysis and thermochemical

    Turquoise and orange hydrogen

    Blue hydrogen: combining CO2 capture with H2 production

    MOFs/ hybrid for hydrogen storage

  • Hydrogen transportation and utilization

    Power-to-X

    Ammonia as a carbon-less fuel using hydrogen

    Blends of hydrogen with natural gas: transportation and utilization

    Sustainable synthetic fuels (H2 & CO2)

    Hydrogen for hard-to-abate sectors: steel, iron, heavy transportation

  • Multiscale modeling

    DFT, molecular simulations, machine learning – design of materials

    Process modeling – system level work: optimization of processes

    Techno-economics and environmental assessment

 

Areas of expertise of RICH on Sustainable Fuels