Underground pumped hydraulic storage

Supervisors: Dr Angus Pettey and Dr Charles Heron 

One lesser considered challenge of the shift towards renewable energy is the need for reliable and robust energy storage facilities. A popular method of doing so is to create vast battery storage facilities which require incredible sums of upfront capital and relies on lithium, one of - if not - the most intensively mined resources of the modern age. 

What if there was another way? What if we could use the very land that lies at the foot of wind or solar farms? By pumping water into a sealed flexible membrane under a mass of soil we can convert solar energy into pressure potential energy, akin to pumping water up to an elevated reservoir but without the need for large natural elevation changes. A great idea in principle but one which presents a number of geotechnical challenges. By modelling this storage facility in one of the UK’s leading geotechnical centrifuge testing laboratories, this project will overcome these issues - such as cyclical loading and interface effects - and rationalise the use of this method on various scales which society requires. 

Candidate requirements

This project requires a background which includes undergraduate geotechnics/soil mechanics. 

The following desirable skills are an advantage, but not a requirement.

• Data analysis skills in python
• An interest in energy policy / the economics of energy
• Numerical modelling

Skills you will gain

Under supervision you will gain:

• Expert knowledge of centrifuge modelling challenges and solutions
• Advanced programming/data analysis skills
• How to effectively communicate complex and novel research
• Opportunities to develop lab demonstration/teaching experience
• The confidence to deal with uncertainty and tackle any problem without a defined final answer

Funding

This position is fully funded for 3.5 years tuition and includes a tax-free UKRI stipend of approximately £20,780. After a suitable candidate is found, funding is then sought from the University of Nottingham as part of a competitive process.

Eligibility and how to apply

This studentship is available for UK nationals, or in exceptional circumstances international applicants where the candidate has a strong application.

Interested applicants can find out more by emailing Dr Angus Pettey at angus.pettey1@nottingham.ac.uk. Please email with the subject line “UPHS PhD.”