Measurement and modelling of hydrogen retention and release from complex sediments

This PhD project addresses the challenge of managing hydrogen gas in the decommissioning of the UK's nuclear legacy sites. The project will develop a fundamental understanding of how hydrogen gas bubbles are retained and released in granular sediment wastes, similar to common ion exchange and filtration media used for effluent treatment. The research will combine state-of-the-art 3D x-ray computer tomography (CT) with enhanced machine learning (ML) simulations of hydrogen gas diffusion flows. CT will be used to visualise bubble clusters in waste sediments, allowing quantification of their size and abundance for different hydrogen generation rates. The 3D CT reconstructions will be transferred as input meshes for the simulation of hydrogen transport through pore spaces, enabling prediction of hydrogen transport in these complex operations. This project is part of the Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in SATURN (Skills And Training Underpinning a Renaissance in Nuclear), led from the University of Manchester and including leading nuclear research universities in the North of England and Scotland. The project offers an opportunity to work at the interface of cutting-edge experimental visualisation techniques and computational modelling, directly impacting the safe and cost-effective decommissioning of sites like Sellafield, Dounreay, and Magnox. Candidates will develop highly sought-after skills in advanced diagnostics, CFD, and nuclear safety, supported by close collaboration with industrial partner Sellafield Ltd.