Researchers from the world’s first dedicated Peridynamics Research Centre at Strathclyde, are involved in the £380,000 Oceanways project.
Peridynamcs can be used to calculate the effect of a tiny crack in an aeroplane wing, an iceberg hitting a ship, and even a bullet on a human body and the project will examine how a fully automated submarine fleet, powered entirely on green hydrogen, could also help cleanse the oceans of toxic pollution by collecting microplastics on its pilot route between Glasgow and Belfast.
While transporting cargo shipments, the fleet could secure significant emission savings of 27 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the first year of operation, with an overall mission to reduce 300 million tonnes of CO2 emissions as the fleet grows.
Another project led by NAOME is a £680,000 initiative enabling retrofit technologies. TransShip will research the feasibility of retro-fitting existing ocean ocean-going and short-sea shipping vessels to enable them to make the seamless transition to hydrogen powered waterborne transport systems. Leading experts and key patent holders from across four industrial partners and two academic institutions will develop novel technologies, including onboard hydrogen technology and energy saving devices for hydrogen powered ships.
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