The objective of this project is to improve the quality of the hard-to-reach areas of the hydraulic turbine blades using abrasive waterjet polishing method. By this way, the energy lost caused by parietal friction between the turbine blades and the flow will be decreased and consequently the efficiency of the turbine will be improved. Previously, the polishing process of some parts of the turbines was performed manually which caused uneven finished surface and poor quality in some areas. With this method, through a uniform polishing strategy, the desired surface quality can be achieved.

The state-of-the-art of building energy management systems uses model predictive control to compare alternative control strategies prior to implementation. Climate conditions dramatically influence the control strategy selection. These rely on conventional climate forecasting that provides coarse resolution with respect to both time and space (e.g. 1 hour, 50 km). The industrial partner Green Power Labs Inc. (GPLI) and Dalhousie University propose to use high-resolution climate forecasting at the sub-hourly and building level resolution (e.g.

Electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide (ERC) is a process by which carbon dioxide (CO2) is converted into valuable chemical products via chemical reactions driven by electricity. The goal of this project is to fabricate and test catalytic metal electrodes to increase the efficiency of ERC reactors converting carbon dioxide from industrial exhaust gas streams into formic acid.

Performance optimization and prototype demonstration of the low-cost high-efficiency Localized Inherently Thin (LIT) solar cell technology platform will be carried out during the two year Mitacs Elevate Post Doctoral Fellowship program. The candidate will also design and optimize the fabrication process, working alongside industry staff, for technology transfer and commercialization. A business study will also be carried out as part of the program in order to establish the framework for large scale manufacturing.

This project aims to develop a low cost, biologically inspired solar energy harvesting and storage device. This unique combination addresses the intermittent availability of sunlight during different times of the day by smoothing out variations in the output using stored energy. Solar energy will be captured by very efficient bacterial proteins that normally drive photosynthesis. The captured energy is harvested from the proteins and stored in a liquid salt solution that forms the bulk of the device.

This project aims to develop a low cost, biologically inspired solar energy harvesting and storage device. This unique combination addresses the intermittent availability of sunlight during different times of the day by smoothing out variations in the output using stored energy. Solar energy will be captured by very efficient bacterial proteins that normally drive photosynthesis. The captured energy is harvested from the proteins and stored in a liquid salt solution that forms the bulk of the device.

Wind turbine generator power output and consumer electricity demand vary independently from one another. This presents a difficult situation for electricity grid managers as they attempt to exactly match demand using wind turbines and conventional generators (e.g. hydro, fossil fuels). Accurate forecasting of wind turbine generator power enhances management of the electricity grid, allowing for more wind turbine generating capacity while maintaining grid stability.

The demand for photovoltaic solar modules has increased tremendously in recent years. Unfortunately, photovoltaic solar modules are prone to potential induced degradation, i.e., a decrease in the power delivered from such modules arising as a consequence of them operating continuously under high applied voltages. This project aims to design a protocol for the accelerated testing of solar modules; we want to speed-up or accelerate the aging of these solar modules in order to identify what materials and configurations in a solar module are less prone to potential induced degradation.

The Ph.D. intern will be involved in the engineering scale-up of an innovative mixed-reactant fuel cell technology pioneered at the University of British Columbia. The proposed technology provides a simpler, cheaper and more compact design compared to conventional fuel cells. The partner organization, Mantra Energy Alternatives, will benefit greatly from the proposed project because it will provide an integrated and essential component to their carbon dioxide conversion and alternative energy generation strategy.

The Ph.D. intern will be involved in the research and development of improved CO2 electroreduction catalysts aimed at enhancing the commercial feasibility of a novel Canadian technology proprietary to the partner organization, Mantra Energy Alternatives Ltd. The ultimate goal is to convert CO2 emissions from industrial sources into value-added products (e.g. formate) using Mantra’s trickle-bed electrochemical reactor.