As part of the Thermochemical Processes course unit of the master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Specialisation in Environmental Energy Technologies, taught by EEUM lecturer Francisco Brito, 18 students presented their projects on 12 June.

Hybrid Rocket Engine was the project of students Clara Pinto, Diana Gomes, Eduardo Barbosa, Gonçalo Araújo, Margarida Pereira and Rui Alves. This project took significant steps towards building a hybrid rocket engine, i.e. a rocket that uses solid fuel (in this case acrylic) and a fluid oxidiser (in this case compressed air or oxygen).

The Split Cell Electrolyser was developed by students Hugo Neiva, Luís Freitas, Manuel Cabeças, Márcia Sá, Nuno Silva and Simão Pinheiro. This project is an alkaline electrolyser that converts water into green hydrogen and oxygen using an electric current.

The UPDRAFT gasifier was presented by students Afonso Proença, Dinis Nogueira, Emanuel Loureiro, Gonçalo Salgueiro, Laura Simões and Vasco Cruz Teixeira. This is a biomass gasifier that converts this solid fuel into a gas that can be burnt sustainably, for example in an internal combustion engine.

It is worth mentioning the collaboration of these projects with institutions such as the CVR – Centre for the Recovery of Waste in the area of gasification, with the dissertation work of Pedro Ferreira (Master’s in Mechanical Engineering) and João Gomes (Master’s in Aerospace Engineering), or with projects funded by the FCT, such as the FCT COOLSPOT Project promoted by professors from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Óscar Carvalho (CMEMS researcher) and Francisco Brito (MEtRICs researcher) from the UMinho School of Engineering.