Professor Hamidreza Gohari Darabkhani

• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
• Professional Member and committee co-leader in Micro Gas Turbine (MGT) systems in European Turbine Network (ETN)
• Academic Member of the UK Carbon Capture and Storage Research Centre (UKCCSRC)
• Member of the Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce Energy, Environment & Sustainability Forum
• Interim Committee Member of Staffordshire Climate Change Matters Network
• Guest Editor of Energies a Special Issue Titled: Micro-turbines for hydrogen fuels, 2021
• Editorial Board Member for International Journal of Energy and Power Engineering
• Editorial Board Member of SCIREA Journal of Energy

• PhD in Mechanical Engineering (Combustion & Energy)-2010, The University of Manchester, UK.
• Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice-2018, Cranfield University, UK
• MSc in Aerospace Engineering (Power & Propulsion Systems)-2001, Amirkabir University of Technology, Iran.
• BSc in Mechanical Engineering (Thermofluids)-1997, Amirkabir University of Technology, Iran.

• Net-Zero emission energy scenarios.
• Carbon capture technologies (oxyfuel/pre/post combustion capture).
• Micro Combined Heat and Power (Micro-CHP) systems for smart buildings.
• Renewable energy systems (e.g., biofuel, wind, solar, geothermal, marine).
• H₂ generation, storage, and utilisation (e.g., Fuel Cells-FC, Micro Gas Turbines-MGT, Internal Combustion Engines-ICE).
• Energy storage technologies (liquid/compressed air, H₂-FC, batteries).
• CO₂ storage for Enhanced Oil/Gas Recovery (EOR/EGR).
• Design, simulation, and testing NG/Biogas/Syngas/H₂
• Process simulation, performance analysis and CFD modelling.
• Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.
• High pressure combustion and combustion diagnostics.
• Thermofluids, heat transfer and thermodynamics.

• Low-carbon and renewable energy systems for Smart Cities.
• Energy management and integration systems.
• Co/Tri generation in smart buildings (Micro-CHP and CCHP).
• Alternative renewable fuels (e.g., Biogas, Syngas, H₂, Biohythane).
• Carbon capture in power plants and heavy industries (oxyturbine power cycles, gasification, membrane technologies).
• H₂ generation and utilisation (in boilers, micro gas turbine and fuel cells).
• Wind, solar, geothermal, marine energy systems.
• Energy storage and regeneration technologies (e.g., liquid air batterie, H₂-FC, hydro pump storage).
• Carbon reduction in heavy industries (e.g., steel, glass, chemicals).
• Environmental pollution and global warming.

I have extensively worked in collaborative R&D programmes on technologies to resolve the current major issues in atmospheric pollutions and global warming, to achieve net-zero emission targets. I am an expert with proven track record in low carbon technologies (e.g., CCS, Micro-CHP, H₂-FC, Liquid air batteries) and in renewable energy systems (e.g., bioenergy, wind, geothermal, marine, and solar). I have research and enterprise interest in utilising alternative fuels (e.g., Biofuel, Hydrogen, Syngas, Biohythane) in MGT and ICE systems for decentralised heat, power, and cooling generation. I have commercial interest in developing clean energy systems for smart buildings, deploying advanced manufacturing technologies in energy systems and in carbon reduction from heavy industries (e.g., steel manufacturing). I am working on energy storage and regeneration systems including H₂ fuel cell and liquid/compressed air batteries to support more flexible and reliable grid systems. I have extensive experience of working with both national and international partners and actively contributed to the proposal writing, technical management, and delivery of over £5m research council and industry-funded projects in low carbon and renewable energy systems.

My main teaching activities are Low carbon and renewable energy systems, engineering design and thermo-fluids. I currently teach the following modules/subjects in the Undergraduate and Postgraduate schemes:

Undergraduate

• Fundamentals of Mechanics and Thermofluids
• Power plants and clean technology
• Emerging technologies and innovation in engineering

Postgraduate

• Low carbon and renewable energy systems in smart cities
• Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technologies
• Micro-CHP systems for domestic applications
• Power and propulsion systems
• Renewable energy systems
• Energy storage technologies
• Professional engineering
• Independent projects
• Research Methods

Selected Publications

Journal Papers:

• Linus O., Gohari Darabkhani, H., Moghimi Ardekani, M. “Hybrid solar-driven hydrogen generation by sorption enhanced–chemical looping and hydrocarbon reforming coupled with carbon capture and Rankine cycle” accepted by International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2023, in Press
• Linus O., Gohari Darabkhani, H., Moghimi Ardekani, M. “Integrated solar-driven hydrogen generation by pyrolysis and electrolysis coupled with carbon capture and Rankine cycle”, Journal of Energy Conversion and Management, Volume 277, 1 February 2023, 116641.
• Kiessling S., Gohari Darabkhani, H., Soliman, A. "The Bio Steel Cycle: 7 Steps to Net-Zero CO₂ Emissions Steel Production" Energies 2022, 15(23), as part of the Special Issue Challenges and Development on Carbon Capture and Storage.
• Nicklin, D., and Gohari Darabkhani, H. “Feasibility of Using Isokinetic Sampling Techniques to Extract a Representative Sample from Processes in the United Kingdom” MDPI, Journal of Atmosphere 2022, 13(10), 1585, 28 September 2022.
• Nicklin, D., and Gohari Darabkhani, H. “Techniques to measure particulate matter emissions from stationary sources: A critical technology review using Multi Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA)” Journal of Environmental Management, Vol 296, 15 October 2021, 113167
• Bazooyar, B., Gohari Darabkhani, H., “The design strategy and testing of an efficient microgas turbine combustor for biogas fuel” Journal of Fuel, 294 (2021) 120535
• Bazooyar, B., Gohari Darabkhani, H., “Design, manufacture and test of a micro-turbine renewable energy combustor” Journal of Energy Conversion and Management, 211 (2020) 112782
• Bazooyar, B., Shaahmadi, F., Jomekian, A., Gohari Darabkhani, H., “Modelling of wax deposition by perturbed hard sphere chain equation of state,” Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, Vol 185, February 2020, 106657.
• Bazooyar, B., Jomekian, A., Karimi-Sibaki, E., Habibi, M., Gohari Darabkhani, H., “The role of heat recirculation and flame stabilization in the formation of NO_X in a thermo-photovoltaic micro-combustor step wall,” International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Vol 44, Issue 47, 4 October 2019, PP 26012-26027.
• Bazooyar, B., Gohari Darabkhani, H., “Analysis of flame stabilization to a thermo-photovoltaic micro-combustor step in turbulent premixed hydrogen flame,” Fuel, Vol 257, 1 December 2019, 115989 (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2019.115989)
• Bazooyar, B., Gohari Darabkhani, H., “Design and numerical analysis of a 3 kWe flameless microturbine combustor for hydrogen fuel,” International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 44(21), 2019, pp. 11134-11144.
• Varasteh, H., Gohari Darabkhani, H., “Sensitivity Analysis of the Heat Exchanger Design in NetPower Oxy-Combustion Cycle for Carbon Capture,” International Journal of Energy and Power Engineering, Vol 12, No. 3, 2018, PP 231-239.
• Hamidreza G. Darabkhani, Nelia Jurado, George Prpich, John E. Oakey, Stuart T. Wagland, Edward J. Anthony, “Design, process simulation and construction of a 100 kW pilot-scale CO₂ membrane rig: Improving in situ CO₂ capture using selective exhaust gas recirculation (S-EGR),” Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering, Vol 50, February 2018, PP. 128–138.
• Giuseppe Russo, George Prpich, Edward J. Anthony, Fabio Montagnaro, Neila Jurado, Giuseppina Di Lorenzo, Hamidreza G. Darabkhani, “Selective-exhaust gas recirculation for CO₂ capture using membrane technology,” Journal of Membrane Science, Vol 549, 1 March 2018, PP. 649-659.
• Fernando C. Barba, Guillermo M. Sánchez, Blanca S. Seguí, Hamidreza G. Darabkhani, and Edward J. Anthony, “A Technical Evaluation, Performance Analysis and Risk Assessment of Multiple Novel Oxy-Turbine Power Cycles with Complete CO₂ Capture,” Journal of Cleaner Production, Vol. 133, 1 October 2016, PP. 971–985.
• Keshmiri A., Craft, T., Gohari Darabkhani H., “Assessment of a common nonlinear eddy-viscosity turbulence model in capturing Laminarization in mixed convection flows,” Journal of Numerical Heat Transfer, PartA: Applications’, Vol. 69, 2016, Issue 2, pp. 146-165.
• Jurado, N., Gohari Darabkhani, H., Anthony, E. J., Oakey, J. E., “Oxy-combustion Studies into the Co –Firing of Coal and Biomass Blends: Effects on Heat Transfer, Gas and Ash Compositions,” Energy Procedia, 63, 2014, pp. 440–452.
• Chalmers H., Darabkhani H., and 32 others “OxyCAP UK: Oxyfuel Combustion - Academic Programme for the UK,” Energy Procedia, 63, 2014, pp. 504–510.
• Wang, Q., Gohari Darabkhani, H., Chen, L. and Zhang, Y., “Vortex Dynamics and Structures of Methane/air Jet Diffusion Flames with Air Co-flow,” Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, Vol. 37, 2012, pp. 84–90.
• Gohari Darabkhani, H., Wang, Q., Chen, L. and Zhang, Y., “Impact of Co-flow Air on Buoyant Diffusion Flames Flicker,” Energy Conversion and Management (ECM), 52, 2011, No. 8-9, pp. 2996-3003.
• Gohari Darabkhani, H., and Zhang, Y., “Stabilisation Mechanism of a Flickering Methane Diffusion Flame with Co-flow of Air,” Engineering Letters (IAENG), Vol. 18, 2010, No. 4, pp. 369-375.
• Gohari Darabkhani, H., and Zhang, Y., “Methane Diffusion Flame Dynamics at Elevated Pressures,” Combustion Science and Technology (CST), 182, 2010, No. 3, pp. 231-251.
• Gohari Darabkhani, H., Bassi, J., Huang, H. W., and Zhang, Y., “Fuel Effects on Diffusion Flames at Elevated Pressures,” Fuel, Vol. 88, 2009, No. 2, pp. 264-271.

Books / Chapter Books:

1. Gohari Darabkhani, H., Varasteh, H., Bazooyar, B., “Carbon Capture Technologies for Gas-Turbine-Based Power Plants,” Elsevier Book, 1st Edition - September 1, 2022.
2. Jurado, N., Gohari Darabkhani, H., Anthony, E. J., Oakey, J. E., “Oxy-fuel Combustion for Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) from a Coal/Biomass Power Plant: Experimental and Simulation Studies,” Progress in Clean Energy, Volume 2, Chapter 14, pp. 177-192, Springer, USA, 2015.
3. Gohari Darabkhani, H., Jurado, N., Simms, N., Oakey, J., “Co-firing of Coal/Biomass in a Pilot-scale Oxy-combustor: Experiences and the Experimental Results,” in the BOOK titled: Fuelling the future: advances in science and technologies for energy generation, transmission and storage, pp. 34-38, Brow Walker Press, Boca Raton, Florida, USA, 2012 (ISBN-13: 978-1-61233-558-2).

Online Technical/Industrial Reports/Webinars:

1. Gohari Darabkhani, H., “The green road to Net Zero” Presented webinar on 20 May 2021 as part of the UKRI funded Innovation Enterprise program.
2. Gohari Darabkhani, H., “Micro Combined Heat and Power (Micro CHP) Systems: A Key Strategy to Meet the Paris Agreement Target’s in Future Smart Cities” Presented webinar on 11 Aug 2020 as part of the UKRI funded Innovation Enterprise program.
3. Prpich G., Gohari Darabkhani, H., Oakey, J., Pollard S., “An investigation into future energy system risks: An industry perspective,” UKERC online publication, 01 Apr 2014.
4. Sir John HOLMES “The future of hydrocarbons as a global energy source,” The Ditchley Foundation conference, Calgary, Canada, 21-23 October 2011.

Conference Papers/Presentations:

1. Gohari Darabkhani, H., “The Green Road to NetZero Smart Buildings by 2050,” Session Chair and Keynote Speaker, ICRE 2022, 27th Feb 2022.
2. Gohari Darabkhani, H., “Low Carbon and Renewable Energy Technologies to Achieve Net Zero Carbon Emission by 2050,” Keynote Speaker, Online International Conference on “Recent Trends in Science, Engineering & Technology" 15-17 June 2021.
3. Bahamin Bazooyar, Hamidreza Gohari Darabkhani, “Design Procedure and Performance Analysis of a Microturbine Combustor Working on Biogas for Power Generation”. ASME 2019 Turbomachinery Technical Conference (Turbo Expo 2019), 17-21 June 2019, Phoenix, US.
4. Gohari Darabkhani, H., “Micro combined heat & power (Micro-CHP) systems, a key strategy to meet the Paris Agreement targets in smart cities,” Keynote presentation, Global Summit on Power & Energy Engineering, 18 – 20 February 2019, Dubai, UAE.
5. The Micro Turbine Renewable Energy Combustor (MiTREC): Challenges in Design and Modelling of a Biogas Combustor in a 12kWe Micro Turbine Generator (MTG). 2nd European Micro Gas Turbine Forum (EMGTF) conference, 26/11/2018, Altran, Madrid, Spain.
6. Varasteh, Hirbod and Gohari Darabkhani, Hamidreza, Sensitivity and Techno-Economic Analysis of Leading Oxy-Combustion Power Cycles with Full Carbon Capture: NetPower and Supercritical CES. 14th Greenhouse Gas Control Technologies Conference (GHGT-14), 21-26 October 2018, Melbourne, Australia. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3365919
7. Presenting MiTREC Project with Bladon MT in the Rushlight Summer Showcase, Church House Westminster, London, Thursday 14 June 2018.
8. Varasteh, H., Gohari Darabkhani, H., “Sensitivity Analysis of the Heat Exchanger Design in NetPower Oxy-Combustion Cycle for Carbon Capture”, ICCCST 2018: 20th International Conference on Carbon Capture and Storage Technologies, March 15 - 16, 2018 Paris, France (winner of the best presentation award of the conference).
9. Jurado, N., Gohari Darabkhani, H., Anthony, E. J., Oakey, J. E., “Effect of co-firing on alkali sulfate formation during oxy-combustion,” the 5th Meeting of the IEAGHG International Oxyfuel Combustion - 27-30 October 2015, Wuhan, China.
10. Jurado, N., Gohari Darabkhani, H., Anthony, E. J., Oakey, J. E., “SO₃ and Sulfate levels observed and Operational Issues Co-firing Coal and Biomass blends under Oxy-firing conditions,” the 7th Clean Coal Technologies Conference (CCT), 17-21 May 2015, Krakow, Poland.
11. Jurado, N., Gohari Darabkhani, H., Anthony, E. J., Oakey, J. E., “Experimental and Simulation Studies of Oxy-fuel Combustion for Carbon Capture and Sequestration from a Coal/Biomass Power Plant,” Proceedings of International Conference on Clean Energy 2014 (ICCE-2014), pp. 2232-2241, 8-12 June 2014, Istanbul, Turkey.
12. Jurado, N., Gohari Darabkhani, H., Anthony, E. J., Oakey, J. E., “Co-firing Performance of a Retrofitted Oxy-Combustor burning Coal/Biomass Blends: Experimental and Simulation Study,” Proceedings of the 3rd Oxyfuel Combustion Conference (session 4C), 9-13 September 2013, Ponferrada, Spain.
13. Oakey, J. E., Hussain T, Syed, A.U., Simms, N.J., Jurado, N., Gohari Darabkhani, H., ”Fireside corrosion: Implications and solutions for oxy-combustion boilers,” Workshop on Corrosion, the 3rd Oxyfuel Combustion Conference, 9-13 September 2013, Ponferrada, Spain.
14. Gohari Darabkhani, H., Oakey, J., Zhang, Y. and Keshmiri, A., “Study of the Flame Structure and Dynamics Using Non-Intrusive Combustion Diagnostic Techniques,” Proceedings of the 43rd AIAA Fluid Dynamics Conference (AIAA 2013-2605), 24–27 June 2013, San Diego, California, USA.
15. Keshmiri, A., Erfani, R., and Gohari Darabkhani, H., “An Investigation into the Failure of a Non-Linear Eddy-Viscosity Model in in Capturing the Laminarisation Phenomenon,” Proceedings of the 21st AIAA Computational Fluid Dynamics Conference (AIAA 2013-2427), 24–27 June 2013, San Diego, California, USA.
16. Jurado, N., Gohari Darabkhani, H., Anthony, E. J., Oakey, J. E., “Kinetic Simulation of a 100kWth Oxy-Combustor using Aspen Plus,” 12th Carbon Capture, Utilization & Sequestration Conference, May 13-16, 2013, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
17. Jurado, N., Gohari Darabkhani, Oakey, J. E., “Simulation of Oxy-combustion co-firing Coal and Biomass using Aspen Plus,” Sixth International Conference on Clean Coal Technologies (CCT2013), 12-16 May 2013, Thessaloniki, Greece.
18. Gohari Darabkhani, H., Banuelos-Saucedo, M., Young, J., Stringer, M., Wright, P., Wang, Q., Zhang, Y., Miles, R. E. and Ozanyan, K. B., “Sensing in Sooting Flames: THz Time-domain Spectroscopy and Tomography,” Sensors, 2012 IEEE, pp. 1-4, Oct. 2012.
19. Gohari Darabkhani, H., Jurado, N., Simms, N., Oakey, J., “Retrofitting Practice of a 100kWth Coal/Biomass Air-firing Combustor to the Oxy-firing Mode: Experiences and the Experimental Results,” The Energy and Materials Research Conference (EMR2012), 20-22 June 2012, Malaga, Spain.
20. Jurado N., Gohari Darabkhani H., and Oakey, J., “Oxy-combustion of Coal/Biomass Mixtures in a 100kWth Combustor,” the 11th Annual Carbon Capture, Utilization and Sequestration Conference, Paper No. 240, April 30 - May 3, 2012., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
21. Patchigolla K., Gohari Darabkhani, H., Pellegrini Susini G., and Oakey J., “Suitability of UCG gases for Advanced Gas Turbines; Comparison of deep and shallow UCG gases re-combustion and emissions,” the 7th International Conference & Workshop on Underground Coal Gasification, 2-3 May 2012, London, UK.
22. Gohari Darabkhani, H., Oakey, J., and Zhang, Y., “Improving Stability Limits of Natural Gas Buoyant Diffusion Flames with Co-flow of Air,” ASME-Energy Sustainability & Fuel Cell Conferences (ASME-ESFuelCell2011), Paper No.: ES2011‑54033, 7-10 August 2011, Washington DC, USA.
23. Gohari Darabkhani, H., A. Legrave, N., Simms, N., Oakey, J., “Fuel Variability Effects on Gaseous Emissions in a Pilot-scale Oxy-firing Combustor, Burning Pulverized Coal and Cereal Co-Product (CCP) Biomass,” 2^nd Oxyfuel Combustion Conference, Paper No. 104, 12-16 September 2011, Queensland, Australia.
24. Gohari Darabkhani, H., A. Legrave, N., Simms, N., Oakey, J., “Optimum Recycled Flue Gas Ratio in an Oxy-Coal Burner to Achieve Similar Combustion Characteristics to an Air-Fired Operation,” 2^nd Oxyfuel Combustion Conference, Paper No. 108, 12-16 September 2011, Queensland, Australia.
25. Franchetti, B. M., Cavallo Marincola, F., Gohari Darabkhani, H., Kempf, A. M., “Large Eddy Simulation of a Pulverised Coal Burner under Air and Oxy-Firing Conditions,” 2^nd Oxyfuel Combustion Conference, 12-16 September 2011, Queensland, Australia.
26. Gohari Darabkhani, H., Oakey, J., and Zhang, Y., “Soot Concentration and Temperature Measurements in Co-flow Laminar Propane-Air Diffusion Flames at Pressures up to 7 bar,” Proceedings of 49th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting, Paper No.: AIAA 2011-243, 4-7 January 2011, Orlando, Florida, USA.
27. Kumar, P., Pellegrini Susini, G., Gohari Darabkhani, H., Oakey, J., “Carbon Capture Options to Make Environmentally Viable Energy Processes”, UK-China Energy Conference, 8-9 March 2011, Beijing, China (poster presentation).
28. Gohari Darabkhani, H., and Zhang, Y., “Suppression Dynamics of a Laminar Oscillating Diffusion Flame with Co-flow Air,” Proceedings of the World Congress of Engineering, The 2010 International Conference of Mechanical Engineering (ICME 2010), 2, pp. 1421-1426, 30 June-2 July 2010, Imperial College London, UK (Winner of the best student paper award of the ICME 2010).
29. Gohari Darabkhani, H., and Zhang, Y., “Pressure Effects on Structure and Temperature Field of Laminar Diffusion Flames,” Proceedings of 48th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting, Paper No.; AIAA-2010-779, No. of Pages: 17, 4-7 January 2010, Orlando, Florida, USA.
30. Gohari Darabkhani, H., and Zhang, Y., “Impact of Pressure and Fuel Flow Rate on Flame Dynamics in a High-Pressure Combustor,” Proceedings of CEAS 2009 European Air and Space Conference, Conference DVD, PP. Day2- Propulsion Session, 26-29 October 2009, Manchester, UK.
31. Gohari Darabkhani, H., and Zhang, Y., “Methane Diffusion Flame Dynamics at Elevated Pressures,” PGR-MACE09 Conference, Book of Abstracts, pp. 12-13, 11^th June 2009, The University of Manchester, UK (Winner of the best presentation award).
32. Gohari Darabkhani, H., and Zhang, Y., “Impact of Pressure on Diffusion Flame Structure,” PGR-MACE09 Conference, Book of Abstracts, pp. 75, 11^th June 2009, The University of Manchester, UK (Winner of the 2^nd poster prize).
33. Bassi, J., Gohari Darabkhani, H., Huang, H.W., and Zhang, Y., “Diffusion Flame Dynamics at Elevated Pressures,” 32^nd International Symposium on Combustion, Abstracts of Accepted Papers, pp. 82, 3-8 August 2008, Montreal, Canada.
34. Gohari Darabkhani, H., and Zhang, Y., “Experimental Investigation on Sooty Flames at Elevated Pressures,” PGR-MACE08 Conference, Book of Abstracts, pp. 22, 27th June 2008, The University of Manchester, UK.