South African researchers are set to play an important role in specialised technological applications that could have far reaching effects in mitigating climate change. This may come as a surprise because technological innovation and advance is associated with the high tech industries and research institutes of the global North.

Professor Arnaud Malan in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Cape Town (UCT) has developed a team to explore the possibility of using liquid hydrogen in the aeronautical industry. This is a fuel that could reduce carbon emissions by up to 40% and make a significant contribution to measures to combat climate change.

While South Africa has long been a leader in knowledge production in Africa its impact has seldom been obvious in the aeronautical industry. Now, Malan’s work in Industry Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) provides evidence that South Africa can join the global project of significantly reducing carbon emissions in commercial jetliners.

The effects of climate change are increasingly evident. Almost every week there are reports of huge swings in weather patterns, devastating floods, extreme heat and cold. There is increasing urgency in finding solutions to slow down the warming of the planet.

One of the major areas of engagement has been to reduce carbon fuel emissions. There has been a shift to electrical cars and solar panels. The aeronautical industry, particularly large passenger aircraft, has been a harder nut to crack.

Air transport is the second largest producer of greenhouse gasses. It has however proven particularly challenging to decarbonise. There is now an obvious need for the all-hands-on-deck approach. The challenge is being approached on multiple levels but search for new non-carbon fuels and scientific research that accompanies this venture is one of the major tools being used to pursue this goal.

In the UK, government has committed to a Jet Zero plan which aims to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2040. Another example of commitment and urgency is Singapore’s requirement that departing flights use sustainable fuels from 2026.

The search for new carbon-zero options has generated research and investment. Much of the science behind these innovations has been developed and applied in the global North. This reflects a long history of knowledge production where the global South has been less able to participate in these processes.

Malan has been winning contracts to work for Airbus for over 10 years. In 2014 he was awarded a South African Research Chair (SARCHI) in Industry Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) by the Department of Science and Innovation/National Research Foundation.”

Malan works in a highly competitive field tackling the challenge of designing a new aircraft that can fly with liquid hydrogen. This will require radical new designs because the volumes of liquid hydrogen required for long flights is much greater than conventional carbon-based aviation fuels.

Malan believes that pure mathematics can rapidly influence design and result in major innovations. This is a cheaper and quicker way than old-style try, try and try again approaches. But for it to work, it requires collaboration and innovative teams.

Malan realizes that to be successful requires highly-motivated teams, extensive funding and international collaboration.. “This is the key”, he said. “Maths, fundamental research, can do a lot but it has limitations. Nowadays one must work with leaders in many areas – technology, engineering, fluid dynamics and computational mathematics. When you bring these experts together you get lift off!”

He currently collaborates closely with teams in the U.K., Germany, Spain, Italy, Sweden and India.  But this has now started spreading to ivy league teams in North America which include MathWorks in Boston (with millions of users) and Stanford University which is ranked number one university globally in CFD.

Malan has built a vibrant team of young researchers at UCT. What he has looked for are people with passion, energy, work discipline and imagination. He says he is inspired by Ernest Shackleton’s advertisement for his polar expedition in 1914. “Men wanted for hazardous journey. Low wages, bitter cold, long hours of complete darkness. Safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in event of success.”

Team-building takes time and Malan has been at it for much of his career. He describes some of the gratifying success stories of his students. Ten years ago he encountered final year student, Stuart Swan. Swan had previously been excluded from UCT’s mechanical engineering undergraduate programme due to poor academic performance. He then spent a year doing online courses via UNISA while working part time to get back into the UCT programme. On his return he approached Malan with the grand idea of setting a new Class A Water Rocket world record, which stood at 623m. Malan agreed to fund and supervise the project but on one condition: “You do not give up!” Stuart accepted and the team was formed consisting of Stuart Swan, Donovan Changfoot, William Liu and Malan. After two years of hard work and several failed attempts, in 2015 the UCT team set a new world record of 830m, smashing the existing record by 33%. This record still stands today.

Another of Malan’s success stories is Dr. Michael Wright. He joined Malan’s group as a Masters student in 2017 with the dream of working for Airbus one day. Malan believes in dreams and does his utmost to nourish them and bring them to fruition. Wright’s masters research work was directed towards Airbus needs. His work resulted in an MSc which was of significant value to Airbus, but was also upgraded to a PhD a few years later. The PhD resulted in ground breaking new insights for Airbus and Wright went on to be appointed at the prestigious new Airbus ZEROe office in Hamburg. Airbus ZEROe are currently developing the first fully hydrogen powered large commercial airliner and Wright has gained a prominent leading role in this initiative. He has also served to strengthen the ties between Malan and this initiative.

Reflecting on the national political climate in South Africa when things often seem not to be going well, Malan reflects: “When something is working well it should be a cause of inspiration and encouragement”. He hopes a new generation of engineers will be emerge to follow in the footsteps of the pioneering students.

If, or possibly better to say when, hydrogen-powered aircraft take to the skies, there may be another interesting link to South Africa. South Africa is on its way to being a manufacturer of green hydrogen. Green hydrogen refers the process of producing hydrogen with renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power. Hydrogen is produced by electrolysis which involves splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen. This is an energy-heavy process but if green energy can be harnessed then the carbon-footprint becomes very small.

South Africans are now participating in cutting edge aeronautical innovations. Malan’s unit links South Africa to Europe and across the Atlantic with the US. This is good news not just for work on climate change but for the global South and its mission to be included in global research developments.