Dr Gabriele Chinello

Dr Gabriele Chinello

Head of Carbon Capture Utilisation & Storage (CCUS)

What is your role?

I am head of Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) and technical lead for the high-pressure gas national standard facility at TÜV SÜD National Engineering Laboratory (NEL). I am responsible for the CCUS related activities at NEL, including UK and European research projects on carbon dioxide flow measurement. I am also responsible for the integrity and traceability of the instrumentation, data analysis, uncertainty budget and UKAS accreditation of the high-pressure gas national standard facility.

What is your academic/industrial background?

I have a Batchelor’s degree and a Master’s degree (1st) both in Energy Engineering from the University of Pisa, Italy. I completed my Doctorate in Mechanical Engineering at Glasgow Caledonian University. As part of my PhD, I built a low-pressure multiphase flow facility at the university, and carried out both experimental work and modelling work on two-phase flow metering with differential pressure devices.
Before joining the organisation, I was involved with experimental work on two-phase boiling flows at the University of Pisa, and CFD work on stratified two-phase flow at Technical University of Delft in the Netherlands where I was a Master Thesis student.
In addition, I received an Energy Technology Partnership Early Career Researchers grant; a Socrates Erasmus Studentship at Delft University of Technology; and I am a UK Newton Fund Recipient.

I am also an Associate Member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (AMIMechE) and have a Professional Industrial Engineer Qualification (Italy).

What are your main areas of expertise?

I have practical experience of conducting experimental work at both laboratory and industrial scale, with a focus on flow metering and two-phase flows applications. I have a theoretical knowledge of fluid mechanics and CFD modelling of single-phase and multiphase flows.
I have both practical experience and theoretical knowledge of conventional flow measurement techniques and technologies such as differential pressure meters, ultrasonic, turbine and Coriolis meter. My experience also extends to relevant measurement standards and how to use the appropriate techniques to fully comply and achieve the required measurement uncertainty.

HOW DID YOUR INTEREST IN ENGINEERING DEVELOP?

The main drivers for my education, research and employment have always been curiosity and the search for understanding related to physical and engineering processes.

WHAT MOST EXCITES/INTERESTS YOU ABOUT YOUR ROLE?

I enjoy the hands-on nature of my role and working on such a diverse range of projects. No two days are ever the same. The facilities at NEL are well-known across the world and the organisation is known for its leading-edge work on flow measurement. New facilities, such as the Advanced Multiphase Facility and the Hydrogen Domestic Gas Metering Test Facility, demonstrate a commitment to the future of flow measurement and one I am excited to be part of.

WHAT FUTURE TRENDS DO YOU SEE DEVELOPING IN YOUR AREA OF WORK?

There are a number of key trends developing in the area of CCUS and wet-gas measurement:

• Traceable calibration facilities for carbon dioxide flow meters are currently not available worldwide. It is key to establish a suitable traceability chain within the UK and around the world for gaseous and liquid carbon dioxide flows in order to provide the confidence in the meter performance, fiscal contracts and, critically, regulatory and environmental compliance.
• The development of best practice guides and documentary standards for carbon dioxide flow and composition measurement is key to establish a CCUS chain.
• In its role enabling the energy transition, gas will continue to grow- immediately through LNG, but also with blue hydrogen production via SMR or ATR coupled with CCS - projects already entering FEED stage. Developing better wet-gas flow meters has a long-term, future-proofed perspective.
• Enhanced diagnostic capabilities of single-phase flow meters and wet-gas meters which make use of advanced computational techniques.