About
Dr. Ranga Dinesh Kahanda Koralage is an Associate Professor in Energy Technologies within the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences at the University of Southampton. He joined the University of Southampton in 2013. Prior to this appointment, he worked as a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the School of Engineering, Cranfield University (2007-10), and Senior Research Fellow at the Engineering Department, Lancaster University (2010-12). He obtained his first Degree with First Class Honours (Faculty Gold Medal) from University of Ruhuna, Sri-Lanka reading Mathematics (2002) and then completed his PhD in Mechanical Engineering in 2007 at Loughborough University, UK with his PhD Thesis focused on clean combustion technology for energy applications.
His current research focuses on developing and applying fundamental theoretical and computational techniques to better understand low-carbon and zero-carbon energy technologies to accelerate decarbonisation of multiple energy sectors and net-zero goals. The ultimate goal of his research is to improve zero-carbon and low-carbon energy production, storage, and end-use technologies with applications to power generation, transportation, and domestic/industrial energy sectors. This includes zero-carbon thermal propulsion systems such as hydrogen, ammonia, methanol clean combustion for various transportation applications, hydrogen burner combustion for domestic/industrial hydrogen boiler systems, thermodynamics and thermal management of hydrogen fuel cell and battery systems, process systems engineering of renewable energy based green hydrogen production systems and hydrogen and alternative energy storage solutions.
To date, he has secured 8 research grants as Principal Investigator (PI) from UKRI EPSRC, Innovate UK and Industry and involved with funded research grant projects worth over £4M. In his research field of Clean Energy & Flow Physics, he has an international publication profile with about 74 journal and conference publications with significant research output published in International Journal of Hydrogen Energy.
RESEARCH GRANTS (Principal Investigator):
- Liquid Hydrogen Carrier Development: Computational Modelling of Large-Capacity Liquid Hydrogen Storage for Shipping, Principal Investigator (PI), £81k, Shell International Trading and Shipping Company Limited, 2025-2026.
- Future Low Emissions Ammonia Marine Engines (FLAME) (10160386), Principal Investigator (PI), £100k (Total Grant Value for the Project: £940k), Innovate UK Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC6) Round 6 Feasibility Studies, 2025-2026.
- Novel High Efficiency Ammonia Engine Technology for Heavy Duty Marine Applications (HEAT-HD) (10096638), Principal Investigator (PI), £144k (Total Grant Value for the Project: £2.1M), Innovate UK Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC4) Round 4 Feasibility Studies and Pre-Deployment Trials, 2024-2025.
- Methane Slip Avoidance in a Marine Engine, Principal Investigator (PI), £85k, Shell International Trading and Shipping Company Limited, 2023-2024.
- Double Efficient Pilot Fuel Free Ceramic Hydrogen Combustion Engine Technology for Marine Applications (10041177), Principal Investigator (PI), £97k (Total Grant Value for the Project: £401k), Innovate UK Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC2) Round 2 Feasibility Study, 2022-2023.
- Methanol Heavy Duty Marine Compression Ignition Engine, Principal Investigator (PI), £37k, Shell International Trading and Shipping Company Limited, 2021-2022.
- Carnot Marine Vessel APUs-Feasibility Study (10008878), Principal Investigator (PI), £20k (Total Grant Value for the Project: £370k), Innovate UK Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC1) Round 1 Feasibility Study, 2021-2022.
- High Hydrogen content (HHC) Fuel Burning at High Pressure (EP/L025051/1), Principal Investigator (PI), £94k, EPSRC (Frist Grant), 2014-2016.