Doctoral student in Energy Sciences with focus on flexible power generation and cogeneration   - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

Project description

The future renewable energy system will call for a flexible system approach with a plethora of different production means and energy storage to meet the demand for the security of supply and affordability. A large part will be non-dispatchable and therefore require replacement capacity. Today’s heat and power plants cannot decouple the electricity and heat production, hence a flexibility limitation coupled with the heat demand. This needs now to be decoupled. The first step in decoupling can be introducing a condensing tail with a suitable set of valves and a heat sink.

Further, the flexibility and efficiency can be increased with improved starting and stopping capability, maximized load flexibility, and new advanced plant configurations. The fuel yard is formidable energy storage that can compete with any other means at lower cost, robustness, and climate footprint.

The project will be a very high industry-relevance research project in which companies actively participate. The project is a collaboration between the Department of Energy Sciences and RISE and is fully funded by the Swedish Energy Agency.

Work duties

The main duties of doctoral students are to devote themselves to their research studies which include participating in research projects and third-cycle courses. The work duties will also include teaching and other departmental duties (no more than 20%).
The tasks in the research project involve how steam plants can be operated and designed more flexibly, thereby increasing our capability of introducing other renewable production means. Today’s plants are neither flexible nor efficient enough for our future needs. The Lund University research will focus on cycle configurations (e.g., condensing tails) and certain critical components, such as the steam turbine. Raising the steam data will introduce a plethora of issues related to lifing, more specifically, the fuel-bourne chlorides and associated corrosion issues. The latter will be handled by corrosion experts at RISE.

The first step is to establish and evaluate how the current fleet of biomass-fired can be modified for enhanced flexibility and establish the system (cycle) framework for a medium- and large-size biomass-fired power plant.

In the second step, the research will continue with in-depth studies of cycles, steam turbines, and component flexibility in starting and stopping. The overarching focus is maximizing flexibility and efficiency!

The doctoral student will work with the involved staff at Lund University and stakeholders (e.g., industrial partners and research institutes).

Admission requirements

A person meets the general admission requirements for third-cycle courses and study programs if the applicant:

• has been awarded a second-cycle qualification, or
• has satisfied the requirements for courses comprising at least 240 credits, of which at least 60 credits were awarded in the second cycle, or
• has acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad

A person meets the specific admission requirements for third-cycle studies in Energy Sciences if the applicant has:

• at least 90 credits in the subject of the third-cycle program, of which at least 60 credits from second-cycle courses of relevance to the subject and 30 credits from a second-cycle degree project of relevance to the subject
• a Master’s degree of relevance to the field

Additional requirements

• Knowledge of steam cycles (incl. components) and turbines
• Knowledge of thermal process/system modeling
• Experience in programming, especially in Matlab
• Very good knowledge of English, written and spoken

Assessment criteria

Selection for third-cycle studies is based on the student’s potential to profit from such studies. The assessment of potential is made primarily on the basis of academic results from the first and second cycles. Special attention is directed to the following:

1. Knowledge and skills relevant to the thesis project and the subject of study.
2. An assessment of the ability to work independently and to formulate and tackle research problems.
3. Written and oral communication skills.
4. Other experience relevant to the third-cycle studies, e.g., professional experience.

Other assessment criteria

• We are looking for motivated candidates who are willing to make a difference in the fight against global warming and push for accelerating the decarbonization of energy production.
• Experience in modeling and design of steam cycles.
• The appropriate background for applicants is an M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, or Engineering Physics with a clear focus on one or more of the fields of renewables and cycles.

Consideration will also be given to good collaborative skills, drive and independence, and how the applicant, through his or her experience and skills, is deemed to have the abilities necessary for successfully completing the third cycle programme.

Terms of employment

Only those admitted to third-cycle studies may be appointed to a doctoral studentship. Third-cycle studies at LTH consist of full-time studies for 4 years. A doctoral studentship is a fixed-term employment of a maximum of 5 years (including 20% departmental duties). Doctoral studentships are regulated in the Higher Education Ordinance (1993:100), chapter 5, 1-7 §§.

Instructions on how to apply

Applications shall be written in English and include a cover letter stating the reasons why you are interested in the position and in what way the research project corresponds to your interests and educational background. The application must also contain a CV, degree certificate or equivalent, and other documents you wish to be considered (grade transcripts, contact information for your references, letters of recommendation, etc.).