Specifications

Location Enschede
Function types PhD positions
Scientific fields Natural Sciences, Engineering
Hours 38.0 hours per week
Salary maximum € 1803
Education University Graduate
Job number 886197
About employer University of Twente (UT)

Job description

Then, the Professional Doctorate in Engineering (PDEng) programme Energy and Process Technology is very interesting for you. The PDEng programme is a 2-year post-MSc technological programme with a focus on technological design. This programme at the University of Twente contains an educational part that will be followed at the University, and a design project that will be carried out in cooperation with the Alucha company in Arnhem (www.Alucha.com) Alucha applies industrial pyrolysis to waste streams by developing solutions that recycle complex wastes (containing organic and non-organic components) back into its constituents. They realised a world 1st solution that recycles complex laminate plastic waste inside ‘tetrabrik‘ drink cartons back into aluminium and oil. Now they are developing a new solution to recycle paper sludge into minerals and fuels. The educational programme will have an in-depth and broadening character with ample attention for professional development and will be partly tailored to the design project. In collaboration with Alucha, high level, creative and new designs for complex issues will be aimed at.

Project description

At its workshop in Arnhem, Alucha is currently developing a 100 kg/h mobile container unit to treat and recycle paper sludge. Paper sludge is the largest waste stream in the paper industry. The waste stream is produced by the water treatment plants in paper mills. Currently there is no sustainable solution to treat this waste stream. With the new advanced pyrolysis technology, they aim to recycle the minerals (such as Kaolin, CalciumCarbonate) in the paper sludge (about 50% of the stream). The other 50% consist of paper fibers that will be converted into bio-oil.

The PDEng project will consist of modelling and optimizing the pyrolysis process for further upscaling. The patent pending reactor has now been designed for 100 kg/h capacity. The project consists of developing a CFD model for the reactor. The results from operational tests with the pilot plant during 2017 can be used to verify and validate this CFD model. The PDEng trainee can participate in these tests together with the Alucha team. Based on this validation, the reactor can be further designed, improved and finally upscaled to 1000 kg/h. Next to reactor design, the optimization of the energy efficiency of the pyrolysis process will be part of the project.

Activities

• CFD modelling of the reactor
• Aspen/Unisim process simulation
• Participation in field tests with existing 100kg/h pilot plant
• Validation of model with test results pilot plant
• Design and improvements of pyrolysis reactor for industrial plant (1000 kg/h)
• Design and improvements of energy efficiency of process for industrial plant (1000 kg/h)
• Optional: LCA analysis of process

Requirements

We are searching for the best MSc graduated candidates (or graduates with several years of experience) in the field of Thermal Engineering, Process Technology, Chemical Engineering, Energy Technology, or a related technical discipline. Candidates should have a demonstrable affinity with design and multidisciplinary assignments. Besides, you must have the ambition and talent to accelerate in finding solutions / creating designs for complex technological issues with a multidisciplinary character. Important professional skills are English language skills, communication and interpersonal skills, teamwork, initiative and self-reflection. An interview will be part of the selection procedure.

Application
Please send your letter of motivation, with a curriculum vitae, a list with grades of courses attended, references and, if applicable, a list of publications before February 15th, 2017 through the link below.

Contact information
If you have any further questions about this vacancy of the PDEng programme in Energy and Process Technology, please contact Prof.dr.ir. Gerrit Brem: Email: g.brem@utwente.nl / Telephone: +31 53 489 2530

General information about PDEng programmes you can find at our website.

Conditions of employment

We offer a contract for 24 months. During these two years you follow a tailor made post-master design programme with a combination of education (~50%) and working on a design project (~50%). The salary will be € 1.803 gross per month. Additionally, the University of Twente provides excellent facilities for professional and personal development, a holiday allowance and an end-of-year bonus.

On successfully completing the programme, you will receive a certified degree. You will be entitled to use the academic degree Professional Doctorate in Engineering (PDEng) and will be registered as a Technological Designer in the Dutch register kept by the Royal Institution of Engineers in the Netherlands (KIVI).

Employer

The University of Twente. We stand for life sciences and technology. High tech and human touch. Education and research that matter. New technology which drives change, innovation and progress in society. The University of Twente is the only campus university in the Netherlands; divided over five faculties we provide more than fifty educational programmes. The University of Twente has a strong focus on personal development and talented researchers are given scope for carrying out pioneering research.

The Faculty of Engineering Technology (ET) is one of the five faculties of the University of Twente. ET combines Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering and Industrial Design Engineering. Our faculty has approximately 1800 bachelor and master students, 400 employees and 150 PhD candidates. The departments of the faculty cooperatively conduct the educational programmes and participate in interdisciplinary research projects, programmes and the research institutes: MIRA, CTIT, SBE and IGS.

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