PhD Research Project

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PhD Studentship - Laser Spectroscopy Measurements of Flames for Carbon Reducing Technologies

Institution:

University of Strathclyde

Dept/School/Faculty:

Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering

PhD Supervisor:

Dr M Lengden

Application Deadline:

Applications accepted all year round

PhD Research Project

A fully-funded PhD research studentship within the Centre for Microsystems and Photonics (CMP), Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering (EEE) and the Department of Chemical and Process Engineering (CPE) at the University of Strathclyde, is available to suitably qualified UK and EU students.

This studentship will aid the development of a new generation of clean combustion technologies for transportation and power generation, through the study of the fundamental spectroscopy of specific high temperature gases using cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRD). Furthermore, the project will start to develop a small-scale, low-cost, reliable sensor to monitor critical gases including methane, acetylene and water in industrial environments

The standard methods for measuring gas concentration in a number of combustion processes involve the use of extractive sampling followed by gas chromatography. This expensive and time-consuming technique is unsuitable for harsh industrial environments and is plagued by various sources of experimental error. Continuous-wave CRD spectroscopy can provide quick and reliable trace gas measurements with very high sensitivity in harsh environments such as flames and fuel cells.

The student will carry out fundamental TDLS spectroscopic work using CRD, the results of which will be used to measure concentrations of acetylene and methane within flames using several burner systems. A comprehensive dataset will be gathered over a wide range of flame conditions and provide a firm basis for validation and development of numerical models of carbon nanoparticle formation. The final objective will be to develop a micro-electromechanical based CRD spectrometer for multi-species gas measurement.

The research will be carried out in two academic departments, Electronic and Electrical Engineering (Dr. Michael Lengden and Dr. Walter Lubeigt) and Chemical and Process Engineering (Dr. Iain Burns), within the University of Strathclyde. It is also anticipated that the student will have the opportunity to interact with other industrial and academic collaborators. The student will benefit from attending skill workshops and Master classes provided by the University. The student will also be encouraged to present the research outcomes at various international conferences.
This is a challenging and rewarding project, which offers an exceptional research experience and strong industrial interaction providing training and transferable skills in diverse engineering sectors.

Applicants should have a degree in electronic engineering, chemical engineering or physics and preferably have some experience in optics or spectroscopy. To apply, please send your CV and a covering letter highlighting your interests and suitability for the project to Dr. Michael Lengden (michael.lengden@eee.strath.ac.uk).

Funding Notes:

Applicants must be a UK or EU national and possess or be about to obtain a 1st class or 2:1 Honours degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline. The annual stipend will be approximately £13,800 (tax free) subject to annual inflation, for 3 years, with all PhD supervision fees paid.

FindAPhD Scholarship available for this PhD opportunity!

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