With a turnover close to £9 billion, the beer industry in the United Kingdom has seen the number of breweries increased rapidly for several years. The main reason for this increase was the growing number of small and microbreweries producing craft beers which have changed the landscape of beer industry both in the UK and worldwide. There are around 2,000 microbreweries currently operating in the UK. Mixed fermentation (beer fermented with mixed yeast and bacteria species) used to be the standard practice in the UK, but demanding brewing science and requirements for more advanced control and modern equipment made single species fermentation the current norm. With the surge in demand for beers with a sour or funky flavour profile and beers with zero or low ABV (Alcohol By Volume), the fast-growing craft brewing sector is now keen to re-discover the spontaneous mixed fermentation. However, the biggest challenge in mixed-culture fermentation is the control of the optimum balance among the microorganisms involved.
Working together with the bioscientists in the Biomolecular Sciences Research Centre (BMRC) at Sheffield Hallam University, this PhD project will focus on developing, improving, and optimising advanced real-time control strategies in mixed fermentation. In this project, in order to achieve optimal and consistent production of mixed fermented beer, feedback control will be based on not only the traditional fermentation conditions (e.g. temperature, pH, O2, substrate feeding), but also novel measurement and estimation of expression rate and cellular growth rates.
Base in the National Centre of Excellence for Food Engineering at Sheffield Hallam University, this project will be supported by the world class research facilities available at the centre. The project will involve laboratory scale beer fermentation trials using bench-top fermenters and the 200L Braumeister pilot brewhouse fermenter, real-time control system design, simulation, and implementation.
The successful completion of this work could have a large impact on the application of advanced control, optimisation and condition monitoring systems to mixed beer fermentation processes. It provides the opportunity for local small and microbreweries to operate with better control over the products and greater efficiency.
Eligibility
Information on entry requirements can be found at GTA Program Page
The successful candidate should have, or expect to obtain, a first degree at 2.1 or above (or equivalent) in and/or Master’s degree (with Distinction or Merit) in either Automation and Control Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related discipline.
How to apply
We strongly recommend you contact the lead academic, Dr Hongwei Zhang ([Email Address Removed]), to discuss your application.
Please visit our GTA program page for more information on the Graduate teaching assistant program and how to apply.
Start date for studentship: October 2021
Interviews are scheduled for: Mid July 2021
For information on how to apply please visit GTA program page
Your application should be emailed to [Email Address Removed] by the closing date of 30th June.
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