Dr S Spooner, Dr Tara Schiller, Dr Stuart Coles
No more applications being accepted
About the Project
The project aims to begin tackling the dirty image that both steel and other foundation industries have developed over recent decades that is one associated with an abundance of waste products and large environmental impact. Within steel processing, a plethora of “co-products” are generated which affect the overall productivity and environmental impact of the process. This largely depends on the company, country and site specific utilization. This variability is the platform for which the scope of the project is built upon.
Tata Steel, Port Talbot are investing heavily in strategic environmental improvements within their production site. This projects presents an opportunity to both minimise waste from the plant but also to deviate traditional revenue streams through the formation of unique or local supply chains, stabilising the sites fragility to the volatility of the international steel markets;
-Low cost hot-metal production – by generating extra value of by-product materials the effective cost of liquid metal production is reduced.
-Development of circular materials economy – utilizing heat and gases from the process to treat slags reduces waste emitted to the immediate un-recoverable environment. In addition the process can be developed to investigate the usage of landfill bound material for additional loss reduction (free reagents).
-Reduced environmental impact – Use of works gases presents a pathway to re-carburise lime for CO2 capture, create close pour networks for gas capture and entrain particulates carried within the gas streams. In addition activates around CO2 savings through the supply-chain due to usage of steel production by-products presents a pathway to inform future legislation and enhance the credentials of concentrated industrial material production for foundation industries.
Interviews for this position will involve both WMG in Coventry and Tata Steel in Port Talbot, Wales. This project is in collaboration with Tata steels, Port Talbot, Wales. It is anticipated that the student will access the plant and their industrial supervisor regularly during the project. This is an interdisciplinary project and students with complementary experience are encouraged to apply.
ESSENTIAL AND DESIRABLE CRITERIA
Applicants should have a solid understanding of physical sciences and must have a minimum 2.1 undergraduate (BEng, MEng, BSc) and/or postgraduate masters’ qualification (MSc) with 65% or above in a relevant science and technology field: chemistry, physics, materials science or engineering.
FUNDING AND ELIGIBILITY
Funding of £18,009 per annum is available for UK/EU applicants for 4 years.
To be eligible for this project the successful applicant should have indefinite leave to remain in the UK and have been ordinarily resident here for 3 years prior to the project start-date, apart from occasional or temporary absences. Additional details of these criteria are available on the EPSRC website.
TO APPLY
If you would like to be considered for this position or have any questions please complete our online enquiry form using the "Visit website" button below.
Funding Notes
Funding of £18,009 per annum is available for UK/EU applicants for 4 years.
To be eligible for this project the successful applicant should have indefinite leave to remain in the UK and have been ordinarily resident here for 3 years prior to the project start-date, apart from occasional or temporary absences. Additional details of these criteria are available on the EPSRC website.