Demand Management using in-situ Heating and Cooling Capacity for Energy Security and Sustainability (part of 2x PhD studentships in Energy - School of Engineering / School of Architecture and Design.)

This is part of a 2x PhD studentships offer in the area of Energy - School of Engineering and School of Architecture and Design.

This is Post 1 (led by School of Engineering)

A project studentship is available for suitably qualified and well-motivated candidates on the Project title given above. It is part of a wider project initiative in the, strategically important, research field of Energy between the School of Engineering and the School of Architecture and Design. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to join a multidisciplinary and vibrant research team. Due to the strong multi-disciplinary link between the two projects (this post led by Engineering, and the second post led by Architecture and Design) it is expected that candidates will work closely in their respective research fields. The successful candidates will have the opportunity to join a multidisciplinary and vibrant research team. There may be opportunities to work with existing industry collaborators to enhance research impact.

Summary:
Excess capacity of the UKs national grid is widely quoted to be reducing to around 4% over coming years as a consequence of increased economic growth (and hence power usage) and reductions in power generation plants. This is historically low. There is a serious concern that short term variations in power demand could lead to serious wide scale failures with national impact.

This is spawning greater attention on augmenting traditional generation plants with
renewable/harvesting and localized energy storage technologies, and consideration of improved demand side responses (DSR), where power consumers are incentivized to switch off assets when the grid is under pressure. It is estimated, for instance, that refrigeration/HVAC systems alone could account for ~14% of the total UK energy usage, with refrigeration and water heating/cooling systems in particular being able to act as real-time ‘buffer’ technologies that can be demand-managed to accommodate transient demands by switched-off for short periods without damaging their produce/outputs. However, in order to provide widespread, robust, networked solution requires integrated multidisciplinary research encompassing real-time identification of storage capacity, distributed control, identification of fault tolerant electrical architectures (for hospitals etc.), know-how of different industry sectors energy consumption patterns, identification of where appropriate localized energy storage can also provide additional economic benefits, and use of Internet of Things.

The successful candidate will have knowledge and research interests in one or more of the following: electrical or mechanical engineering; dynamic modelling and widely distributed control; network control; system networking; demand management.

Further Information
Please contact Dr Argyrios Zolotas (email: [Email Address Removed]) for further information (quote: “Energy 1617 - Post 1”).

How to apply
Applicants should provide: (i) one page cover letter outlining interest and proposed approach, (ii) CV (including 2 academic referees names). A formal application must be submitted to be considered. Please quote ``Energy1617 - Post 1’’ in the application.

Complete an online application form via:
https://my.lincoln.ac.uk/welcome/pages/login.aspx

The application deadline for this studentship is 16 January 2017. However, please note the School reserves the right to review applications as they are submitted, to interview and appoint a candidate that meets the academic requirements prior to the closing date.