Building envelope integrated solar thermal systems for space and water heating

The Energy Research Accelerator (ERA) is a cross-disciplinary energy innovation hub which brings together capital assets, data and intellectual leadership to foster collaboration between academia and business to accelerate the development of solutions to the global energy challenge. It will provide new buildings and cutting-edge demonstrators, develop highly skilled people and jobs, as well as new products and services to ultimately transform the UK’s energy sector. Building on existing programmes and academic expertise across the partnership, universities within ERA have committed over £2m for doctoral students as a critical part of the ERA skills agenda.
Delivered through Innovate UK, the government has committed an initial capital investment of £60m, and ERA has secured private sector co-investment of £120m. ERA’s initial priorities of Geo-Energy Systems, Integrated Energy Systems and Thermal Energy will help deliver the new technologies and behaviours that will open the avenues for its future development and demonstrate the transformative effect ERA can have.

Through the Midlands Energy Consortium (MEC), Midlands’ universities have already worked closely to deliver essential research and postgraduate skills – clustering energy research and development to deliver technologies capable of enabling the UK’s transition to a low-carbon economy. ERA is the next step along that journey to become a major hub for energy talent.

Project Detail:
This project aims to design, develop and experimentally characterise improved building integrated solar thermal energy systems including vacuum flat plate solar collectors and appropriate compact thermal energy storage designed to meet space heating and hot water requirements in spring, summer and autumn and contribute to winter loads. The research to be undertaken will include detailed modelling of optics and heat transfer, structural analysis, design and experimental characterisation of laboratory system prototypes and prediction of instantaneous and long term performance.

Find out more:
http://www.lboro.ac.uk/research/crest/

Entry requirements:
Applicants should have, or expect to achieve, a 2:1 Honours degree (or equivalent) in Engineering, Physics or a related subject. A relevant Master’s degree and/or experience in one of the following will be an advantage: numerical modelling, heat transfer, experimental design.

It provides
• A tax-free stipend of £14,553 per annum for 3.5 years. The stipend will increase in line with EPSRC recommended rates.
• Tuition fees at the UK/EU rate, for up to 3.5 years.

Due to funding restrictions, this is only available to those eligible to pay UK/EU fees. In order to qualify for a full award, all applicants must meet EPSRC eligibility criteria including the minimum UK residency requirement https://www.epsrc.ac.uk/skills/students/help/eligibility/

Contact details:
Professor Philip Eames, [Email Address Removed], 01509635347

How to apply:

All applications should be made online at http://www.lboro.ac.uk/study/apply/research/. Please quote the reference ‘PEPR201701’ on all correspondence and especially on the application form. Please ensure that you select ‘Electronic, Electrical & Systems Engineering’’ under ‘Programme Name’ on the application form.

Start date: October 2017
Closing date: 01/05/2017
Interview date: 15/05/2017
Reference: PEPR201701

Primary supervisor: Philip Eames
Secondary supervisor: Paul Rowley