Innovative wind turbine technology and its integration into wind farms

Applications are invited for a competitive fully funded PhD Research Studentship starting from 1st September 2016 to undertake cutting edge research on vertical axis wind turbine technology and its integration into utility scale wind farms. The studentship is sponsored jointly by the EPSRC and 4NAVITAS Ltd and therefore only open to UK/EU candidates who meet the UK residency requirements. Potential applicants should have, or are expecting to obtain in the near future, a first class or good 2.1 honours degree in engineering, mathematics, or science.

With the rapid expansion in the scale of wind power generation in the UK and around the world, efficient use of wind resources with robust turbine design and optimum turbine layout within wind farms become increasingly critical for overall cost reduction of wind power generation. This project will investigate novel ideas of vertical axis wind turbine design for distributed power generation and the integration within large scale wind farms in order to increase power generation. Advanced computational modelling technologies will be employed with the support from the industrial partner with measurement data and test facilities in order to deliver new understanding of the vertical axis wind turbine aerodynamics for future optimum windfarm design. The project has received strong supported from the industrial partner who has an exciting and ambitious ongoing programme of wind turbine technology development. Therefore the successful candidate will be exposed to the forefront of innovative turbine designing, modelling, testing, and optimization process and has the opportunity to collaborate with leading wind aerodynamicist and engineers from the company.

The applications should include at least:

• Curriculum Vitae
• Full academic degree transcripts
• Two letters of reference
• A brief statement of purpose (400 words maximum )

The research work will be based in the Energy Engineering Group within the Department of Mechanical Engineering, which is a part of the Energy 2050 initiative within the University of Sheffield to develop world-leading activity in Energy research. The student will be working within an exciting and dynamic group with approximately 40 researchers undertaking a broad area of energy research. The Department of Mechanical Engineering has been a major discipline in the University since its foundation in 1905. The Research Excellence Framework (REF, December 2014) placed the Department within the Top 5 for Mechanical Engineering in the UK.