Development of computational and experimental techniques to investigate the effect of marine coatings and biofouling on ship performance

PhD Studentship in Naval Architecture, Ocean and Marine Engineering

University of Strathclyde - Department of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Marine Engineering

Qualification type: PhD

Location: Glasgow, UK

Funding for: UK/EU/International Students

Funding amount: The funding covers UK/EU student tuition fees and stipend in line with University rates (£14653 per year). An
overseas student (non-EU or non-UK) may be considered for a partial grant up to the fee level for a UK/EU student.

Hours: Full Time

Start Date and Duration: Preferably October 2017, for 3 years.

Application closing date: 15 October 2017. Prompt application is advised, as this position is only available until a suitable candidate is found.

Project Title: Development of computational and experimental techniques to investigate the effect of marine coatings and biofouling on ship performance

Overview

Hull resistance is of paramount importance to ships since it directly affects their speed, power requirements and fuel consumption. For this reason, reducing a ship’s resistance is a fundamental requirement for naval architects, in order to benefit ship owners. The release of harmful gases due to the use of carbon-based fuel is another reason that shipping companies should aim to reduce the fuel consumption of their ships. Some regulations, such as the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) and the Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP), and recommended practices such as the Energy Efficiency Operational Indicator (EEOI) have been implemented in recent times to limit the quantities of harmful gases that are released into the environment as a result of the fuel consumed by ships.

Due to its negative effects on ship efficiency and the marine environment, it is very desirable to mitigate the accumulation of biofouling on ship hulls. The use of marine antifouling coatings is the most effective and cost economical method to mitigate the growth of biofouling as well as to smooth hull surfaces to reduce the frictional resistance and fuel consumption of a ship.
A major challenge is to relate marine coatings, and the effect of biofouling on coatings, to full-scale ship resistance, in order to evaluate their effects on energy efficiency and hence CO2 emissions. While retrofitting of existing ships with new antifouling paints will improve their energy efficiency, it is equally important to model and predict the potential effects of biofouling on ship resistance and to demonstrate the importance of the mitigation of such effects by performing scientific research. However, at present, no complete method exists to predict the roughness effects of antifouling coatings and biofouling on a ship’s performance.
The main aim of this proposed PhD topic is to fill this gap by developing computational and experimental techniques to investigate the effect of marine coatings and biofouling on ship performance. The candidate is expected to spending time at the Kelvin Hydrodynamics Laboratory to conduct experiments supporting his/her study.

Name of supervisor(s)
Dr Yigit Kemal Demirel
Professor Mehmet Atlar

Eligibility Criteria
Applicants should have a distinction pass at Master’s level in naval architecture/mechanical engineering or a related subject, or first class BEng/BSc Honours degree, or equivalent, in naval architecture/mechanical engineering or in a related subject.
Some experience of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) (e.g. STAR-CCM+, OpenFOAM) would be an advantage but is not essential. The project requires a mixture of skills, including numerical and experimental fluid dynamics, ship hydrodynamics, computer programing and basic statistics.
The funding covers UK/EU student tuition fees and stipend in line with University rates for 36 months. An overseas student (non-EU or non-UK) may be considered for a partial grant up to the fee level for a UK/EU student.
How to apply

Applicants should send their application directly to Dr Yigit Kemal Demirel

e-mail: [Email Address Removed]

Applications should include:
- Cover Letter
- CV with two references
- Degree transcripts and certificates and, if English is not your first language, a copy of your English language qualifications.

Contact
If you wish to discuss any details of the project informally, please contact Dr Yigit Kemal Demirel, e-mail: [Email Address Removed]