A PhD or PostDoc vacancy at the Faculty Design, Engineering and Production, Section Thermal Power Engineering at TU Delft in the field of CFD-modelling of solid fuel combustion:

”Optimal co-combustion of biomass/waste fuels in pulverised coal firing”

The goal of this project is to investigate the impact of co-combustion of high secondary fuel shares on combustion, heat transfer and emissions and to optimise the co-firing of secondary fuels in existing pulverised coal firings.
The effect of co-firing on the combustion process is studied by combining small-scale fuel characterisation work, CFD (computational fluid dynamics) modelling and measurements at a large scale power plant.

The work is carried under a research project granted by the agency Novem. The project will be executed by the section Thermal Power Engineering of the Faculty “Design, Construction and Production” in close co-operation with an electricity production company E.On Benelux, International Flame Research Foundation (IFRF), and a company Rendac that collects and processes animal waste.

Using CFD-modelling, the combustion process in the utility boiler will be simulated. The goal is to predict the operational problems that co-firing might cause and to determine the favourable parameters to minimise the effect of co-combustion. Different co-firing cases will be studied; the parameters that will be varied are fuel type, its share, and injection point. The attention is drawn into the near burner area. Modelling will provide information about temperature and velocity patterns in the boiler, ignition and flame stability, burnout, heat release, emissions (CO, NOx), and the existence of reducing zones near the furnace walls (corrosion). Full-scale testing in the utility is performed to verify the modelling results.

Requirements for the PhD/PostDoc candidate are:

• 
  
  Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or Applied Physics finished with good results


• 
  
  Interest in applied scientific research


• 
  
  Experience/interest in CFD-modelling


• 
  
  Well developed communicative skills


• 
  
  Good proficiency in English (writing and speaking)


• 
  
  Enthusiasm and team spirit

Starting Date:  As soon as possible

Applications and Inquiries

People who are interested in this Ph.D. position and who are fulfilling these requirements are invited to apply. Resumes and CV’s can be sent to:

Mrs drs. R.W. Elzinga
TU Delft – Faculty OCP
Personnel Department
Mekelweg 2
NL-2628 CD DELFT.

Information can be obtained from

Prof. Dr.-Ing. H. Spliethoff
h.spliethoff@wbmt.tudelft.nl
Tel: + 31 15 27 86071,

or from

Ir. W. de Jong
w.dejong@wbmt.tudelft.nl
Tel: +31 15 27 86751.