PhD Studentship

Supervisors:

University of Sheffield – Prof I. Todd & Dr R.Goodall

Culham Centre for Fusion Energy – Dr M. Porton & C. Waldon

European fusion laboratories, closely collaborating with industry, are developing a demonstration fusion power plant (DEMO) for construction in the 2030s. The delivery of viable designs for the consumable, in-vessel plasma-facing components as key to the realisation of this plant DEMO. These components present formidable design and manufacturing challenges due to the need for high heat flux handling with high structural whilst withstanding the effects of a damaging neutron irradiation environment.

Pulsed electric current sintering (PECS), also widely known as Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS), has been widely used over many years in the fabrication of ceramics and dissimilar joints. More recently, the process has been applied to metals and to dissimilar metal joints. PECS is essentially a variant of hot isostatic pressing (HIP). A fine powder is compressed at the sintering temperature with the addition of high current pulses (thousands of amperes) for a short time, typically milliseconds, so that the powder is sintered to a fully dense state. The key feature of the PECS is the ability to produce fully dense components at much lower temperatures and shorter times than for conventional diffusion bonding or hot isostatic pressing. This offers the potential that dissimilar joints can be produced successfully at temperatures which are acceptable for the lower melting point material in a dissimilar combination.

The process has significant potential benefits for fusion in-vessel components including the manufacture of novel materials (e.g. nano-structured, ODS), joining of dissimilar metals while minimising the formation of brittle intermetallics and manufacture of functionally graded materials to minimise the effects of problems due to thermal cycling. Therefore this CASE PhD will evaluate and develop the PECS process via experiment and supporting modelling to optimise process parameters for component performance in fusion applications.

This is a collaborative project between the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy and University of Sheffield. CCFE is at the forefront of fusion energy research including development of key power plant technologies and operation of the Joint European Torus – the world’s-largest fusion device, holding the world record for generated fusion power and the only tritium compatible device in the world.

Candidate Profile

You should have, or be expected to achieve, a first or upper second class UK honours degree (or equivalent) in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics or another technical discipline. Previous knowledge of the mechanics of materials, metallurgy and finite element modelling would be beneficial.

Further Information

Due to funding this position is open to UK and EU citizens only. This studentship covers the cost of tuition fees at the home rate and provides an annual stipend at the standard UK research rate with additional industrial top-up funds £17,000 per annum.

To apply please use our standard on-line PhD application form (http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/postgraduate/research/apply/applying), including your CV and two references, and indicate on your form that you are replying to this

Please email the postgraduate admissions officer (me-pgadmit@sheffield.ac.uk) for further guidance.