PhD Studentship in Chemical Engineering: Towards accelerating process development of the pharmaceutical agitated filter drying process

Award Summary

100% home fees covered, and a minimum tax-free annual living allowance of £18,622 (2023/24 UKRI rate).

Travel and accommodation costs for a research placement at the industrial partner will be covered.

Overview

Most active pharmaceutical ingredients are produced by crystallisation from solution, following which they are filtered, washed, and dried. These steps are typically carried out in an agitated filter dryer (AFD), which heats the liquid through the vessel walls whilst the bed is agitated to improve heat and mass transfer. This agitation causes undesirable particle size changes due to breakage and agglomeration. The rates are dependent on process parameters (e.g., impeller speed and operation) and material properties (e.g., hardness and flowability).

This research aims to understand how process parameters and initial particle size distribution affect size distribution changes in AFDs, by developing and carrying out drying experiments in a small-scale jacketed vessel, which mimics the AFD process. A population balance model will be developed from the experiments and coupled with differential equations for moisture evaporation and temperature rise throughout the bed, to predict particle size distribution from a given drying operation. Such predictions will be compared to pilot or industrial scale results.

An approximately 3-month placement at the GSK will be offered at a suitable time of the project. A key outcome of the PhD will be development of a process workflow to apply the prediction method, to ensure the company can implement the developed approach to predict and improve the performance of their drying processes.

Number of wwards: 1

Start date: 16.09.2024

Award duration: 4 years

Sponsor: EPSRC/GlaxoSmithKline

Supervisors: Colin Hare

Eligibility Criteria

You must have, or expect to gain, a minimum 2:1 Honours degree or international equivalent in a subject relevant to the proposed PhD project (e.g. chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, civil engineering). Enthusiasm for research, the ability to think and work independently, excellent analytical skills and strong verbal and written communication skills are also essential requirements.  

Both home and international applicants (inc. EU) are welcome to apply, however if successful international students would have to pay the difference between home and international fees. Applicants whose first language is not English require an IELTS score of 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in all sub-skills.  

International applicants may require an ATAS (Academic Technology Approval Scheme) clearance certificate prior to obtaining their visa and to study on this programme

How to apply

You must apply through the University’s Apply to Newcastle Portal 

Once registered select ‘Create a Postgraduate Application’.

Use ‘Course Search’ to identify your programme of study:

Search for the ‘Course Title’ using the programme code: 8030F

Research Area: Chemical Engineering

select ‘PhD Chemical Engineering (full time) - Chemical Engineering' as the programme of study

You will then need to provide the following information in the ‘Further Details’ section:

• A ‘Personal Statement’ (this is a mandatory field) - upload a document or write a statement directly in to the application form
• The studentship code ENG123 in the ‘Studentship/Partnership Reference’ field
• When prompted for how you are providing your research proposal - select ‘Write Proposal’. You should then type in the title of the research project from this advert. You do not need to upload a research proposal.

Contact Details: Colin Hare

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