Postdoctoral Research Associate in Modelling of Biomass Combustion Systems

Role & Project:

Our Engineering team in the Faculty of Science and Engineering is recruiting a Research Associate to join them on a 17-month fixed-term contract to undertake research in the field of Modelling of Biomass Combustion Systems.

As a Research Associate, you will be working with the team engaged in the prestigious Horizon Europe project “Enzymatic CO2 Capture in a Rotating Packed Bed and Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction to Useful Products” (REUSE), on the modelling of thermodynamic and chemical processes in biomass energy systems, with validations against experimental data. REUSE proposes the development of an advanced CO2 capture for a biomass combustor and utilisation concept where a Rotating Packed Bed (RPB) is used that employs immobilised Carbonic Anhydrase (CA) in combination with advanced solvents, while the captured CO2 is transformed into carbon monoxide (CO) or formic acid (FA) in a CO2R cell. Working closely with Dr Olawole Kuti, you will play a pivotal role in leading part of the project alongside the Project Co-ordinator and other colleagues.

Key Responsibilities:

• Simulate the combustion process of a biomass combustor using a suitable modelling tool, identifying the formation of key components of flue gases.
• Investigate the conversion of formic acid (CO) and conversion into hydrogen using simulation tools such as ANSYS FLUENT and CHEMKIN, delivering numerical information over the entire REUSE value chain.
• Establish, through modelling, a detailed understanding of the corrosion processes in the electrolytic CO2R cell.
• Develop models that will integrate all numerical information from the Biomass Combustion system and RPB-CO2R systems in a unified model.
• Develop a cloud-based web simulation tool that combines a simplified numerical version of the REUSE system.

Key Attributes required:

• A doctoral level qualification in a relevant area and evidence of continuous professional development.
• Proficiency in the use of proprietary software such as ANSYS, ASPEN, CONVERGE, AVL and COMSOL.
• Significant research experience in the field of computational mechanics, thermal and chemical processes in a combustion system.
• Possess sufficient breadth and/or depth of knowledge in combustion, fluid dynamics and chemical kinetics.

To learn more about the role and requirements, please read the Job Description provided below.

To Apply:

• Please submit your CV and Cover Letter via our portal, by clicking "apply now".
• For an informal discussion, please contact Dr Olawole Kuti on o.kuti@mmu.ac.uk 
• Please be aware that only applications including a cover letter may be considered at shortlisting stage.

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