Digital hydraulic fluid power technologies

About the Project

The Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Bath is inviting applications for the following fully funded PhD project.

This advert may close early if a suitable candidate is identified. Early application is therefore encouraged.

Project

Hydraulic fluid power is used in a variety of sectors, including robotics, transportation, oil and gas, and machinery for industry, construction, and agriculture. Its popularity stems from its advantages over electrical and mechanical transmission technologies, which include high power density, compactness, low weight, fast response, and very good controllability. In most hydraulically powered systems, the speed and/or force of a load are controlled using valves to throttle the flow and thus reduce the hydraulic pressure. This is a simple but extremely inefficient method as the excess energy is lost as heat, and it is common for more than 50% of the input power to be wasted in this way. Digital hydraulics, which means hydraulic systems having discrete valued components actively controlling system output, can potentially have much higher efficiency and less energy loss. This project aims to explore new digital switched hydraulic components and systems, assessing their viability and related applications to significantly improve hydraulic energy efficiency. This will result in reduced fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, paving the way for a more sustainable and eco-friendly future.

Candidate Requirements

Candidates with experience/interest in fluid power systems, control engineering, dynamic systems, modelling and simulation are very welcome to apply.

Applicants should hold, or expect to receive, a First Class or good Upper Second Class Honours degree (or the equivalent). A master’s level qualification would also be advantageous.

Non-UK applicants must meet our English language entry requirement.

Enquiries and Applications

Informal enquiries are encouraged! Direct these to Prof Min Pan - m.pan@bath.ac.uk

Please make a formal application should via the University of Bath’s online application form for a PhD in Mechanical Engineering.

When completing the form, in the 'Funding your studies' section, please select 'University of Bath LURS' from the first drop-down list. In the 'Your PhD project' section, please state the project title and supervisor's name in the appropriate boxes.

Failure to complete these steps will delay the processing of your application and may cause you to miss the deadline.

More information about applying for a PhD at Bath may be found on our website.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

We value a diverse research environment and strive to be an inclusive university, where difference is celebrated and respected. We encourage applications from under-represented groups.

Keywords: Fluid power; digital hydraulics; sustainable machines