"PhD on Compact modelling of Positive Energy Districts"

We are seeking a motivated PhD researcher to help drive the heat transition as an essential part of the energy transition. Join leading researchers and industry partners in developing novel strategies to this end.

This research project is part of the EmPowerED project, which aims to accelerate and scale up the development of Positive Energy Districts (PEDs). PEDs are urban areas that generate more energy than they consume and carbon-neutral heating and cooling is a core element of their design. The design and realization of PEDs involves complex interactions between societal, technical, economical and regulatory factors. EmPowerED seeks to tackle this challenge by involving key stakeholders in the decision-making process by offering them a toolbox to explore and assess local heat solutions for PEDs. The project involves 11 PhD positions at several universities, focusing on different aspects of positive energy districts, and includes case studies in cities like Groningen, Nijmegen, Eindhoven and Tilburg.

The PhD project contributes to the EmPowerED toolbox by developing simulation models for individual physical components of a PED, focusing on the residential heating system. This includes thermal components like heat exchangers, heat-pumps, heat-storage systems, aqua-thermal and geothermal heat sources, and waste heat recovery in a 5th generation district heating network. The goal is to develop component models with greater physical accuracy using reduced-order models (ROMs) and data-based models from high-fidelity Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) models and machine learning, while keeping them compact for integration into PED models.

You will be appointed to the Section Energy Technology of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). You will join a diverse, international community and collaborate with researchers and partners in the EmPowerED project.

Requirements: Recent or impending Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Energy Sciences, Applied Physics, Scientific Computing or a related field; strong affinity with mathematical modelling of thermal systems, model reduction, system identification, and machine learning; programming skills; strong analytical and systems-thinking abilities; excellent communication skills in English; passion for the energy transition. Nice to have: Knowledge of energy transition and PEDs; experience in multi-disciplinary environments; working knowledge of Dutch.

Conditions of employment: Fixed-term contract for 4 years; full-time employment with salary from €3059 to €3881 per month; benefits including pension scheme, vacation pay, and training programs; located in Eindhoven.