Process & Energy

Postdoc position on process dynamics and control for Direct Air Capture

Job description

To stop global warming, it is vital to reduce carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) to net zero within the coming decades. This involves not only preventing new emissions (mitigation), but also actively removing CO2 from the atmosphere. This Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) serves to neutralize emissions from hard-to-abate sectors, (e.g. aviation), and to restore atmospheric CO2 concentrations to pre-industrial levels. Direct Air Capture (DAC) is one of the key technologies in this field, providing safe, permanent, flexible, and scalable negative emissions.

DAC involves contacting large quantities of air with sorbent materials to capture CO2, and subsequently using temperature and/or pressure adjustments to release it in a pure stream for storage or conversion. This regeneration step is energy-intensive, and therefore expensive. In this project, we seek explore control strategies that will allow a DAC plant to make efficient use intermittent supplies of renewable energy.

In this project, you will build a mathematical model of a Direct Air Capture installation, with a focus on weather and energy availability dynamics. You will study the sensitivity of the system, and derrive simplified/black-box models based on its output data. Lastly, you will develop optimization-based predictive control strategies and assess their effectiveness for optimising DAC under variable conditions.

During this project, you will work with experts on Direct Air Capture (dr.ir. Tim M.J. Nijssen, department of Process & Energy) and advanced control theory (dr. Mohammad Khosravi, Delft Centre for Systems and Control). 

Requirements

We seek a motivated, conscientious researcher (f/m/x) with strong communication and self-management skills, who is passionate about contributing to a solution for climate change. The successful candidate holds a doctorate degree in mechanical engineering, applied physics, chemical engineering or a similar field. Affinity with numerical research is strongly advices, as is experience with process modelling or control theory.

The TU Delft is an equal opportunity employer, and therefore we strongly encourage candidates from underrepresented groups to apply. 

Conditions of employment

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities. The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged.

For international applicants, TU Delft has the Coming to Delft Service. This service provides information for new international employees to help you prepare the relocation and to settle in the Netherlands. The Coming to Delft Service offers a Dual Career Programme for partners and they organise events to expand your (social) network.

TU Delft (Delft University of Technology)

Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context.

At TU Delft we embrace diversity as one of our core values and we actively engage to be a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe this makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale. That is why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

Read more and apply online.