VTT is launching second international graduate school in 2011 to attract new, PhD students. We are looking for 15 new PhD students (incl. one Post Doc Researcher) that are expected to contribute to development of our prominent technological competences.
PhD students and Post Doc Researcher participate in high level research work at VTT on selected strategically relevant topics within a collaborative project environment. PhD work is done for four consecutive years under professional scientific supervision by highly experienced and competent senior researchers with PhD degrees.
The PhD thesis should be finalized within the four-year period and fulfill high level scientific standards. The employment of Post Doc Researchers is for two years. The open positions are related to applied materials, services and the built environment, industrial system management, bio and chemical processes, energy, information and communication technologies, and microtechnologies and electronics.
PhD Student - Oxyfuel Combustion with Carbon Capture
Increased efficiency and co-firing of coal with CO2 neutral fuels provide a technically and economically feasible solution to the CO2 issue in the short and medium term, while major emission cuts possibly required in the future call for more powerful solutions. Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technologies for fossil fuels are currently developed, due to the rising interest in the mitigation of climate change.
Post-combustion capture of CO2 from power station flue gases is considered technically feasible, but in combustion with air the flue gas volumes are large and CO2 is very much diluted with N2. Separation of CO2 from such a stream is expensive, and other options are being explored.
Combustion using oxygen instead of air is a method under development to obtain a high concentration of CO2 in flue gases to enable more efficient capture and further storage of CO2. In oxyfuel combustion systems the fuel is burned in a mixture of pure O2 and recirculated flue gas instead of air. The absence of air nitrogen produces a flue gas stream with a high concentration of CO2, making it much easier to separate the CO2.
The work concentrates on the development of the modeling tools for the oxyfuel combustion process with carbon capture. The modeling work is supported with the experimental research at the laboratory scale test rigs.
What we offer
For PhD Students
- an opportunity to contribute to the strategic capabilities of a world-class research organization
- outstanding PhD supervision by top research scientists of your field
- excellent prospects for personal development
- an innovative work community for aspiring researchers
- a work contract for 1 + 3 years
- assistance with housing and other relocation issues
