PhD Student position Fluid Mechanics Hydropower

PhD Student position in Fluid Mechanics, Hydropower, ref no 1397-10

Luleå University of Technology offers an open position for a PhD candidate in the field of fluid mechanics in an exiting and growing environment using the latest techniques at the Division of Fluid Mechanics being part of the Department of Applied Physics and Mechanical Engineering.


The department is a world leading institution within hydropower research in the fields of fluid mechanics, rotor-dynamics and tribology. It has access to world unique facilities such as generic models, full-scale hydropower machines and corresponding models, computer cluster and advanced measuring techniques.
Hydropower is the largest source of renewable energy in the world and account for about 20% of the electricity production worldwide. It is facing new technical challenges with the introduction of renewable energy resources, refurbishment of aging machines, adapt to climate changes and meet new regulations.

To deal with these challenges the Swedish power industry together with the authorities and universities started the Swedish Hydropower Centre (SVC: www.svc.nu). SVC is a competence centre for education and research within the field of hydropower, whose vision is to secure a knowledge and competence supply for Sweden, for an efficient and reliable hydropower production. Luleå University of Technology is an active member of the centre.

Project description

The project aims to better understand the interaction between runner and draft tube in axial machines of Kaplan type. Of special interest is the influence of the runner cone boundary layer on the large-scale flow and its scaling. Fluid conditions at and outside the energy efficient operation point are of interest.

The project is essentially experimental and comprises detailed investigations of a generic model at LTU (modelling the runner cone and inlet of the draft tube) and a turbine model using advanced optical measurement technique (PIV/LDA) at Vattenfall Research and Development, Älvkarleby (VRD).

The project implies close collaboration with Chalmers, Andritz and Vattenfall.

Qualifications

Applicants should have 240 credits of which 60 credits on advanced level within mechanical engineering or applied physics or equivalent. Previous experience in computational and/or experimental fluid mechanics is a merit.

Since male students are traditionally more numerous in this field of studies, female candidates are especially encouraged to apply. The position requires skills in written and spoken English but knowledge about French and/or Swedish is a merit, since our industrial and academic partners are from France, Switzerland, Canada, Sweden, and Norway.

The division of Fluid Mechanics

We provide an exiting and simulating environment of acknowledged experts, fellow PhD students and state of the art equipment within experimental and numerical fluid mechanics. Great effort is also spent on the working environment and gender issues. Strong international exchange and cooperation is encouraged.