Exploitation the Potential of Geothermal Energy Using Existing Tunnels.
We are recruiting new Doctoral Researchers to our EPSRC funded Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) PhD studentships starting 1 October 2024. Applications are invited for the project title Exploitation the Potential of Geothermal Energy Using Existing Tunnels.
Successful applicants will receive an annual stipend (bursary) of £21,237, including inner London weighting, plus payment of their full-time home tuition fees for a period of 42 months (3.5 years).
You should be eligible for home (UK) tuition fees there are a very limited number (no more than three) of studentships available to overseas applicants, including EU nationals, who meet the academic entry criteria including English Language proficiency.
You will join the internationally recognised researchers in the Department of Civil Engineering research and PhD programmes | Brunel University London
The Project
The study explores the potential of harnessing shallow subsurface geothermal energy through existing tunnels on a city scale, aiming to shift away from fossil fuels for heating buildings and industrial spaces. The research focuses on developing innovative software tools to analyse and implement geothermal systems integrated with tunnels. Three main objectives are outlined: (1) creating software to drive a technological shift in tunnel utilization, (2) establishing guidelines for controlling tunnel environments, addressing local challenges, and (3) conclusively demonstrating the feasibility of extracting and redistributing geothermal heat from tunnels, emphasising a swift and profitable return on investment. The interdisciplinary approach aims to address contemporary energy and environmental challenges, benefiting not only London but all UK and European cities. The project envisions a substantial contribution to advancing a zero-carbon economy.
Please contact Dr Mei Yin at mei.yin@brunel.ac.uk for an informal discussion about the studentships.
Eligibility
Applicants will have or be expected to receive a first or upper-second class honours degree in an Engineering, Computer Science, Design, Mathematics, Physics or a similar discipline. A Postgraduate Masters degree is not required but may be an advantage
Skills and Experience
Successful applicants will be capable of delivering high-quality work while maintaining effective communication, having a good BEng/BSc/MEng (1st class or 2.1 degree) and/or MSc in geotechnical engineering. Understanding of geothermal and computational model development using ArcGIS, MATLAB, COMSOL, etc. would be an advantage.
Applicants will be required to demonstrate the following skills;
- Analytical/Innovative Thinking
- Problem Solving
You should be highly motivated, able to work independently as well as in a team, collaborate with others and have good communication skills.
How to apply
There are two stages of the application:
1.Applicants must submit the pre-application form via the following link
https://brunel.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/epsrc-dtp-24-25-pre-application-form-brunel-university-lon
by 16.00 on Friday 5th April 2024.
2.If you are shortlisted for the interview, you will be asked to email the following documentation in a single PDF file to cedps-studentships@brunel.ac.uk within 72hrs.
- Your up-to-date CV;
- Your Undergraduate degree certificate(s) and transcript(s) essential;
- Your Postgraduate Masters degree certificate(s) and transcript(s) if applicable;
- Your valid English Language qualification of IELTS 6.5 overall (minimum 6.0 in each section) or equivalent, if applicable;
- Contact details for TWO referees, one of which can be an academic member of staff in the College.
Applicants should therefore ensure that they have all of this information in case they are shortlisted.
Interviews will take place in April/May 2024.