Website KU Leuven
Job description
The project Sustainability Assessment of Novel Conversion Pathways for Sludge and Waste Wood was initiated by the ChEMaRTS research group, a group of three professors active in the field of sustainable waste management and valorization. Research topics include waste strategies to improve sustainability at the societal level, performance modeling of industrial waste treatment processes, and chemical/physical phenomena at the particle level in waste recycling processes.ChEMaRTS has an in-depth and longitudinal understanding of waste and its recycling potential and contributes to the realization of material recycling in a circular economy. The research group is part of the Faculty of Engineering and Technology and the Department of Materials Engineering and Chemical Engineering, located at the Leuven Campus of the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven Engineering University), an international and entrepreneurial engineering campus with a focus on sustainability and healthcare engineering. The main challenge of this PhD project is to quantitatively assess the environmental impact and economic viability of hydrothermal and pyrolysis/gasification biowaste conversion routes developed within the network. For this purpose, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Techno-Economic Assessment (TEA) will be used. These activities will be carried out under the supervision of Prof. Jo Van Caneghem and Prof. Giuseppe Granata. The position consists of a 6-month academic secondment at the Technical University of Darmstadt (TU Darmstadt, Germany) to jointly gain insights into the contribution process from both upstream and downstream perspectives under the guidance of Prof. Arne Scholtissek; and a 3-month industry secondment at Sulzer, Switzerland, to collect detailed inventory data for the case under consideration in order to ensure a realistic picture. This work requires, on the one hand, a deep background in Life Cycle Assessment and a sound understanding of TEA in terms of theory and application, supported by e.g. scientific publications or Master’s theses. On the other hand, general knowledge of chemical/thermal industrial processes is essential, while specific knowledge of thermal conversion processes of biowastes is an important asset. The candidate should have experience in life cycle assessment (e.g. UMBERTO) and preferably also in the use of TEA modeling software. The ability to critically analyze the results obtained is also required.
offer requirements
The ideal candidate should be enthusiastic and motivated with a sense of personal development. Applicants will have obtained (or be about to obtain) a Master of Science degree with distinction in Chemical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemistry, Bioengineering or Process Engineering. Eligible applications will be evaluated based on the applicant’s (1) academic qualifications, (2) previous experience in TEA and LCA (documented), (3) technical background, (4) communication skills, and (5) motivation for the program. In addition to the above eligibility criteria, applicants should meet the KU Leuven requirements for admission to the PhD program.
offer benefits
We offer you – A full-time position for 36 months, extendable to 48 months. –Specialized PhD training to enhance your expertise. –Opportunities to collaborate on groundbreaking research and participate in international conferences. –Use of state-of-the-art infrastructure and software, as well as a range of university benefits (health insurance, etc.).
To apply for this job please visit kuleuven.be.