PhD: Oil/water separation technology Netherlands

In the Oil & Gas sector of DSTI, a project is being set up that aims at making existing oil/water separation equipment for oil production an order of magnitude smaller. The traditional large pressure vessels and settling tanks are replaced by line size devices that use swirling flow to accelerate the separation process. These devices not only make oil production cheaper, but also cleaner and safer and potentially these enable operation from remote geographical locations and even subsea.
The physics behind these swirling devices are, however, challenging. The present project is a cooperation of Shell, Frames, CDS Engineering and the Universities of Technology in Delft, Eindhoven and Twente. This combination of industry, both operators and suppliers, and universities will give a solid foundation to develop this new technology by studying the various key processes in a practical context; key processes include swirling flow, densely dispersed liquid/liquid multiphase flow, phase separation, coalescence and break-up. The problem will be addressed from two angles, i.e. one PhD student (this vacancy) will focus on experimental research, the other PhD student will approach the research questions from the theoretical and numerical side. The ultimate project deliverable includes fundamental knowledge on the processes that govern oil/water separation. That knowledge, in particular geometrical and flow parameters, may be used by engineers to design an inline oil/water separation device.

The Dutch Separation Technology Institute (DSTI) is the network in which industry, universities and knowledge institutes work closely together to develop breakthrough separation technologies for application in different sectors of the process industry. Some 40 companies from the food, pharmaceutical, oil and gas, chemical and process water industries, together with eight knowledge centres have joined DSTI.
Applicants should have a recent MSc in Chemical Engineering, Fluid Mechanics, Applied Physics or a related discipline. We seek candidates with proficiency in experimental design, data analysis and interpretation, and with excellent experimental skills in Fluid Mechanics. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills are also required.

Delft University of Technology strives to increase the number of women in higher academic positions; women are therefore especially encouraged to apply.
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