PostDoc on Development of digital twins for industrial heat pumps

The Technische Universiteit Eindhoven (TU/e) offers the following Post-doc (PD) position
Development of digital twins for industrial heat pumps
at Energy Technology & Fluid Dynamics (ETFD), Department of Mechanical Engineering (ME)

Scope
Industry is facing huge challenges to realize the transition to a nearly CO2-neutral industry in 2050. Integration of industrial heat pumps that upgrade waste heat to process heat is one of an array of potential solutions to enable this. Compression heat-pump technology has been developed to such a level that market introduction for heating purposes is possible in the near future. However, two main challenges hamper this market introduction. First, industrial heat-pump technology has not yet reached the status of proven technology for end-users. Know-how is lacking with respect to its integration into industrial processes and its performance under industrial conditions. Second, current industrial heat pumps are mainly developed for refrigeration purposes instead of heating purposes. This leads to uncertainty at heat-pump manufacturers regarding the purpose for which to develop heat pumps (i.e. refrigeration or heating) and the corresponding expertise and know-how.

Project
The 2-year PD project at ETFD is part of a larger-scale research project that seeks to facilitate the above market introduction by the development of industrial heat-pump technology for heating purposes to the end-user level. The main goal of the PD project is the development of digital twins for prototype heat pumps developed at the Dutch national laboratories (TNO) in order to enable their integration into industrial processes. This involves realizing the following subgoals:

• Development of first-principles models for the simulation of system-level dynamic behaviour of heat pumps and their implementation in programming environments such as e.g. Matlab or Modelica. Essential to this model development are (i) model calibration via system identification using data from the prototype heat pumps and (ii) model reduction.
• In-depth characterization and analysis of the system-level behaviour under dynamic operating conditions using methods and concepts from nonlinear dynamics.
• Development of advanced (nonlinear) control strategies for regulation of the heat pumps based on the above modelling and characterization of the system-level dynamics.
• Performance analysis of the control strategies for the prototype heat pumps.

Recent or impending PhD-degree in Mechanical Engineering or Applied Physics on a multi-disciplinary topic on the interface between thermal systems involving fluid flow and dynamic behaviour and control of such systems. Essential are proven experience with:

• mathematical modelling of thermal systems using first principles.
• nonlinear dynamics, model reduction & advanced data analysis.
• system identification and control theory.
• numerical modelling beyond commercial CFD.
• programming environments such as e.g. Matlab or Modelica.

• A meaningful job in a dynamic and ambitious university with the possibility to present your work at international conferences.
• A full-time employment for 2 years.
• You will have free access to high-quality training programs on general skills, didactics and topics related to research and valorization.
• A gross monthly salary and benefits in accordance with the Collective Labor Agreement for Dutch Universities.
• Additionally, an annual holiday allowance of 8% of the yearly salary, plus a year-end allowance of 8.3% of the annual salary.
• A broad package of fringe benefits (including an excellent technical infrastructure, moving expenses, and savings schemes).
• Family-friendly initiatives are in place, such as an international spouse program, and excellent on-campus children day care and sports facilities.

About Energy Technology & Fluid Dynamics (ETFD)
The mission of ETFD (www.energy.tue.nl) is to advance heat & flow technologies for energy and high-tech applications. This encompasses research and development of new methods and tools (science), improving applied systems (technology), exchanging knowledge with our societal partners (valorization) and teaching & inspiring future generations of engineers (education).