Hydrogen generated from green electricity in water electrolysers is destined to play a large role in the transition away from fossil fuels. A main source of inefficiency is the membrane that usually separates the hydrogen from the generated oxygen. Membraneless designs can achieve higher efficiencies by removing the membrane, while ensuring effective gas separation using liquid flow. By flowing through porous electrodes in opposite directions, the hydrogen gas can be separated from the oxygen, without a membrane. An additional advantage of membraneless systems is that the electrodes can be brought closely together, to create microfluidic devices. This makes electrolysis possible with electrolytes that have only limited conductivity, opening up the way towards purifying various industrial wastewater streams while at the same time making hydrogen.

Within a European consortium of several universities and a microfluidics company, MacGhyver (https://greenhydrogen-pathfinder.eu/), you will work on simulations of several innovative prototypes. To optimize membraneless systems, computer optimizations will be extremely beneficial (https://spectrum.ieee.org/eden-tech-water-treatment). Computational Fluid Dynamics will allow identifying dead zones in which bubbles will tend to nucleate, which you may simulate with two-fluid multiphase flow models. Multiphysics simulations in e.g. COMSOL will allow you to simulate the electric fields and current distributions, allowing optimization of the geometries. An experimental PhD project is running in parallel in the same group (http://jwhaverkort.weblog.tudelft.nl), which will make it possible to directly compare with and guide experiments.

If you are enthusiastic to use your skills in CFD to help the energy transition, we look forward to meet you and work on this challenging topic together.

• You are a self-motivated conscientious researcher with good communication and self-management skills.
• You have a PhD degree and experience with CFD.
• Experience with COMSOL, Fluent, multiphase flow, water electrolysis, or electrochemistry will be a plus. 

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities. The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, a discount on health insurance and sport memberships, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged. A contract intended for 1,5 years. 

For international applicants, TU Delft has the Coming to Delft Service. This service provides information for new international employees to help you prepare the relocation and to settle in the Netherlands. The Coming to Delft Service offers a Dual Career Programme for partners and they organise events to expand your (social) network.

Delft University of Technology

Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context.

At TU Delft we embrace diversity as one of our core values and we actively engage to be a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe this makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale. That is why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

Faculty Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering

From chip to ship. From machine to human being. From idea to solution. Driven by a deep-rooted desire to understand our environment and discover its underlying mechanisms, research and education at the 3mE faculty focusses on fundamental understanding, design, production including application and product improvement, materials, processes and (mechanical) systems.

3mE is a dynamic and innovative faculty with high-tech lab facilities and international reach. It’s a large faculty but also versatile, so we can often make unique connections by combining different disciplines. This is reflected in 3mE’s outstanding, state-of-the-art education, which trains students to become responsible and socially engaged engineers and scientists. We translate our knowledge and insights into solutions to societal issues, contributing to a sustainable society and to the development of prosperity and well-being. That is what unites us in pioneering research, inspiring education and (inter)national cooperation.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering. Do you want to experience working at our faculty? These videos will introduce you to some of our researchers and their work.