PhD Studentship in Combustion Physics Department at Lund University, Sweden

Type of employment: Limit of tenure, Four years
Extent: 100 %
Location: Department of Physics, Lund
First day of employment: Spring 2012
Official Records Number: LTHPA 2011/806

The combustion physics department at Lund University is well-established and internationally recognized for excellence in the measurement and development of combustion applications related to ground and aerospace combustion engines and energy production. The department conducts a wide-array of research, together with other departments within the Lund Institute of Technology.

A significant portion of the measurement and research activity is also conducted outside the university at the facilities of our industrial research partners. Our research facility was built in 2001 and currently supports the work of around 40 researchers.

Job assignments

Aspects of energy and environment are becoming more and more important issues for our society. Since combustion of either fossil fuel or biomass fuel will play a key role in energy utilization in a substantially long foreseeable future, development of high efficient and clean combustion techniques will maintain the most important research focus, not only for energy utilization but also for related fields like waste incineration, combustion synthesis etc. Measurements techniques are of essential importance for the fundamental understanding and practical solution of combustion related problems.

One PhD position in the field of laser combustion diagnostics will be open at the Division of Combustion Physics. This PhD project is aiming at the development and application of novel laser spectroscopic techniques for in situ measurements of key parameters important for characterization of energy related thermochemical processes e.g. gasification and combustion. Non-intrusive and quantitative detection of combustion important small molecular species like CH4, CH3, C2H2, HF, HCN etc. will be one focus using absorption-based techniques, e.g. IRPS (infrared polarization spectroscopy) for achieving spatially resolved and cavity enhanced absorption spectra with high sensitivity.

Instantaneous visualization of turbulent flame structures will be another focus, in which techniques like PLIF (planar laser-induced fluorescence), advanced PIV (aiming at high spatial resolution), FRS (filtered Rayleigh scattering) will be further developed and applied in well-defined flame conditions for fundamental understanding of the interaction between flowfield properties and chemistry.

Eligibility/Entry Requirements

To be considered for this position, the potential candidate should hold a Masters´s degree in Physics or Engineering Physics or equivalent from an accredited university which includes coursework in mathematics and/or physics and/or equivalent to at least 240 course points in the Swedish university system.

Basis of Assessment

Selection to postgraduate studies is based on estimated ability to perform well in the studies. The evaluation of the ability to perform well is based primarily on the results of the studies on basic and advanced level, in particular:
1. Knowledge and skills relevant to postgraduate studies within this area. This can be documented by appended documents.
2. Estimated ability to independent work and ability to formulate and solve scientific questions. This ability can be established, for example, bases on a master thesis or in a discussion of scientific problems during a possible interview.
3. Skills in written and oral communication.
4. Other experience relevant to postgraduate studies, such as professional experience.
5. Experience/knowledge of Optics, laserdiagnostic or combustion are a merit.

Employment as a Doctoral student can only be granted if you have been accepted to the postgraduate student program. Acceptance to the postgraduate student program is based on the esimated ability to perform well in your postgraduate studies. This is also one of the basic criteria for employment.

As a Doctoral student you will mainly be working with you research project, but you can also be given more general tasks within the department i.e. teaching, research and administrative work, in accordance with the regulations. Rules for employment as a Doctoral student is stated in "The Higher Education Ordnance (SFS 1998:80), Chapter 5".

Further Scholarship Information and Application