Join Our Exciting Funded PhD Project: Computational Modelling of Seals for High-Pressure, Low-Carbon Storage Technologies – Help Shape the Future of Clean Energy Storage!

Are you passionate about pushing the boundaries of engineering and accelerating the transition to a carbon-neutral energy system through groundbreaking research? 

The University of Sheffield’s School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering’s Thermofluids Group seeks am enthusiastic and self-motivated PhD student to join a groundbreaking project on Computational Modelling of Mechanical Seals. This project is funded by John Crane Ltd, one of the world’s leading providers of engineered technology.

John Crane Ltd is a $1Bn industry and the world leader in mechanical sealing. They design, manufacture, install, and support sealing for all kinds of rotating machines for all industries. You would be working with the research centre in Manchester and the manufacturing site in Slough.

Your project:

● Develop a three-dimensional digital model of high-pressure mechanical seals

● Use Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to model the gas film flow within the seal gap.

● Coupled CFD with models of the seal rings enabling the study of fluid-structure interaction and the dynamic response of the seal rings.

● Collaborate with researchers at the University’s renowned Leonardo Centre for Tribology.

● Gain valuable industry experience by working closely with John Crane, gaining valuable experience in a world-renowned company. John Crane is a $1Bn industry and the world leader in mechanical sealing. Plus, the opportunity to work at John Crane’s research centre (Manchester) and manufacturing site (Slough).

● Flexible Start Date

Why Choose Us?

● Funded PhD: at the standard EPSRC rate covering fees and bursary. (NB Funding is only available to cover the level of fees set for UK applicants for 4 years. Applicants from non-UK/EU will need to cover the extra fees from their own funds).

●  World-Class Environment: Join a vibrant research group and access state-of-the-art facilities.

● Industry Experience: Gain practical experience with a leading company in the field.

● Make a Global Impact: Contribute to a project with significant implications for clean energy.

Requirements:

●   First-class or upper-second class honours degree (or international equivalents) in Engineering, Physics, or Applied Mathematics.

●   Prior experience with coding and CFD / CFD programming is desirable but not mandatory.

Interested?

Contact Dr. Marco Colombo (m.colombo@sheffield.ac.uk) for informal inquiries.

Apply Now: http://www.shef.ac.uk/mecheng/phd/applying (include personal statement, curriculum vitae, two reference letters and degree transcripts to date).

More information

The transition towards a carbon-neutral world will rely heavily on efficient storage solutions. Hydrogen will play a key role as an energy carrier to make energy from intermittent renewable sources available where and when it is needed and decarbonise transportation and carbon-intensive industries. A substantial contribution is also expected from technologies to capture and store the CO2 from the atmosphere. All these technologies will rely on high-pressure storage solutions, achieved by means of rotating machineries equipped with highly specialised mechanical seals to prevent leakage. Mechanical seals have a rotating face that is pressed against a stationary face, and are designed to use a tiny amount of leaked gas to prevent the faces to come in contact and wear down.

In this project, you will develop a three-dimensional, fully-coupled computational model of the mechanical seal. You will use computational fluid dynamics to study the behaviour of the gas film flow inside the seal gap, and couple it with models of the stationary and rotating seal’s rings. The coupled model will enable studying fluid structure interaction in the seal and simulating the dynamic response of the seal in transient conditions.

You will collaborate and interact with experimental and modelling research undertaken at the Leonardo Centre in the School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering at the University of Sheffield. The project is funded by John Crane and you will be working closely with them and have the opportunity to work at their sites in Manchester and Slough.