The School of Engineering
PhD Studentships
We offer a number of fully funded PhD studentships for outstanding students undertaking research in a wide range of areas. Click on a studentship from the list below for further details:
PhD studentship: Modelling of Internal Oxidation for Life Assessment and Monitoring of High Temperature Steam Tubes
Application deadline: 01/09/2012
Start date: 01/10/2012
Applications are invited for a three-year PhD studentship to undertake research in Modelling of Internal Oxidation for Life Assessment and Monitoring of High Temperature Steam Tubes, in the School of Engineering at the University of Portsmouth.
Funding
University tuition fees at home/EU level (£3,466 per year in 2012) will be fully covered and a tax-free bursary of £13,590 per year will be provided for a three-year duration. Home/EU applicants are eligible for full funding; overseas applicants will be expected to pay for the fee difference.
Project description
Steam tubing oxidation at high temperature leads to the formation of oxide scales, which consequently raise the average metal temperature and cause overheating and eventual tube failure. Although tube failures may not necessarily be catastrophic, they do result in leaks and cause the loss of availability of power plants. Over 80% of boiler tube failures result in a forced outage, which could typically last for 3 days and cost $1,000,000 for replacement power.
An on-line system for monitoring internal oxidation of high temperature steam tubing, such as Fe-Cr ferritic steels which have been widely used for the superheater and reheater in the fossil fuel fired power plant boiler, is of great interest for power generation industries. To develop such a system, material degradation, structural integrity and life prediction of high temperature steam tubes need to be first addressed through the development and exploitation of innovative Non-Destructive Testing/Examiantion (NDT/NDE) techniques.
The objective of the proposed PhD studentship project is to characterise and model internal oxidation of Fe-Cr ferritic steels for life assessment of oxidised Fe-Cr ferritic steel components. This will lead to the future development of on-line oxidation monitoring system for high-temperature steam tubing. The research will involve laboratory testing, oxidation damage characterization, development of modelling tools and methods (e.g. using ANSYS, ABAQUS), carrying out numerical simulations and analyzing the results. The applicant is also expected to produce quality journal publications and conference papers as part of his/her research degree.
Entry requirements
Applicants should hold a First Class or Upper Second Class Honours, or Masters, degree in Materials, Mechanical Engineering or Physical Sciences. Knowledge and experience of material characterization and finite element analyses would be an advantage.
Further information
If you wish to discuss any details of the project informally, please contact the academic supervisor Dr Sarinova Simandjuntak by email: sarinova.simandjuntak@port.ac.uk.
How to apply
Applications should consist of a letter of application explaining your reasons for applying for the position and your initial thoughts on the research area, a detailed CV (including expected or actual degree class), together with the names and contact details of two academic referees who can be contacted prior to interview. These should be sent to Dr Sarinova Simandjuntak preferably by email: sarinova.simandjuntak@port.ac.uk, or by post with the address label: Dr Sarinova Simandjuntak, School of Engineering, University of Portsmouth, Anglesea Building, Portsmouth, PO1 3DJ.
PhD studentship: Managing Integrated Design Information for Effective Design Reuse
Applications are invited for a three-year PhD studentship to develop methods and tools to support the effective reuse of integrated design information at the School of Engineering, Faculty of Technology, University of Portsmouth. The successful applicant will join a strong and vibrant Design Engineering Research Group.
Application deadline
Applications will remain open until a successful applicant is appointed.
Start date
The starting date of this project is 01/10/2012. This studentship will remain open until filled.
Funding
University tuition fees at home/EU level (£3,466 for academic year 2012-2013) will be fully covered and a tax-free bursary of £13,590 per year will be provided for a three-year duration. Home/EU applicants are eligible for full funding; overseas applicants will be expected to pay for the fee difference.
Project description
It is useful to supply relevant knowledge and information for engineering designers to make informed decisions especially in the design of complex products such as aircrafts, automotives, and medical equipments. Nowadays, information generated in design projects is enormous and may involve different formats (e.g. CAD drawings, design documents, spread sheets, and simulation model/data) at different stages. Apart from the pieces of information specific to designers’ current work, they also require additional information about the interpretation and processing of information. This thus raises the need for developing an integrated information representation scheme which models design knowledge in a structured way for its effective and efficient reuse in new designs. Moreover, designers can use quite different ways for finding information, e.g. sending emails, talking to experienced colleagues, and browsing a digital repository. The development of effective and efficient retrieval methods based on the information-seeking behaviour of designers therefore becomes desirable as the amount of information steadily increases.
This project aims to develop methods for the representation, capture, retrieval, and reuse of integrated design information. Specifically, it involves the study on the way in which design engineers generate and use information and knowledge during design projects, as well as on the contents of the information. Based on the information needs and information-seeking behaviours of designers, an integrated representation scheme will be developed to achieve improved capture and reuse of design information. With the integrated information model, advanced retrieval methods will be developed to enable effective and efficient retrieval. The developed model and methods will be evaluated by implementing a prototype information system and applying it to specific design projects.
It is an interdisciplinary project with well-defined methodology, which can strengthen the successful candidate’s capabilities and skills of modeling, analysis, and development.
Entry requirements
Candidates will have a first or upper second class degree (or equivalent) or a master’s degree in relevant disciplines, e.g., mechanical and manufacturing engineering, industrial engineering, information and computer science/engineering. Candidates would be advantageous if they have previous experiences in knowledge/information management, information system development, or have taken part in real design projects in industry.
Further information
If you wish to discuss any details of the project informally, please contact the academic supervisor Dr Hongwei Wang by email: hongwei.wang@port.ac.uk.
How to apply
Applications will only be considered on receipt of a completed application form. You can attach supporting documents to the application form, e.g., a CV, personal statement, and references. Please quote the title of the post and supervisor Dr Hongwei Wang in your application form.
An online application form with guidance notes can be accessed here:
www.port.ac.uk/departments/academic/graduateschool/prospectivestudents/howtoapply/formsrequired
Immediate interview will take place for suitable candidates.
PhD Studentship: Design and Direct Manufacture of Small Devices with Meso Features
Application deadline: 30/11/2012
Start date: 01/02/2013
Applications are invited for a three-year PhD studentship to undertake research in the area of design and direct manufacture of small devices with meso features.
Funding
University tuition fees at home/EU level (£3,828 per year in 2012/13) will be fully covered and a tax-free bursary of £13,590 per year will be provided for three-year duration. Home/EU applicants are eligible for full funding; overseas applicants will be expected to pay for the fee difference.
Project description
The successful applicant will join the Manufacturing and Design Engineering research group in the School of Engineering at Portsmouth University.
http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/academic/eng/research/mechanicalengineering/#d.en.143520
The objectives of the proposed research are:
- Study and improve the whole process chain consisting of: specification of the product requirements, initial data collection (scanning and reverse engineering), design and analysis, fabrication, and post processing (finishing, integration, etc.);
- To apply hybrid design approach - freeform and parametric design in the design of the main part or assembly geometry;
- To optimise the layer manufacturing process for fabrication of parts with surface roughness below 3-5 mm, dimensional accuracy 20 mm, and smallest feature size of 150 mm:
In direct part production of small parts,
In production of rapid tooling for small parts;
- To demonstrate the manufacturing capability in real applications (case studies) with high design functionality and complexity, and large market potential.
The applicant is also expected to participate in the publication of journal and conference papers.
Entry requirements
Applicants should hold a Masters degree or First (or Upper Second) Class Honours degree in Mechanical Engineering or Manufacturing Engineering. Knowledge and experience of CAD/CAM, digital control, mechatronics would be an advantage.
Further information
If you wish to discuss any details of the project informally, please contact the academic supervisor Dr. Krassimir Dotchev, Krassimir.Dotchev@port.ac.uk.
How to apply
Applications (preferably by email) should consist of a letter of application explaining your reasons for applying for the position and your initial thoughts on the research area, a detailed CV (including expected or actual degree class), together with the names and contact details of two academic referees who can be contacted prior to interview. These should be sent to Dr Krassimir Dotchev by email: Krassimir.Dotchev@port.ac.uk, or by post to Dr Krassimir Dotchev, School of Engineering, University of Portsmouth, Anglesea Building, Portsmouth, PO1 3DJ.