School of Process, Environmental and Materials Engineering (SPEME) /
School of Earth & Environment (SEE)
University of Leeds
Applications are invited for a PhD research studentship funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council within the Nuclear Waste Management and Decommissioning programme and will be supervised jointly between Professor Mike Fairweather (SPEME), Professor Simon Biggs (SPEME) and Dr Jeff Peakall (SEE).
The treatment of legacy nuclear waste, storage and subsequent disposal, as well as decommissioning and site remediation, from the last 60 years of the UK's civil nuclear program are conservatively estimated at a cost of £70 billion for the UK taxpayer. The diversity of issues that must be addressed in tackling this challenge is immense and requires a wide range of innovative solutions drawn from an equally wide range of technology discipline areas. This PhD offers an opportunity to imagine, design, test and employ novel technology to make a positive impact on the UK's nuclear decommissioning programme and will entail close collaboration with one or more nuclear industry partners as well as interacting with other academic groups within the overarching programme.
Over many years of operation, small particles of highly active material have been found in unexpected places, both on and off nuclear sites. The scope of this PhD is to develop methods to allow the accurate prediction of where low numbers of relatively dense particles may settle and accumulate under the influence of fluid flow. Numerical and experimental methods will be used to investigate how oscillatory and multiphase flows carry heavy particles and, for various flow conditions (e.g. full- and partial-bore flow) and geometries (ducts/pipes, open channels, waves, etc.) encountered on typical nuclear licenced sites, where they are likely to accumulate. In the site termination process, this will permit the more accurate identification, prediction and mitigation of problem areas.
The project will provide an opportunity for the successful candidate to attend national and international conferences and provides a student maintenance award of £12,900 and University fees of £3,300 (starting Oct 2008). The successful candidate will be also encouraged to contribute towards the publication of work and to define opportunities within the project.
For further details please contact Professor Mike Fairweather at m.fairweather@leeds.ac.uk. Interested candidates should send a letter of application and a detailed CV with the names and addresses of three referees to:
Dr Jim Young
Technology Manager
School of Process, Environmental & Materials Engineering
University of Leeds
Leeds
LS2 9JT
e-mail: j.young@leeds.ac.uk
The closing date for applications is Monday 30th June 2008.
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