Netherlands : PhD Position development of a micro reactor

A PhD position is available in the group "Elementary Processes in Gas Discharges", Department of Applied Physics, TU Eindhoven, The Netherlands. The successful candidate shall be involved in the development of a micro reactor for the epoxidation of propene using a micro plasma. This plasma will be a pulsed dielectric barrier type discharge, which allows for high conversion efficiencies at very low electrical power. The aim is to develop an integrated system where the hydrogen peroxide is produced from hydrogen and oxygen gas in a pulsed microplasma in a dedicated microreactor. This hydrogen peroxide is then immediately used in a second step in a second microreactor for the epoxidation of propene. Besides optical spectroscopy to analyze the plasma an existing numerical simulation model will be used to optimize the process parameters.




A close collaboration with researchers from the Department of Chemical Engineering of the TU/e will aim at using this integrated concept for a clean, safe, simple, and efficient production of propene oxide that can be scaled to industrial capacities.



Ideally the candidate should have a degree in physics or a related discipline, a profound background in experimental (plasma) physics and/or optical spectroscopy is preferred.



This position offers full-time employment for 4 years, with an initial evaluation period. The monthly (gross) salary will be approx. 2000 Euro in the first year and increase to approx. 2600 Euro in the fourth year, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement of the Dutch Universities. The TU/e offers attractive labor conditions, please see http://w3.tue.nl/en/services/dpo/ for details.



For further information, please contact:



Prof. Dr. Ir. G.M.W. Kroesen

Dept. of Applied Physics, TU Eindhoven, Postbus 513, NL-5600MB Eindhoven

Tel.: +31-40-247-2550

Email: g.m.w.kroesen@tue.nl