1 PhD Position in Material Science - Solidification Modelling in Ireland | Trinity College Dublin

Trinity College Dublin (TCD) is a project partner on the ESA project entitled GRADECET. The GRADECET project is a unique project that aims to use various facilities at ESA to research the effects of gravity on solidification on metallurgical alloys. A sounding rocket experiment is planned for 2015 to study solidification in microgravity (10e-6 g). Terrestrial experiments can be performed on the ground to study solidification at 1g. The Large Diameter Centrifuge (LDC) can generate hyper gravity conditions of up to 20g. This process is similar to centrifugal casting performed in industry. In particular, the candidate will develop a computer model of solidification under increased levels of gravity, known as hyper gravity. Solidification experiments under hyper gravity conditions will be achieved using the LDC which is based at the ESA ESTEC facility. The candidate will apply their model of solidification to support the GRADECET research group in their experiments on the LDC.

The main metallurgical alloy of interest is gamma Ti-Al.

The successful candidate will have to fulfil the following tasks at TCD:

Task 1: Development a solidification model for predicting macrostructure development in metallurgical systems under hyper gravity conditions.

The output from this task is a novel solidification model for predicting the Columnar and Equiaxed microstructures under hyper gravity conditions.

Task 2: Application of the hyper gravity solidification model to the furnace in the LDC at ESTEC.

The main input to this task is the solidification model from task 1 above. A furnace model will be developed that will incorporate heat transfer, fluid flow, and solidification. This furnace model will be applied to the furnace on the LDC. Other inputs will include technical and scientific information from GRADECET partners. The output from this task will be scientific enlightenment and deeper understanding of the solidification phenomenon occurring within the furnace on the LDC.

GRADECET involves seven research institutes from across Europe, including partners from Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Hungary, and Slovakia.

The supervisor for this research is Prof Shaun McFadden. Applicants should send a cover letter and a curriculum vitae to include the names and contact details of 2 referees (email addresses if possible) directly to Prof McFadden using the link below.

Closing date for applications is the 24 January, 2014.

It is intended that the successful candidate will start the position on the 1 March 2014.

Standard duties of the Post

• Numerical modelling and code development
• Presenting at regular research meetings and international conferences
• Submitting high-quality research papers to international journals
• Contributing to the research output of the GRADECET group

Funding Information

• A student stipend of €18,000 per year for three years
• Full fees up to EU postgraduate level for three years
• Funding agency ESA PRODEX arranged by Enterprise Ireland.

Qualifications

• at least a 2.1 honors degree in Materials Science or Mechanical Engineering or a related field such as mathematics or the physical sciences

Essential

• at least a 2.1 honors degree in Materials Science or Mechanical Engineering
• good level of spoken and written English
• comply with the Trinity postgraduate entry requirements

Desirable

• Good personal initiative and problem solving skillset
• A specific interest in materials science, fluid mechanics, or a related field such as solidification in metallurgy

Skills & Competencies

• Good mathematical ability
• Proficient at (or a willingness to learn) computer code, e.g., Fortran, C, Matlab

Reference number: GRADECET02