PhD Student

Last application date
Dec 31, 2023 00:00
Department
TW08 - Department of Electromechanical, Systems and Metal Engineering
Contract
Limited duration
Degree
Master in electromechanical, electrical, automation or control engineering
Occupancy rate
100%
Vacancy type
Research staff

Job description

Ghent University is a top 100 university worldwide and one of the major universities in Belgium, with more than 50000 students and 15000 staff members. At the department of Electromechanical, Systems and Metal Engineering, we have an open vacancy for a fully funded PhD researcher. The research in our group focuses on modelling, control and optimization of the electromechanical and control aspects in both renewable energy and manufacturing applications. Thanks to the energy transition, more and more renewable energy systems are connected to the grid. Many of these, e.g. wind turbines and hydropower systems, contain a mechanical drivetrain, an electrical machine and a full rated power electronic converter. Compared to classical power plants, these systems exhibit a more complex dynamic behavior on the machine side. For example, low-frequent oscillations have been observed in the mechanical dynamics, which propagate through the drivetrain and converter into the grid. There is a considerable concern that these oscillations excite resonances in the power system, leading to instability and power quality issues.

Related to the above research challenge, we have opened a vacancy for a PhD with the topic ‘Dynamic modelling and mitigation of oscillations in renewable energy systems’ under the supervision of Prof. Jeroen De Kooning and Prof. Hendrik Vansompel. The first research objective is to realize dynamic models which are able to reproduce the observed oscillations and their propagation through the drivetrain and converter. The second research objective is to use this model to realize a mitigation strategy.

You will work both in the Dynamical Systems and Control research group at the campus Kortrijk and the Electrical Energy Laboratory at the campus Tech Lane Ghent Science Park, Zwijnaarde. This is a fully funded position for a 4 year PhD research period, under the condition of a positive evaluation. You are expected to publish your research in scientific journals and to present your results on international conferences. Ghent University offers an attractive salary with additional benefits, a positive and inspiring working environment and numerous training possibilities.

Job profile

You have a master degree in engineering, preferably in electromechanical, electrical, automation or control engineering. You are motivated, creative and have a passion for research. You have an affinity with both experimental research and simulation software. You must be sufficiently fluent in writing and speaking in English. You will work in a positive and international environment where a constructive collaboration with other researchers is expected. We expect you to be a team-player and a good communicator.

How to apply

Send your CV and motivation letter to jeroen.dekooning@ugent.be including ‘PhD Oscillations’ in the subject of your e-mail. Please include contact details of two referees. If you pass the pre-selection, you will receive further instructions on the selection process and will be invited for a job interview, possibly via Teams.