PhD position: Development of co-feeding technology for biofuels in existing oil refineries (1.0 FTE)

oil refineries (1.0 FTE) (V23.0126)

Recently a European Union project (REFOLUTION) has started and within this project we have a vacancy for a PhD student. The EU project aims to develop and demonstrate an innovative process to convert biomass derived pyrolysis oils into advanced biofuels combining different co-processing technologies. For instance, it will apply Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) co-processing of bio-oils for aviation and marine applications at TRL7, with the ultimate aim to integrate large-scale biofuel production with existing oil refineries.

The successful candidate will be supervised by Prof.dr.ir Erik Heeres, chair of the green chemical reaction engineering unit and co-supervised by Dr. ir. R. Venderbosch (BTG BV). Close interaction between the successful candidate and BTG is foreseen. In this project, the successful PhD candidate will be performing experimental catalyst and process studies in a dedicated co-FCC bench scale unit scale aiming to improve the yield of the desired products. It will involve the smart design and testing of catalysts, improvement of reaction conditions, supplemented by more fundamental studies on reaction networks. The project is part of a larger European project (REFOLUTION), aiming to stimulate biofuel innovations in the European Union.

Organisation Founded in 1614, the University of Groningen enjoys an international reputation as a dynamic and innovative institution of higher education offering high-quality teaching and research. Flexible study programs and academic career opportunities in a wide variety of disciplines encourage the 37,000 students and researchers alike to develop their own individual talents. As one of the best research universities in Europe, the University of Groningen has joined forces with other top universities and networks worldwide to become a truly global center of knowledge.

The engineering research in the university is consolidated in the Engineering and Technology Institute Groningen (ENTEG). ENTEG seeks at performing excellent research and guiding directed at the integration of fundamental and engineering sciences. The research unit Green Chemical Reaction Engineering is part of ENTEG and our mission is to develop highly intensified catalytic methodology and technology for valorization of circular feedstock to chemicals and fuels.

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You may apply for this position until 12 March 11:59pm / before 13 March 2023 Dutch local time (CET) by means of the application form (click on "Apply" below on the advertisement on the university website).

The University of Groningen strives to be a university in which students and staff are respected and feel at home, regardless of differences in background, experiences, perspectives, and identities. We believe that working on our core values of inclusion and equality are a joint responsibility and we are constructively working on creating a socially safe environment. Diversity among students and staff members enriches academic debate and contributes to the quality of our teaching and research. We therefore invite applicants from underrepresented groups in particular to apply. For more information, see also our diversity policy webpage: https: // www. rug.nl/about-ug/policy-and- strategy/diversity-and-inclusion/

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