Research Fellow in Low Carbon Heating Systems - Heat Pump Study (FS0385R)

This post is offered on a 12-month fixed-term basis.  Further extension is also possible.

The School of Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Hull is one of the largest Schools/Departments within the Faculty of Science and Engineering. The School has a long history of excellence in research and in the application of research to address real world problems. The challenges facing the world are complex and require a multidisciplinary approach. As a general engineering school, we are able to bring together a wide range of expertise, experience and facilities to solving such problems. The ‘Energy Technologies Research Unit (ETRU)’ is one of the most dynamic teams within the University and has achieved tremendous successes over the past SIX years. We are now trying to make engineering systems more energy efficient, greener in their effect on the environment and safe, robust and sustainable in operation. 

The School is seeking for a research fellow who will work on a BEIS (Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy) funded project to develop a novel low carbon heating system for UK public buildings, with particular focus on the heat pump development and project management. This system is expected to have around 50% higher system performance factor (SPFH14), 10% lower capital cost, and 20% lower operational cost compared to existing solar assisted heat pump systems of the same capacity, while the associated fossil fuel saving and carbon emission reduction rate of the proposed system will be 15% higher than existing ones. The job context will include computer modelling, prototype design, construction and testing, real site demonstration, as well as economic and environmental performance analysis. In particular, the researcher will be required to develop a novel heat pump system for the low carbon heating system. Furthermore, the preparation of technical reports, organisation of meetings, and liaison of relevant personnel internally and externally are also part of the works involved. From the internal side, the researcher will work with a few research fellows and a technician to complete the planned works as required. 

The researcher will be provided with the work programme and will complete various tasks as outlined in the schedule. The researcher will attend the regular meetings with the supervisors to identify and resolve problems arising, and prepare technical reports as part of the workload. The researcher will also be encouraged to publish papers in refereed journals and international conferences.  

You need to have a PhD degree in Building Services Engineering, Mechanical or Renewable Energy Engineering, with excellent experience in proposal writing and research application, project management and researcher supervision, laboratory work, as well as computer modeling skill. You are expected to have good communications skills in English. Knowledge in thermo-fluid, heat pump, heating, ventilation and air conditioning, as well as mechanical engineering is also important to this post.

Informal enquiries about this role may be addressed to Professor Xudong Zhao, Email: Xudong.Zhao@hull.ac.uk  

For information about the School, please visit https://www.hull.ac.uk/Faculties/fse/ecs.aspx 

Closing Date: 18 Dec 2018
Category: Researchers