The Building Physics and Sustainable Design group in the Department of Civil Engineering at the Ghent Campus has 4 research lines:
1. Energy performance and indoor climate (SDG 7, 13): Interaction building and HVAC systems
2. Technology of renewable construction materials (SDG 12): timber construction and use of organic fibres
3. Community scale sustainability & sustainable development (SDG 1, 3, 11): social and ecological sustainability of buildings and communities
4. Methods for holistic design, construction and operation of high performance buildings: Circular bio-based construction industry (SDG 9, 12), Life cycle analysis (SDG 12), Building Information Modelling - Improved process management, Commissioning, building management and monitoring
This job vacancy is situated within the 1st research line.
Website unit
Project
This PhD is part of the VLAIO flux50 SBO-project "NudgeFlow: The next generation of residential ventilation - tweaking the natural air flow with distributed components" (https://nudgeflowproject.weebly.com) coordinated by KU Leuven and excuted toogether with Ghent University, University of Antwerp, TU Eindhoven and Buildwise.
The NudgeFlow system dynamically nudges and tweaks the natural flow pattern through the different spaces in the dwelling to satisfy the instantaneous ventilation needs and flexibly adapt to the prevailing climate conditions. This novel ventilation system consists of interconnected local low pressure drop ventilation components, sensors tracking ventilation demand and climate conditions and a distributed controller adjusting the operation of these components.
Thorough scientific basic research is required to enable this next generation ventilation design and to tackle the challenges that come with it. From understanding how and where to ‘nudge’ the overall airflow pattern in the dwelling, over measuring and benchmarking its performances, creating appropriate control and performance-based design strategies for such a system to integrating all these elements in a technology concept.
The overall aim of this project is to formulate the NudgeFlow technology concept by investigating all the relevant methodological elements, determining the system components and proving the feasibility of the NudgeFlow system via simulations.
This PhD will focus on determining a distributed model-based controller for this NudgeFlow system including treatment of disturbances and inputs. This includes (1) definition of the disturbances and minimum input for model-based controller, (2) configuration of the distributed controller, (3) simulation and evaluation of the developed controller.
Profile
- You obtained (with minimum distinction) a Master's degree in Engineering Technology or a Master's degree in Engineering Sciences with a speciality in Civil or Mechanical engineering
- You have knowledge about HVAC systems and indoor air quality (IAQ) in buildings. Expertise in this research field is a plus.
- Expertise in control of HVAC system is a plus
- Excellent programming and modelling skills are crucial
- Excellent writing and presentation skills and a good knowledge of English are important.
- You have a strong analytical ability and a sense of synthesis.
- Modelling skills in building energy simulation and/or IAQ simulation are a plus.
- You can work independently, but also well in a team and show sufficient initiative.
Offer
We offer 100% employment for 2 years in the framework of the VLAIO flux50 SBO research project "NudgeFlow: The next generation of residential ventilation - tweaking the natural air flow with distributed components". In order to obtain funding for the full PhD-period of 4 years, the candidate is expected (with the support of the supervisors), to develop an application PhD fellowship for strategic basic research at FWO (see https://www.fwo.be/en/support-programmes/all-calls/phd/phd-fellowship-strategic-basic-research/).
NudgeFlow project
Interested?
For more information please contact Prof. dr. ir. Hilde Breesch, mail: [email protected] or dr.ir. Douaa Al-Assaad, mail: [email protected].
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