PhD Position in Cryogenic CO₂ Desublimation for Carbon Capture

This PhD position at the University of Twente focuses on understanding and optimizing CO₂ desublimation—a critical phase-change process in cryogenic carbon capture. The project combines experimental design, cryogenic testing, and advanced optical diagnostics to study solid CO₂ layer formation and its impact on heat and mass transfer. The successful candidate will develop and operate a controlled experimental setup, analyze data, and collaborate with academic and industrial partners to improve carbon capture efficiency. The work bridges fundamental research with real-world applications in sectors like power generation and steel production, contributing to sustainable energy solutions.

• Design, commission, and operate a cryogenic experimental setup for controlled CO₂ desublimation experiments.
• Conduct experiments with CO₂-containing gas mixtures at low temperatures to study solid CO₂ layer formation and growth.
• Apply optical diagnostics (e.g., back-light imaging, Schlieren) to visualize and quantify solid CO₂ layer morphology and thermal/concentration boundary layers.
• Analyze heat and mass transport phenomena during desublimation using experimental data and quantitative methods.
• Develop or support computational models linking experimental observations to predictive process descriptions.
• Investigate the influence of operating conditions (e.g., gas composition, flow rate, pressure, surface temperature) on desublimation efficiency.
• Collaborate with academic and industrial partners (e.g., RWTH Aachen University, Emicap B.V.) to integrate findings into real-world applications.
• Publish research findings in peer-reviewed journals and present results at international conferences.
• Contribute to teaching activities within the department for a limited portion of the time.