Start Date: June/July 2015
Duration of award: 3 years

Supervisors: 
Dr Nigel J. Simms – Reader in Energy Materials
Dr Joy Sumner – Academic Fellow in Energy Materials

School of Energy, Environment and Agrifood, Cranfield University, Cranfield, Bedford, MK43 0AL

For UK/EU applicants, this studentship will provide a maintenance bursary of up to £15,000 p.a. (tax free) plus fees* for three years

Cranfield University is a wholly postgraduate institution in the UK, with a global reputation for cutting edge research; industrial scale facilities; and strong links with industry and commerce. The Centre for Power Engineering deals with research into energy and power generation systems, with a focus on materials and fuel related issues; staff have up to 25 years’ experience in this research field.

Components in industrial gas turbines are susceptible to different forms of damage resulting from a combination of effects: stress conditions; localised surface environments; and materials (base alloys/coatings) used. Together these factors limit the lives of gas turbine hot section components through various corrosion/oxidation and fatigue/creep mechanisms.

During this PhD, it is expected that the student will develop scientific understanding of how corrosive environments affect the fatigue lives of hot section blade alloys. In particular there will be a drive to:

• Compare the corrosion/fatigue lives of blade alloys in corrosive environments in laboratory tests
• Identify effects of alloy microstructure on the corrosion/fatigue lives of blades
• Understand the fundamental mechanisms that lead to reduced fatigue life of the materials affected
• Develop the concept of safe operating windows for corrosion/fatigue damage, and identify boundaries for different combinations of exposure conditions/materials

This PhD will form part of a large, EPSRC-funded project (Flex-E-Plant), which aims to enable the development of more flexible and efficient power plants for the UK.  Research relating to the corrosion/fatigue life of gas turbine blade materials will be student-led under the guidance of academic and industrial supervisors. The student will work with a range of other researchers in the Institute and Flex-E-Plant consortium (including industrial collaborator such as Siemens, Alstom, RWE, E.On). The consortium has bi-yearly progress meetings and partners within this project are expected to work closely together. By the end of their PhD, the successful student will have presented data to numerous review meetings, disseminated their results at international conferences, and published papers in peer-reviewed journals.

Entry requirements:

Applicants should have a first or upper second class UK Honours degree (or equivalent) in materials science, physics, engineering or a related discipline. A Master’s degree relating to power generation, corrosion and/or metallurgy is also desirable, but not essential.

Funding:

*Funding is available for UK/EU students to cover tuition fees and maintenance.

How to apply:

If you are eligible to apply for this research studentship, please complete the online application form. Reference Informal enquiries can be sent to:

Dr Nigel Simms, School of Energy, Environment and Agrifood, Cranfield University, Cranfield, Bedfordshire, UK, MK43 0AL; Email: n.j.simms<στο>cranfield.ac.uk; tel: + 44 (0) 1234 752954