The MICROBIO-E project, funded by the AMIDEX foundation, offers two years of post-doctoral position to develop heat and mass transfer measurements in porous media colonised by biofilms under both steady state and transient conditions. This position is available immediately in Aix-Marseille University.

CONTEXT:

Hydrogen Dark Fermentation in a biofilm reactor is now admitted as a promising process for hydrogen production (Barca et al, 2015). Even if the H2 to substrate ratio is quite low due to metabolism limitation, the simplicity of the flow induces little energy consumption. Understanding heat and mass transfer in the neighbourhood of the biofilm with hydrogen generation at the interface is of preliminary importance to prepare the scaling-up. The role of the bubble generation and the hydrogen expulsion and its consequence on the transfers are then in the heart of this study. Moreover, transient conditions are some of the proposed strategies to control this conversion. Other parameters affecting the transfers such as thickness, activities, surface properties, etc. of the biofilm will have to be included in the study.  In the lab, transfers will be studied in a full bioreactor operated in continuous mode on a long time evolution in order to avoid inhibitors effects. Experiments with well-controlled conditions will therefore be performed to help the understanding of previous cited parameters on the overall bioconversion efficiency.

MISSIONS:

The researcher will benefit of the knowledge and support of two communities, microbiology and chemical engineering.  Firstly, he/she will have to run a bioreactor in controlled conditions for long period and he/she will be responsible of the choice and the installation of probes and measurement devices in the reactor. Secondly the researcher will have to define proper correlations for heat and mass transfers that could be useful to prepare scaling-up of such bioprocesses.

LABORATORY INVOLVED:

Laboratory Mechanics, Modelling and Clean Process (http://m2p2.fr) involved some 100 members. Global research center studies many fundamental drawbacks linked to processes, as well as more industrial points with financial supports from different national and international societies. For many projects, M2P2 laboratory combines experimental approaches: lab-scale devices up to large pilots on site; modelling, from the local point of view to numerical process simulations. The researchers involved in the project works in the chemical engineering field, more specifically on processes for wastewater treatment by biological route.

Laboratory of Bioenergetic and Protein Engineering (BIP, http://bip.cnrs-mrs.fr). The research Unit “Bioenergetics and Protein Engineering” is currently composed of 50 members (25 researchers, 12 technical support staff, 7 PhD, 3Postdoc). BIP is at the head of the French BioH2 research group and most of the researchers are involved in steering and evaluation comities of research at the national or international level. Our research strategy combine a wide variety of approaches based on biochemistry, molecular biology, proteomics, magnetic and optical spectroscopy, electrochemistry, enzymology and reaction kinetics, functional modelling.

QUALIFICATIONS:

A completed PhD in chemical engineering with strong metrology skills will be appreciated at the start of the postdoctoral appointment. Modelling skills would be appreciated.

Good knowledge of oral and written English is required.

HOW TO APPLY:

Applicants should send their CV, a motivation letter and three references to Jean-Henry Ferrasse by email (jean-henry.ferrasse<στο>univ-amu.fr)

REF:

Barca C., Soric A., Ranava D., Giudici-Orticoni M.T., Ferrasse J.H. (2015). Anaerobic biofilm reactors for dark fermentative hydrogen production from wastewater: a review, Biores Technol, 185, 386-398