Mechatronics, signal processing & control, Energy and climate change, Materials & surface engineering and Transportation

(to be completed by Grad school)

This PhD project will integrate with and support the University of Southampton activities within a new EPSRC research grant entitled “ELEVATE - ELEctrochemical Vehicle Advanced Technology”(Grant ref: EP/M009394/1), comprising  the Universities of Loughborough, Oxford, Warwick and UCL. This project seeks to investigate the optimal off-vehicle energy storage technology (e.g. supercapacitors, batteries, flow cells etc.) capable of delivering very high electric vehicle (EV) charging rates (up to 500kW) whilst minimising the electric grid loading impact. This will involve characterisation and diagnosis of a range of possible energy store types at high ‘C’ rates (where a 1C rate is defined as the charging rate required to fully charge a battery in 1 hour, 2C to fully charge the battery in ½ an hour etc.). Further this work will design, build and test a laboratory scale demonstrator of a high rate (e.g. 500kW) rapid charger, that could be supplied from a typical (e.g. 100kVA) standard 11kV substation supply.

Suitable applicants will have a strong interest in the field of electric vehicles, be capable of working as part of a team, and be confident interacting with industrial collaborators. Ideal candidates will have a good (1^st or 2:1 degree) engineering background (preferably in electrical, energy related or electrochemical fields), and strong practical and design skills.

If you wish to discuss any details of the project informally, please contact Prof Andrew Cruden, Head of Energy Technology research group, Email: a.j.cruden<στο>soton.ac.uk, Tel: +44 (0) 2380 59 7660.