PhD position Quasi-static behaviour of spark ignition methanol engines through evaporation variation, ignition timing and waste heat recovery

The MENENS project develops adaptable energy system solutions for ships with methanol as a fuel with a broad consortium across the Dutch maritime sector, from fleet owner to ship designer and from shipyard to (specialist) supplier. In this project, Delft University of Technology performs applied and fundamental research into methanol engine technology, methanol reforming for fuel cells, and integration of methanol engines, fuel cells and batteries in DC systems and in ships. The researchers, consisting of 7 PhD positions, and an experienced supervision team of Delft University and Technology and the Netherlands Defence Academy, develop models, methodologies, control algorithms and concept designs for methanol energy systems.

This research position will be responsible for the development, evaluation and use of models for the behaviour of methanol spark ignition engines and the use of these models within the research group for the prediction of the behaviour of the methanol energy system as a whole. The initial work will take place at the engine lab of the Netherlands Defence Academy, in close cooperation with the research group at Delft University of Technology. The researcher will model and evaluate the behaviour of methanol spark ignition engines and the effect evaporation variation, ignition timing and waste heat recovery, in order to propose improvement to engine performance. To investigate the effect of waster heat recovery, cooperation is required with LPS twin turbine, who delive the waste heat recovery system to the lab and perform trials with the system. The initial work will lead to a validated model for a methanol spark ignition engine that can be used in the further project.

Later in the project, the developed methanol engine model will be used in cooperation with other researchers in the TU Delft team and with MARIN zero lab to predict the behaviour of the energy system as a whole and develop design and control strategies for the methanol energy system. For this, the physical scaled zero lab and the virtual zero lab of MARIN will be used. Moreover, full scale system behaviour of electrical propulsion can be validated in the Fugro fieldlab and full scale system behaviour of mechanical propulsion can be validated in the Wagenborg fieldlab. This will then result in accurate prediction and digital twins, including design and control methodologies for the behaviour of energy systems, for the fieldlabs and for the future use cases in the project, consisting of seagoing working vessels, inland workboats, towing vessels, mega yachts, offshore work vessels, short sea cargo vessels and dredgers.