Department Of Engineering

Research
Grade 7 - £33,199 - £39,609

Applications are invited for a Postdoctoral Research Associate in Wind Turbine Generator Technology with a particular emphasis on electromechanical design and reliability of modular wind turbine generator technologies. Led by Dr Donaghy-Spargo, the research project aims to assess the engineering and technical feasibility of a novel, modular, wind turbine generator configuration that has the potential to significantly lower the cost of producing electrical power generated from wind. This project is in collaboration with an industrial partner.

The successful applicant will be expected to will perform engineering due diligence and academic survey studies to ascertain the technical feasibility of the proposed modular wind turbine generator design as well as producing a scaled demonstrator. The three major components to this project are;

1. Conduct an appropriate Academic Literature Survey.
2. Particularly in relation to the identification and comparison of the merits and drawbacks of modular wind turbine configurations. A literature survey report will be produced as an output.
3. Perform an Engineering Due Diligence Study.
4. A report on the current design and identification of routes forward to improvements in that design by evaluating the electromagnetic and mechanical merits of the proposed solution with a focus on performance and reliability. The technical report will suggest how best the proposed modular configuration topology can be taken from TRL1 to TRL3.
5. Design and construct a Laboratory Prototype.

This work will produce a small-scale (approx. 1m diameter) laboratory demonstrator with a simplified electro-mechanical design as a proof-of-concept prototype with application to wind turbines.

This post is fixed term for 9 months as the funding is available from 01/07/19 for this fixed period only; the project is time limited and will end on 31/03/20.

The post-holder is employed to work on research/a research project, which will be led by another colleague. Whilst this means that the post-holder will not be carrying out independent research in his/her own right, the expectation is that they will contribute to the advancement of the project, through the development of their own research ideas/adaptation and development of research protocols.

The successful applicant will be required to be in post by July 2019 or soon after.

Closes midday on : 03-Jul-2019