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Chemical and Process Engineering
Doctoral Programme,
Faculty of Chemical Engineering
The PhD study programme Chemical and Process Engineering aims on the education of experts with a wide range of knowledge and skills for both academic and industrial applications. The students learn in detail theoretical basis of chemical and process engineering, bio-engineering and material engineering as well as experimental and practical aspects of the field. This will create prerequisites for their further career in the basic or applied research in chemical and process engineering but also in the related areas, such as material engineering, bio engineering and informatics. CareersGraduates of this study programme gain the expertise in transport phenomena, thermodynamics, reaction engineering, continuum fluid mechanics, material engineering and chemical-engineering aspects of environmental protection. Specialized knowledge includes applied informatics, mathematical modeling, numerical methods, non-linear dynamics and programming for scientific and technical computations. The graduates find jobs in applied research and development in chemical, pharmaceutical, bio-engineering and advanced material industry, including management of the research and development. The graduates are also successful in academic work at technical universities, research institutes and academies of sciences. Programme Details
Ph.D. topics for study year 2026/27Diagnostics of two-phase flows in microchannels
AnnotationThe aim of this project is to experimentally investigate the character of two-phase (gas/liquid) flow in microchannels. The mapping of different flow regimes will be performed for different microchannel configurations (e.g., channel crossing, T-junction, sudden expansion) and different model fluids (Newtonian, viscoelastic, pseudoplastic). The electrodiffusion method, an original experimental technique developed in our department, is used to determine the liquid flow in the near-wall region and to detect the characteristics of translating bubbles. The visualization experiments with a high-speed camera and the velocity field measurements with the mPIV technique will provide additional information about the flow structure in microchannels. The candidate should have a Master's degree in chemical engineering or a similar applied science field. He/she should have experimental skills for laboratory work and some basic knowledge of hydrodynamics. However, enthusiasm for independent scientific work is the most important requirement. The candidate will certainly benefit from our long experience in experimental (computer-controlled measurements with subsequent data processing in LabView) and theoretical (solving complex hydrodynamic problems in MatLab or Mathematica) fluid mechanics. Microbubbles: formation, properties, applications
AnnotationMicrobubbles are small gas bubbles (approximately 1-1000 microns in size) dispersed in a liquid. In many respects, they behave differently from 'normal' bubbles measuring millimeters and centimeters, which are used in most multiphase devices (contactors, reactors). They have a low rising velocity and thus a long delay time, which improves transport and reaction processes and reduces waste. They have a large specific surface area (m2)/(m3) for a given volume of gas in the device. They are increasingly used in various applications, but still their behaviour under complex industrial conditions is not fully understood. In this dissertation, the student will learn the basic skills of working with microbubbles, such as their preparation using microbubble generators and the characterization of their basic properties. They will then solve a given project involving their specific use in a process or application. The project topic will be assigned by agreement, depending on current opportunities and possibilities. The knowledge gained will be applicable in various types of industrial applications (chemical, biotechnological, food, metallurgical, pharmaceutical, environmental, etc.). Requirements • Master degree, in chemical engineering or a related field, creative approach to research, and teamwork ability. Molecular Simulations of Interaction of Hybrid Lipid-based Drug Nanocarriers with Biological Interfaces
AnnotationTopical ocular drug delivery is governed by biophysical interactions between drug nanocarriers and biological interfaces, such as the tear film lipid layer (TFLL), the first protective barrier in the eye. The structure, composition, and interfacial behavior of drug nanocarriers determine their compatibility with the TFLL, influencing residence time and drug release, which is essential for optimal drug delivery performance. However, the mechanisms by which these drugs interact with such biological interfaces remain poorly understood at the molecular level. In this doctoral thesis, the applicant will study the structure–function relationships governing drug–TFLL interactions using various computational approaches, including state-of-the-art molecular dynamics simulations with atomistic and coarse-grained MARTINI force fields, and continuous comparison with available experimental data. Specifically, the applicant will refine the MARTINI coarse-grained force field for complex polymer/biological interface interactions, using complementary all-atom MD simulations. They will later be used to study the interactions of various commercial drug nanocarriers, as well as the newly designed lipid-polymer-peptide drug nanocarriers with the TFLL, with the goal of rational design of more effective drug delivery systems. Breakup and coalescence of bubbles and droplets
AnnotationLiquid-gas and liquid-liquid dispersions form part of many technological and biotechnological processes. In turbulent fluid flow, fluid particles (bubbles or droplets) break and coalesce to form a complex multiphase system. Understanding the mechanism of particle breakup and coalescence is important because theoretical models describing this processes are required for the numerical modelling of complex, multiphase systems. This doctoral thesis will focus on experimentally studying the dynamic behaviour of bubbles or droplets during controlled fluid particle breakup and coalescence, with the aim of quantifying quantities that are important for numerical models, as well as determining the size distribution of newly formed particles. The mechanisms of breakup and coalescence will be studied in relation to various selected hydrodynamic and physicochemical conditions of the system. The workplace is well equipped for studying bubble/drop breakup and coalescence. Apparatus is available for the controlled formation of bubbles, toroidal vortices and bubble/drop interactions. The necessary control and evaluation programmes are also available. Requirements for applicants: A university education (master's degree) in chemical or mechanical engineering; the ability to work systematically and creatively as part of a team; an interest in experimental work. Separation of organic vapors and gases with tailored membranes
AnnotationMetal/covalent organic frameworks, as well as functionalized nanostructure materials with ionic liquids, are advancing the separation capabilities of polymer membranes for gas and organic vapor separations. Such functionalization of membranes also suppresses negative phenomena, such as plasticization and aging, which limit the use of a new generation of polymeric materials with excellent separation properties. This work aims to investigate the effect of the type and amount of functionalization on the transport-separation parameters and the structure of membranes. The study of the transport and separation properties will be carried out using automated systems to measure the permeation of gas and organic vapor mixtures. Also, the possibilities of predicting transport parameters using physical models and machine learning methods will be explored. Required education and skills: • Master's degree in Chemical Engineering, Physical Chemistry, or any relevant field; • interest in science, willingness for experimental work, and to learn new things; teamwork ability. Heat transfer in granular materials during mechanical mixing
AnnotationThe PhD project focuses on the relationship between particle contact dynamics and heat transfer in mixed granular systems. Using a combination of the discrete element method (DEM), CFD simulations, and experiments in a rotating drum and vertical mixer, the study will investigate how the type and intensity of mixing affect the dominant mechanisms of heat transport. The aim is to link microscopic contact mechanics with the macroscopic thermal behavior of the system. Required education and skills • Master's degree in chemical engineering, mathematical modeling, and computer science; • high motivation, willingness to learn new things; • team spirit. Effect of adhesion on granular dynamics and segregation during mixing
AnnotationThe PhD project focuses on the role of adhesion in the behavior of granular systems during mechanical mixing. Using the discrete element method (DEM) with cohesive contact models (JKR, bond model) and experimental validation, the study will investigate how adhesion influences segregation patterns and the dynamics of agglomerate formation and breakup. The aim is to understand under what conditions and in what ways adhesion modifies segregation, and what factors determine agglomerate stability under mechanical stress. Required education and skills • Master's degree in chemical engineering, mathematical modeling, and computer science; • high motivation, willingness to learn new things; • team spirit. Effect of interfacial properties on dynamics of bubbles
AnnotationMultiphase systems consisting of a gas phase dispersed in a liquid environment are omnipresent in nature and in living systems. Gas-liquid contact is also responsible for the success of many industrial processes, such as flotation, or aerated reactors. Surfactants, SAS, with their ability to lower the interfacial tension between gas-liquid phases, alter the behavior of many multiphase processes, and for many systems, the characterization of the interface by surface tension alone is not enough and less conventional measurements of surface rheology and SAS adsorption/desorption characteristics are crucial. The aim of this work is to determine experimentally the influence of surfactants on the dynamics of processes with bubbles (movement, dissolution, coalescence, etc.) and to characterize selected SASs by measuring relevant physico-chemical and transport properties. The typical work will include measurements of interfacial rheology, observation and evaluation of bubble dynamics by high-speed camera, and physical interpretation of results. Required education and skills • Master degree in chemical or mechanical engineering or in physical chemistry; • Systematic and creative approach to scientific research, teamwork ability. |
Updated: 8.9.2023 17:33, Author: Jan Kříž