Chemical Engineering, PhD PHD Programme By Chalmers University of Technology |TopUniversities

Programme overview

Main Subject

Engineering - Chemical

Degree

PhD

Study Level

PHD

Study Mode

On Campus

Description of subject

The research area Chemical Engineering deals with the interaction between chemical and physical features in industrial chemical processes and products. The research covers both intrascientific basic research and applied research. The aim is to master industrial chemical processes and products so that they can be designed optimally, both from an environmental and financial point of view.

Description of specializations

Chemical Engineering
Design Chemical engineering design covers chemical production processes where impulse, heat and material transfer are of key significance. Research is, in general, focused on the design, upscaling, dimensioning and development of equipment as well as mathematical modelling for analysis and calculation of these operations. Research at the division involves mathematical modeling, at multi-scales, supported by experiments, and applications are found in chemical-, pharmaceutical-, food-, pulp and paper, and automobile industries. The processes are often multiphase including particles and fibres, and we study both separation and mixing processes. Examples of research projects include: coating in fluidized beds, granulation (wet/dry), spray- and pneumatic drying, suspension/flocculation, microwave and freeze drying, flow of pulp fibres (wet/dry), steam explosion of wood material, and large scale chromatography.

Chemical Reaction Engineering
In the modern chemical and fuel refining industries the aim is to achieve high-quality products, minimize unwanted by-products and an on-going replacement of fossil-derived feedstocks with sustainable alternatives. Selectivity in the reactor is particularly important in processes in which by-products cause environmental problems (e.g. N2O from exhaust gas aftertreatment) and it can be decisive for the economic viability of newly developed/planned process (e.g. by-products from valorization of lignocellulosic biomass to fuels and chemicals). In processes where very high purity is required for legislative reasons, such as in the pharmaceutical industry, the cost of purification becomes important and reactor performance is of vital significance. Heterogeneous catalysts are common in industrial chemical reactors and research concerning their design and stability is often vital for improving the performance of reaction processes. Knowledge of the advantages and drawbacks of chemical reactor properties is therefore essential for all chemical and biochemical processes. Research in chemical reaction engineering includes the kinetics and dynamics of chemical and biochemical processes coupled with molecular mass transport phenomena. Other important research fields are turbulence modelling linked to chemical reactions, fermentation processes, catalyst deactivation, process control, stability and optimization. Research areas are: Catalytic multiphase reactor system, deactivation of catalysts, new design of catalysts, chemical reaction and multiphase flow, exhaust gas catalysis, CO2 capture, biorefining catalysis, CO2 utilization catalysis, bio ethanol, chemicals and biogas production from renewable resources, chemical process design.

Food Science
The food industry is very much a process-oriented industry. As food is a biological material characterised by considerable instability, special consideration must be given when in industrial processes the physical and/or chemical environment of the food changes. The research is focused on the application of mild process conditions to preserve the freshness and microbial safety of the food and also to apply supercritical processes to improving product quality and process economy. Forest Products and Chemical Engineering The aim of Forest products and chemical engineering is to provide knowledge in order to facilitate efficient and sustainable utilization of wood material. The research covers the development of processes for separation and further valorisation of wood components with focus on the Kraft process and its combinations with various biorefinery concepts. More precisely: pre-treatment strategies to recover sensitive structures prior to kraft cooking and kinetics of heterogeneous reactions (e.g. kraft cooking, production of CNC, precipitation of lignin and disintegration of lignin); downstream separation and fractionation (e.g. filtration, membrane separation and evaporation) and further processing of wood components (e.g. chemical modification as well as dissolving and spinning of wood polymers).

Applied Surface Chemistry
Applied Surface Chemistry covers technical applications of surface chemistry. Surface chemistry has its theoretical basis in physical chemistry and can be divided into 1) surface and colloid chemistry, mainly comprising solutions, and 2) solid surface chemistry. Surface chemistry can be found as part of technical solutions within many industries, from the food industry and pharmaceuticals to paper and mining industries, as well as in industries where the nature and reactivity of solid surfaces is crucial, such as in large parts of materials technology, where superabsorbents, catalysts, fuel cells, batteries and biomaterials are examples with extensive research in this field. The term surface and colloid chemistry includes the physicochemical properties and applications of surfactants and suspensions. The area is a central part of nanomaterials chemistry including the production of nanomaterials where the size and structure is controlled at the nanometer scale. In this area, the research pace is very high, and many high-tech materials are based on practices in this field. A further field concerns supramolecular chemistry and special investigations of structure as well as structure dynamics of such systems. Biopolymergels and cellulose fibers are examples of supramolecular systems studied. Transport of both water and substances dissolved in water in these systems are investigated with the help of, among other things, NMR diffusometry and various microscopy methods.

Environmental Inorganic Chemistry
The overall research strategy within Environmental inorganic chemistry is to contribute with chemical and material-chemical aspects for the sustainable development of society. Within combustion and gasification chemistry we study methods for flue gas purification and the environmentally friendly use of residual products. The soluble component and heavy metal content of the ash limits possible areas of use, and consequently we study different processes in order to stabilize or separate these components, e.g. in biofuel or waste combustion ash. Atmospheric corrosion is studied in the laboratory and includes foundry metals, light metal alloys, stone materials and paper. The durability of different types of modern and traditional construction materials is an important area and we are working closely with the Centre for Environment and Sustainability, GMV, on the preservation of buildings and historic monuments. An important application for theoretical calculations in oxide chemistry is improved properties of concrete.

Programme overview

Main Subject

Engineering - Chemical

Degree

PhD

Study Level

PHD

Study Mode

On Campus

Description of subject

The research area Chemical Engineering deals with the interaction between chemical and physical features in industrial chemical processes and products. The research covers both intrascientific basic research and applied research. The aim is to master industrial chemical processes and products so that they can be designed optimally, both from an environmental and financial point of view.

Description of specializations

Chemical Engineering
Design Chemical engineering design covers chemical production processes where impulse, heat and material transfer are of key significance. Research is, in general, focused on the design, upscaling, dimensioning and development of equipment as well as mathematical modelling for analysis and calculation of these operations. Research at the division involves mathematical modeling, at multi-scales, supported by experiments, and applications are found in chemical-, pharmaceutical-, food-, pulp and paper, and automobile industries. The processes are often multiphase including particles and fibres, and we study both separation and mixing processes. Examples of research projects include: coating in fluidized beds, granulation (wet/dry), spray- and pneumatic drying, suspension/flocculation, microwave and freeze drying, flow of pulp fibres (wet/dry), steam explosion of wood material, and large scale chromatography.

Chemical Reaction Engineering
In the modern chemical and fuel refining industries the aim is to achieve high-quality products, minimize unwanted by-products and an on-going replacement of fossil-derived feedstocks with sustainable alternatives. Selectivity in the reactor is particularly important in processes in which by-products cause environmental problems (e.g. N2O from exhaust gas aftertreatment) and it can be decisive for the economic viability of newly developed/planned process (e.g. by-products from valorization of lignocellulosic biomass to fuels and chemicals). In processes where very high purity is required for legislative reasons, such as in the pharmaceutical industry, the cost of purification becomes important and reactor performance is of vital significance. Heterogeneous catalysts are common in industrial chemical reactors and research concerning their design and stability is often vital for improving the performance of reaction processes. Knowledge of the advantages and drawbacks of chemical reactor properties is therefore essential for all chemical and biochemical processes. Research in chemical reaction engineering includes the kinetics and dynamics of chemical and biochemical processes coupled with molecular mass transport phenomena. Other important research fields are turbulence modelling linked to chemical reactions, fermentation processes, catalyst deactivation, process control, stability and optimization. Research areas are: Catalytic multiphase reactor system, deactivation of catalysts, new design of catalysts, chemical reaction and multiphase flow, exhaust gas catalysis, CO2 capture, biorefining catalysis, CO2 utilization catalysis, bio ethanol, chemicals and biogas production from renewable resources, chemical process design.

Food Science
The food industry is very much a process-oriented industry. As food is a biological material characterised by considerable instability, special consideration must be given when in industrial processes the physical and/or chemical environment of the food changes. The research is focused on the application of mild process conditions to preserve the freshness and microbial safety of the food and also to apply supercritical processes to improving product quality and process economy. Forest Products and Chemical Engineering The aim of Forest products and chemical engineering is to provide knowledge in order to facilitate efficient and sustainable utilization of wood material. The research covers the development of processes for separation and further valorisation of wood components with focus on the Kraft process and its combinations with various biorefinery concepts. More precisely: pre-treatment strategies to recover sensitive structures prior to kraft cooking and kinetics of heterogeneous reactions (e.g. kraft cooking, production of CNC, precipitation of lignin and disintegration of lignin); downstream separation and fractionation (e.g. filtration, membrane separation and evaporation) and further processing of wood components (e.g. chemical modification as well as dissolving and spinning of wood polymers).

Applied Surface Chemistry
Applied Surface Chemistry covers technical applications of surface chemistry. Surface chemistry has its theoretical basis in physical chemistry and can be divided into 1) surface and colloid chemistry, mainly comprising solutions, and 2) solid surface chemistry. Surface chemistry can be found as part of technical solutions within many industries, from the food industry and pharmaceuticals to paper and mining industries, as well as in industries where the nature and reactivity of solid surfaces is crucial, such as in large parts of materials technology, where superabsorbents, catalysts, fuel cells, batteries and biomaterials are examples with extensive research in this field. The term surface and colloid chemistry includes the physicochemical properties and applications of surfactants and suspensions. The area is a central part of nanomaterials chemistry including the production of nanomaterials where the size and structure is controlled at the nanometer scale. In this area, the research pace is very high, and many high-tech materials are based on practices in this field. A further field concerns supramolecular chemistry and special investigations of structure as well as structure dynamics of such systems. Biopolymergels and cellulose fibers are examples of supramolecular systems studied. Transport of both water and substances dissolved in water in these systems are investigated with the help of, among other things, NMR diffusometry and various microscopy methods.

Environmental Inorganic Chemistry
The overall research strategy within Environmental inorganic chemistry is to contribute with chemical and material-chemical aspects for the sustainable development of society. Within combustion and gasification chemistry we study methods for flue gas purification and the environmentally friendly use of residual products. The soluble component and heavy metal content of the ash limits possible areas of use, and consequently we study different processes in order to stabilize or separate these components, e.g. in biofuel or waste combustion ash. Atmospheric corrosion is studied in the laboratory and includes foundry metals, light metal alloys, stone materials and paper. The durability of different types of modern and traditional construction materials is an important area and we are working closely with the Centre for Environment and Sustainability, GMV, on the preservation of buildings and historic monuments. An important application for theoretical calculations in oxide chemistry is improved properties of concrete.

Admission Requirements

General entry requirements
To be qualified for admission in the Chemical Engineering graduate school the student must have earned a degree at the second-cycle level. The orientation of the student’s degree shall also have a sufficiently close connection to the subject of the doctoral programme. Equivalent requirements apply to individuals who have taken their first degree in a country other than Sweden. The examiner, in consultation with the principal supervisor, shall assess whether the applicant has the requisite capacity to successfully complete the doctoral programme. Other requirements for general entry are regulated in Appointment regulation for doctoral programmes.

Admission
Regulations regarding admission are stated in Appointment regulation for doctoral Programmes.

Scholarships

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