Technologies for decarbonisation of industrial cooking of food while maintaining quality characteristics - BBSRC CASE STUDENTSHIP

We are offering a funded PhD position at the Department of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, focusing on innovative solutions to decarbonise food processing.

This project aims to explore a range of emerging electrified technologies, energy recovery technology, and alternative gas-burning fuels such as green hydrogen.

We invite interested candidates to apply by 12pm on Monday, 31 March 2025.

Research area

Join us in the specialised field of sustainable food processing. This area focuses on replacing natural gas with zero-emission energy vectors to meet decarbonisation targets over the next 10 to 15 years. You will have the opportunity to contribute to the development of new food manufacturing technologies, improving processing efficiency and control of product characteristics.

Project description

Food processing relies heavily on the combustion of natural gas to provide process and space heating. To meet decarbonisation targets over the next 10 to 15 years, the use of gas has to be replaced by alternative zero-emission energy vectors.

This exciting and innovative project will make contributions to this by exploring a range of emerging electrified technologies, energy recovery technology and alternative gas-burning fuels such as green hydrogen.

The main impacts of the project will be:

  1. Improvement of the processing efficiency and control of the characteristics of products cooked in electrified, recovered heat and hydrogen cooking equipment.
  2. Decarbonisation of cooking processes.
  3. Contribution to the development of new food manufacturing technologies which should lead to increased employment opportunities in the manufacturing sector.

You will play a key role in advancing research on electrified cooking equipment, recovered heat, and hydrogen cooking technologies. This project aims to decarbonise cooking processes and contribute to the development of new food manufacturing technologies, potentially increasing employment opportunities in the manufacturing sector.

Eligibility

Home and international candidates are eligible as per UKRI guidelines.

How to apply

Applicants will have or be expected to receive a first or upper-second-class honours degree in engineering, computer science, design, mathematics, physics or a similar discipline. A postgraduate Master's degree is not required but may be an advantage.

Please submit your application documents (see list below) by 12pm on 31 March 2025 to emma.smith@brunel.ac.uk. The interview date is to be confirmed.

  • Your up-to-date CV
  • Your personal statement (300 to 500 words) summarising your background, skills and experience
  • Your undergraduate/postgraduate Master's degree certificate(s) and transcript(s)
  • Evidence of your English language skills to IELTS 6.5 (or equivalent, 6.0 in all sections), if appropriate

Remember to state the title of the project at the top of your personal statement.

Meet the Supervisor(s)

Savvas Tassou - Academic and Professional Qualifications BSc (1st Class Honours) Mechanical Engineering PhD Department of Mechanical Engineering. Thesis titled `An Investigation of the Criteria to Give Optimum Performance from a Variable Capacity Heat Pump\'. MBA Master of Business Administration. CEng Chartered Engineer. MIMechE Corporate member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. MASHRAE Member of the American Society of Heating Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers.. MIIR – Member of International Institute of Refrigeration FInstR - Fellow of the Institute of Refrigeration Academic Career 1978 - 1981 Research Assistant - University of Westminster 1981 - 1986 Lecturer in thermofluids and energy - University of Westminster 1986 to date - Lecturer/Senior Lecturer/Reader/Professor in Thermodynamics and Building Services Engineering - Brunel University London 2001 - 2004 - Head of Department of Mechanical Engineering 2004 - 2014 - Head of School of Engineering and Design 2014 to date - Director of Institute of Energy Futures

Related Research Group(s)

Sustainable Energy Use in Food Chains

Sustainable Energy Use in Food Chains - Energy demand and GHG emissions reduction in all stages of the food chain; optimal ways the food chain can utilise different energy sources and interact with the energy supply system; resource efficiency through intensification of food processing.