Design and Additive Manufacturing of Heat Sinks for Fusion Reactors

A funded 3.5-year UK PhD studentship is available in the Sustainable Physical Metallurgy group within the School of Metallurgy and Materials at the University of Birmingham.

Fusion reactors offer a way to produce clean and abundant energy. One of the major challenges to further develop fusion reactors is to manage the high heat flux. It is the aim of this PhD project to design, additive manufacturing, and test novel heat sinks for fusion reactor environment (e.g. the divertor). The project will involve the use of topological design tools, heat and fluid transfer simulation to design the heat sinks with enhanced heat transfer capability. The project will use laser powder bed fusion, a 3D printing technique, to manufacture the designed heat sinks, based on the group’s recent progress on 3D printing of Cu alloys and Cu-W composites. The performance of the heat sinks will be tested collaborating with UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA). This project is co-sponsored by UKAEA. The funding covers tax-free stipend of £19,237 per year and UK tuition fees.

The candidate should have a 1st/2.1 class Undergraduate or Masters degree (or equivalent) in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline. To apply please email your CV and Cover Letter to Dr Biao Cai, b.cai@bham.ac.uk