KTH in Stockholm is the largest and oldest technical university in Sweden. No less than one-third of Sweden’s technical research and engineering education capacity at university level is provided by KTH. Education and research spans from natural sciences to all branches of engineering and includes architecture, industrial management and urban planning. There are a total of just over 15,000 first and second level students and more than 1,600 doctoral students. KTH has almost 4,300 employees.
The School of Engineering Sciences carries out a wide range of research at the international front line, from fundamental disciplines such as physics and mathematics, to engineering mechanics with applications such as aeronautics and vehicle engineering. We also offer University degree programs in Engineering Physics, Vehicle Engineering, 'Engineering and Education', and 'Open Entrance', as well as a number of International Masters Programmes.
The reactor physics division conducts research on Generation IV reactors for transmutation of nuclear waste, advanced nuclear fuel development and physics of radiation damage. We coordinate the VR-funded GENIUS project, aiming at developing technology for lead cooled reactors. The division also is leading the VR-supported effort to design and construct ELECTRA, a Swedish low power lead cooled reactor with associated fuel cycle facilities.
Project
The nuclear fuel for Generation IV reactors will contain plutonium and americium. These elements are detrimental for in-pile performance, in terms of lower thermal conductivity and poorer high temperature stability than for corresponding uranium compounds. Hence, in the Generation IV context there is an incentive to develop and apply fuel types with higher thermal conductivity, such as nitride fuels. For the ELECTRA reactor, the inert matrix nitride fuel (Pu,Zr)N is considered to be the reference fuel. Test irradiations of (Pu,Zr)N in Russia, Japan and EU have shown that this fuel behaves well under irradiation. In order to qualify the fuel for use as a driver fuel, a thorough understanding of its behaviour under nominal as well as accidental conditions is required. Also, its performance under expected geological repository conditions in Sweden is of significance. In order to better predict the behaviour of the fuel, existing simulation codes have to be extended with a combination of data from experiments and calculations. In this PhD project, experimental data from the CONFIRM, EUROTRANS, FAIRFUELS, GENIUS and ASGARD projects will be combined with multi-scale modeling, to formulate a state of the art model for simulating nitride fuel performance within the TRANSURANUS code. This code will then be used to design fuel irradiation experiments as well as for licensing the fuel of ELECTRA.
Qualifications
A suitable background for this position would be a Master of Science in Physics, Material Science or Nuclear Engineering with a specialization in computational material science. In addition to the traditional academic merits, a relevant degree project, international experience, and language skills are regarded as advantageous qualifications.
Applicants must be strongly motivated for doctoral studies, possess the ability to work independently and perform critical analysis as well as possessing good levels of cooperative and communicative abilities.
Employment
Form of employment: Time limited.
Start date: According to agreement.
The salary follows the directions provided by KTH.
The employment is four years with a possibility of maximum up to five years. Up to 20 percent department duties are included in the employment.
Application
Application deadline: March 5, 2012
Employers reference number: S-2012-0232
Applications via email to ankarloo@kth.se
Write reference number S-2012-0232 in the email subject!
Application shall include the following documents in PDF format:
- Statement of professional interest
- CV
- Transcripts from university/university college
- Example of technical writing, e. g., thesis, essay, course report or scientific paper
Contact
Prof. Janne Wallenius
Phone: +46 8 553 782 00
E-mail: janne@neutron.kth.se
Trade union representative
Lars Abrahamsson, SACO
Phone: +46 8 790 70 58
E-mail: lars.abrahamsson@ee.kth.se