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stillingsbetegnelse:
PhD project in Selective Hydrogenation in Flow Reactors for API Production

jobbeskrivelse:

The CHEC research center at the department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering invites applications for a PhD project in Selective Hydrogenation in Flow Reactors for API Production.

In the chemical industry, hydrogenation is a very important unit operation for synthesizing intermediates and products. Using heterogeneous catalysts for hydrogenation is attractive, since it gives the possibility to recover the catalysts, which often contains expensive, catalytically active noble metals (e.g. Pd and Pt). Selective hydrogenation reactions in the pharmaceutical industry are typically done in thick walled batch reactors, with high-intensive mixers and feeding of hydrogen over several hours or sometimes days.

Commercial hydrogenation in flow reactors is done in massive systems, e.g. in the hydrotreating of crude diesel to remove sulfur, producing tons/day. In the pharmaceutical industry, the amount of products is much smaller and flow systems producing 30-200 kg/day is needed.

This means that the systems must be much smaller. In addition, pharmaceutical ingredients typically have multiple chemical functionalities, which means that the hydrogenation must be selective, so it is performed at moderate temperature (lesser than 100 °C), but the small volume makes the expensive, but more active and selective, noble metal catalysts feasible. In addition, the products and substrates in production are often changed, which means that a generic process system (reactor) that can handle different catalysts, solvents and substrates, as well as different reaction conditions such as temperature, pressure and residence time is needed.

This could either be a fixed bed reactor system, where the liquid substrate solution trickles down by gravity with a flow of hydrogen gas or a slurry flow system where the catalyst is suspended in the substrate solution and flows with a stream of hydrogen gas.

In collaboration with the production and process development department at H. Lundbeck A/S this project aims at designing and demonstrating a multifunctional flow reactor system which can handle a wide array of substrates, catalysts and reaction conditions applicable in the production at Lundbeck in Lumsås (Denmark).

Tasks and responsibilities

The project will include the following activities:

• Literature survey of selective catalytic hydrogenation of functional organic molecules in flow reactors including options for catalyst and reactor design
• Investigations of hydrogenation of relevant substrates (typically multifunctional organic compounds) in existing batch and trickle-bed, high-pressure reactor setups at DTU Chemical Engineering.
• Synthesis and characterization of hydrogenation catalysts
• Development of a new flow reactor system to be implemented in the production at Lundbeck in Lumsås. The candidate should expect to work part time in Lumsås.
• Performing detailed chemical analysis of hydrogenation products using e.g. GC-MS.

Qualifications

Candidates should have a two-year master's degree (120 ECTS points) or a similar degree with an academic level equivalent to a two-year master's degree. Further we expect the candidates have:

• A Master's degree in chemical engineering, chemistry, physics or a similar degree with an academic level equivalent to the Master's degree in engineering
• Knowledge in catalysis and reaction engineering will be preferred
• Interest in an experimentally based PhD project
• Good communications skills and be able to speak and write English at a mothertongue level

Approval and Enrolment

The scholarships for the PhD degree are subject to academic approval and the candidates will be enrolled in one of the general degree programmes at DTU. For information about the general requirements for enrolment and the general planning of the scholarship studies, please see the DTU PhD Guide. http://www.dtu.dk/english/Education/PhD/Rules/PhDguide

Assessment

The assessment of the applicants will be made by Professor Kim Dam-Johansen, Professor Anker Degn Jensen and Assistant Professor Martin Høj.

We offer

We offer an interesting and challenging job in an international environment focusing on education, research, public-sector consultancy and innovation, which contribute to enhancing the economy and improving social welfare. The specific project will be carried out in close collaboration with the company Lundbeck Pharma A/S. We strive for academic excellence, collegial respect and freedom tempered by responsibility. The Technical University of Denmark (DTU) is a leading technical university in northern Europe and benchmarks with the best universities in the world.

Salary and appointment terms

The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. The allowance will be agreed upon with the relevant union. The period of employment is 3 years.

The work is both at DTU Lyngby Campus and at Lundbeck in Lumsås. You should be able to work both places.

Further information

Further information may be obtained from Professor Kim Dam-Johansen, e-mail kdj (at) kt.dtu.dk.

You can read more about DTU Chemical Engineering here. http://www.kt.dtu.dk/english

Application

Please submit your online application no later than 2 July 2019 (local time). Applications must be submitted as one PDF file containing all materials to be given consideration. To apply, please open the link "Apply online", fill out the online application form, and attach all your materials in English in one PDF file. The file must include:

• A letter motivating the application (cover letter)
• Curriculum vitae
• Grade transcripts and BSc/MSc diploma
• Excel sheet with translation of grades to the Danish grading system (see guidelines and Excel spreadsheet here) http://www.dtu.dk/english/Education/phd/Applicant/Pre_acceptance-1-

Candidates may apply prior to obtaining their master's degree, but cannot begin before having received it.

Applications and enclosures received after the deadline will not be considered.

All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, race, disability, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply.

The Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering at DTU is a leader in innovative teaching and research, built on core technical subjects and engineering scientific disciplines. The teaching and research cover separation processes, reaction engineering, dynamics and process regulation, process and facility planning, unit operations, heat transmission, fluid mechanics and applied thermodynamics. The Department enjoys very close relations with international partners, and especially a wide range of industrial companies.

DTU is a technical university providing internationally leading research, education, innovation and scientific advice. Our staff of 6,000 advance science and technology to create innovative solutions that meet the demands of society, and our 11,200 students are being educated to address the technological challenges of the future. DTU is an independent university collaborating globally with business, industry, government and public agencies.


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jobCategoriesCodes_0: http://data.europa.eu/esco/isco/C2310

abstractJV_contact_0: Please apply using one of the specified channels

positionTypeCode: directhire

contractTypeCodes_0: fulltime

Arbejdsgiver Navn: Danmarks Tekniske Universitet

source: DK-STAR