stillingsbetegnelse: PhD scholarship in Waste Management

jobbeskrivelse:
The Department of Environmental Engineering at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) invites applications for a position as PhD student on the topic: Biocover systems for greenhouse gas mitigation at landfills. The PhD project addresses methane generation and emission at landfills, which significantly contributes to climate change. Different mitigation systems have been implemented at landfills to avoid methane emission to the atmosphere. The project focuses on further development of the biocover technology as an alternative bio-mitigation option. The technology is based on microbial methane oxidation processes. The student will work at the Department of Environmental Engineering at the Technical University of Denmark with Professor Peter Kjeldsen as main supervisor and Associate Professor Charlotte Scheutz as co-supervisor. The project is co-funded by the Danish Environmental Protection Agency (DEPA) and can agro, PhD Julie K. Jensen, DEPA will act as external co-supervisor. Responsibilities and tasks Landfills receiving organic wastes produce landfill gas containing methane. Landfills are significant sources of methane, which contributes to climate change. Some landfills have established gas utilization systems consisting of a gas extraction system and an energy conversion unit, such as a gas engine producing electricity and heat. As an alternative to gas utilization systems or as a follow-on technology when a gas utilization system gets non-cost-effective, biocover systems may be implemented. Biocover systems are defined here as systems based on microbial removal processes implemented at landfills to reduce emission of methane (or other harmful substances). Biocover systems show very different methane reduction efficiencies and there is still a need to further develop mitigation technologies based on methane oxidation. The biocover technology is the basis for a Danish governmental funding scheme where up to 100 Danish landfills can receive governmental grants over a three year period for establishing biocover systems on their sites. The objective of the PhD project is to further develop the biocover technology. The project will have focus on the optimization of the biocover technology as a bio-mitigation option. The work is expected to include a selection of the following items: •Review of existing literature on the topic as well as material collected through contact to relevant problem owners •Evaluation of the potential for reducing the greenhouse gas emission from Danish landfills using biocover systems •Evaluation of suitable residuals for use as bio-active materials supporting the microbial methane oxidation process in biocover systems •Evaluation of obtainable methane oxidation rates in full-scale biocover systems •Study of the dynamic and transient methane emission from landfills with and without established biocover systems in order to develop cost-efficient documentation strategies based on the whole site emission measurement methodology •Optimization of biocover system configuration including improved gas distribution and smart management of infiltrating water •Evaluation of the longevity and need for maintenance of full-scale biocover systems The work is expected to lead to improved documentation methodologies for efficiencies of biocover systems established at landfills. The results will be published in 3-4 papers in international scientific journals, and 2-3 contributions at international conferences. The thesis is expected to consist of a synopsis describing the main achievements and the manuscripts prepared for the international journals. Qualifications Candidates should have a master's degree in engineering or a similar degree with an academic level equivalent to the master's degree in engineering. The applicant should preferably have qualifications within the following areas: •Knowledge about waste management including landfill processes •Background in chemistry and soil chemistry •E

Arbejdsgiver Navn: Danmarks Tekniske Universitet

Arbejdsgiver telefonnummer: 45252525

Arbejdsgiver faxnummer: 45881799

Job kort beskrivelse:
Undervisning og forskning på universiteter og højere læreranstalter

land: Danmark

region: Hovedstaden

krævede uddannelse: Ikke angivet

Kilde til jobtilbud: AMS, Offentlige arbejdsformidlinger, Danmark