Personal Cooling is becoming a health requirement in offices and other work places as climate change impacts ambient summer temperatures leading to higher internal temperatures in buildings than originally predicted during its design and construction.
Also changes to workplaces have increased internal gains through the use of IT and other equipment. To avoid a need to retrofit expensive (and energy consuming ) air conditioning to a building, this project seeks to review and develop efficient, low cost, personalised cooling systems which can be deployed in a workplace by facilities managers. These devices can be charged with coolth overnight using cheap grid electricity, and used to cool local working environments.
The work will involve assessing materials which will be useful in storing thermal energy.
A good understanding of the physics of air flow and heat transfer is required for this project. An understanding of thermal comfort is desirable. The work will involve experimental analysis using Particle Imaging Veloicementry. Knowledge of computational fluid dynamics will be desirable.
The work will also involve techno-economic analysis to determine their financial viability and sustainability will be measured using circular economy principles.
Applicants should hold, or expect to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class Honours Degree in a subject relevant to the proposed area of study.
We may also consider applications from those who hold equivalent qualifications, for example, a Lower Second Class Honours Degree plus a Master’s Degree with Distinction.
In exceptional circumstances, the University may consider a portfolio of evidence from applicants who have appropriate professional experience which is equivalent to the learning outcomes of an Honours degree in lieu of academic qualifications.
If the University receives a large number of applicants for the project, the following desirable criteria may be applied to shortlist applicants for interview.
The University is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applicants from all sections of the community, particularly from those with disabilities.
Appointment will be made on merit.
The University offers the following levels of support:
The following scholarship options are available to applicants worldwide:
These scholarships will cover full-time PhD tuition fees for three years (subject to satisfactory academic performance) and will provide a £900 per annum research training support grant (RTSG) to help support the PhD researcher.
Applicants who already hold a doctoral degree or who have been registered on a programme of research leading to the award of a doctoral degree on a full-time basis for more than one year (or part-time equivalent) are NOT eligible to apply for an award.
Please note: you will automatically be entered into the competition for the Full Award, unless you state otherwise in your application.
The scholarship will cover tuition fees at the Home rate and a maintenance allowance of £19,237 (tbc) per annum for three years (subject to satisfactory academic performance).
This scholarship also comes with £900 per annum for three years as a research training support grant (RTSG) allocation to help support the PhD researcher.
Due consideration should be given to financing your studies. Further information on cost of living
De dear, R. and Bragar , G. S. (2001) The adaptive model of thermal comfort and energy conservation in the built environment, International Journal of Biometeorology. 45, 100–108 Parsons (2003), Human Thermal Environments, 3rd Edition, CRS Press, London.
Humphreys, M. A., Nicol, J. F. and Raja, I. A. (2007) Field Studies of Indoor Thermal Comfort and the Progress of the Adaptive Approach. Advances in Building Energy Research, 1, 55-88
Navarro, L., De Gracia, A., Niall, D., Castell, A., Browne, M., McCormack, S.J., Griffiths, P., Cabeza, L.F., (2016). Thermal energy storage in building integrated thermal systems: A review. Part 2. Integration as passive system. Renew. Energy 85, 1334–1356.
Gao C, Kuklane K, Wang F, Holm I (2012) Personal cooling with phase change materials to improve thermal comfort from a heat wave perspective, Indoor Air. 22: 523–530
Zhang, H., Arens, E., Zhai, Y. (2015), A review of the corrective power of personal comfort systems in non-neutral ambient environments, Building and Environment, 91, pp. 15-41.
Submission deadline
Monday 26 February 2024
04:00PM
Interview Date
Mid March 2024
Preferred student start date
16 September 2024
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