PhD Position Wide Area Protection and Control Applications

Are you interested in working in a dynamic team consisting of academic and industrial partners, and contributing to the ongoing energy transition by doing research with a high level of scientific.

Job Description
The decommissioning of fossil-fuel generation and increasing integration of power electronics-based renewable resources, the application of HVDC, and storage devices, result in scenarios leading to power system oscillations with a broad frequency spectrum, decreased system strength, and low inertia. This raises important questions on how the system will deal with such a new normal that may easily lead to emergencies resulting from overload, (under/over)voltage, and angle variations.

The principal constraining factor on network capacity is the thermal limit of the conductor and therefore, there has been widespread testing and implementation of both sensor-based and sensor-less Dynamic Line Rating technology (with appropriate protective relaying), which monitors the Dynamic Thermal Rating of the line, based on current-, temperature-, or sag measurements resulting from loading and weather conditions.

In this project, attention will be paid to Dynamic System Rating comprising Dynamic Line and Dynamic Power Rating by applying Synchrophasor-based technologies by applying real-time simulation and monitoring platform. The applied methodology Dynamic System Rating will be Autonomously Controlled.

The project is financed by industry and it is in the scope of the Power System Protection Centre (www.tudelft.nl/pspc) with TSO TenneT and General Electric Venova on board.

About the department

The research in the Department of Electrical Sustainable Energy is inspired by the technical, scientific, and societal challenges originating from the transition towards a more sustainable society and focuses on four areas:

• DC Systems, Energy Conversion and Storage (DCE&S)
• Photovoltaic Materials and Devices (PVMD)
• Intelligent Electrical Power Grids (IEPG)
• High Voltage Technologies (HVT)

The Electrical Sustainable Energy Department provides expertise in these areas throughout the entire energy system chain. The department owns a large ESP Laboratory assembling High Voltage testing, DC Grids testing environment, and large RTDS that is actively used for real-time simulation of future electrical power systems, AC and DC protection and wide-area monitoring and protection.

The Intelligent Electrical Power Grid (IEPG) group, headed by Professor Peter Palensky, works on the future of our power system. The goal is to generate, transmit and use electrical energy in a highly reliable, efficient, stable, clean, affordable, and safe way. IEPG integrates new power technologies and smart controls, which interact with other systems and allow for more distributed and variable generation.

Job requirements
An MSc degree in Electrical Power Engineering. A strong emphasis on electrical power systems dealing with power system protection, wide area monitoring applications related to system protection. Comprehensive knowledge in

• Electrical power system operation and system integrity protection schemes
• Affinity with programming.
• Mastering EMT-based software tools.
• Knowledge and mastering RTDS is a strong benefit to this project.
• Good analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent writing skills.
• Excellent English skills. The minimum requirement of a TOEFL score of 100 IELTS of 7.0 per sub-skill (writing, reading, listening, speaking) applies to all candidates wanting to pursue a PhD at TU Delft.      

TU Delft (Delft University of Technology)
Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context.

At TU Delft we embrace diversity as one of our core values and we actively engage to be a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe this makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale. That is why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

Faculty Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science
The Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science (EEMCS) brings together three scientific disciplines. Combined, they reinforce each other and are the driving force behind the technology we all use in our daily lives. Technology such as the electricity grid, which our faculty is helping to make completely sustainable and future-proof. At the same time, we are developing the chips and sensors of the future, whilst also setting the foundations for the software technologies to run on this new generation of equipment – which of course includes AI. Meanwhile we are pushing the limits of applied mathematics, for example mapping out disease processes using single cell data, and using mathematics to simulate gigantic ash plumes after a volcanic eruption. In other words: there is plenty of room at the faculty for ground-breaking research. We educate innovative engineers and have excellent labs and facilities that underline our strong international position. In total, more than 1000 employees and 4,000 students work and study in this innovative environment.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science.

Conditions of employment
Doctoral candidates will be offered a 4-year period of employment in principle, but in the form of 2 employment contracts. An initial 1,5 year contract with an official go/no go progress assessment within 15 months. Followed by an additional contract for the remaining 2,5 years assuming everything goes well and performance requirements are met.

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, increasing from € 2872 per month in the first year to € 3670 in the fourth year. As a PhD candidate you will be enrolled in the TU Delft Graduate School. The TU Delft Graduate School provides an inspiring research environment with an excellent team of supervisors, academic staff and a mentor. The Doctoral Education Programme is aimed at developing your transferable, discipline-related and research skills.

The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged.

For international applicants, TU Delft has the Coming to Delft Service. This service provides information for new international employees to help you prepare the relocation and to settle in the Netherlands. The Coming to Delft Service offers a Dual Career Programme for partners and they organise events to expand your (social) network.

Additional information
If you would like more information about this vacancy or the selection procedure, please contact Professor Marjan Popov, via m.popov@tudelft.nl

Application procedure
Are you interested in this vacancy? Please apply no later than 19 Jan 2025 via the application button and upload the following documents:

• a cover letter that details your motivation and fit to the job requirements,
• your CV with scientific publications with a list of (academic and/or industry) references that we can contact,
• a list of grades of your qualifying degrees (BSc, MSc),
• if available, the thesis or another sample of your technical writing. Incomplete applications will not be considered.    

You can address your application to Professor Marjan Popov.

Doing a PhD at TU Delft requires English proficiency at a certain level to ensure that the candidate is able to communicate and interact well, participate in English-taught Doctoral Education courses, and write scientific articles and a final thesis. For more details please check the Graduate Schools Admission Requirements.

Please note:

• You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
• A pre-employment screening can be part of the selection procedure.
• For the final candidates, a knowledge security check will be part of the application procedure. For more information on this check, please consult Chapter 8 of the National Knowledge Security Guidelines. We carry out this check on the basis of legitimate interest.
• Please do not contact us for unsolicited services.

36 - 40 hours per week

Mekelweg 5