PhD Position Meteorological Techniques for very Fast Voltage Transient Measurement & Testing

PhD Position: Meteorological Techniques for Very Fast Voltage Transient Measurement & Testing at Delft University of Technology

The Delft University of Technology is hiring a doctoral candidate on the subject "Meteorological techniques for very fast voltage transient measurement and insulation testing"

Job description

The aim of this work is to develop validated techniques and algorithms for the evaluation of very fast high voltage impulses for steep voltage testing. The influence of the steep voltage rise time and the high frequency on the insulation material properties, e.g. aging, will be investigated in order to create recommendations. Steep voltage testing can be divided into two categories. The first category involves very fast transients that consist of either a single impulse or a train of several impulses. Typically, these pulses have voltage levels in the range of tens to hundreds of kilovolts, with rise times of 10 to 100 nanoseconds. Such very fast transients can occur in the power grid due to switching operations in SF6 or vacuum breakers, or as a result of back flashover on line insulators. These transients can stress the insulation systems of GIS/GIL and cause nonlinear voltage distribution along transformer windings, and may trigger internal resonances within a transformer winding, potentially leading to transformer failure. The second category of very fast transients includes high-voltage waveforms typically found in power electronics devices, usually at high repetition rates of 10 to 100 kHz, which continuously stress insulation systems. Currently, suitable calibration methodologies and recommendations for test circuits and measurement systems for these very fast transients are not available at NMIs. Existing measurement techniques often lack the precision and bandwidth required to capture these rapid voltage changes with rise times in the nanosecond range. To improve repeatability and reproducibility of the results, in this work we aim to understand the contributing factors on the test circuit and the measuring system as well as how waveform parameters affect the insulation properties.

Outcome of the work will help to develop reference standards and calibration capabilities at NMIs for the calibration of measuring systems for steep voltages with an expanded uncertainty of 2% for peak values.

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, PV testing and a large RTDS that is actively used for real-time simulation of future electrical power systems.

The goal is to generate, transmit and use electrical energy in a highly reliable, efficient, stable, clean, affordable, and safe way. High Voltage Technologies group investigates aging, life prediction and reliability of electrical insulation, high voltage components and materials, insulation systems for power electronics-based equipment, and the development of novel diagnostic techniques for assessing the health of high voltage assets. The group possesses a well-equipped HV-laboratory within the ESP-lab.

Job requirements

Essential job requirements

• Completed a Master's and Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Sustainable Energy Technology, Applied Physics or equivalent.
• Excellent academic record (grades of B (8) or higher).
• Excellent analytical and writing skills.
• Very good command of English. The minimum requirement for English language can be found here: https://www.tudelft.nl/onderwijs/opleidingen/phd/admission.
• Ability to read and critically analyse high voltage technology, measurement and meteorological techniques, materials and asset management papers.
• Strong knowledge of high voltage constructions and measurement / diagnostic techniques.
• You enjoy performing research. You are independent, self-motivated, and eager to learn.
• Strong laboratory skills and an affinity for experimental work.
• You are keen to work with industry partners to link real-world challenges to fundamental research questions.

Desirables

• Experience with Matlab and COMSOL.
• Experience with collaborative software development (e.g. commercial and open source), and programming skills, e.g., Python or others.

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. You will also be expected to assist in teaching activities (student supervision, labs) related to your subject area.

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.

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 € 2901 per month in the first year to € 3707 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.

Will you need to relocate to the Netherlands for this job? TU Delft is committed to make your move as smooth as possible! The HR unit, Coming to Delft Service, offers information on their website to help you prepare your relocation. In addition, Coming to Delft Service organises events to help you settle in the Netherlands, and expand your (social) network in Delft. A Dual Career Programme is available, to support your accompanying partner with their job search in the Netherlands.

Additional information

If you would like more information about this vacancy or the selection procedure, please contact Dr. Mohamad Ghaffarian Niasar, via m.ghaffarianNiasar@tudelft.nl.