Full-time study

4 years

doc. Ing. Pavel Rudolf, Ph.D.

Chairman :
doc. Ing. Pavel Rudolf, Ph.D.
Councillor internal :
prof. Ing. Jan Jedelský, Ph.D.
prof. Ing. Zdeněk Jegla, Ph.D.
doc. Ing. Jaroslav Katolický, Ph.D.
prof. Ing. Jiří Pospíšil, Ph.D.
Councillor external :
Ing. Milan Kořista, Ph.D.

The aim of the doctoral study in the suggested programme is:
• Training of creative highly educated workers in the field of energy engineering and closely related engineering fields, who will be prepared to work in research and development in industrial companies, research institutes and organizations in our country and abroad.
• To enable the doctoral student to develop talent for creative activities and further development of a scientific or engineering personality. To ensure the development of his ability to process scientific knowledge in the field of study and related fields.
• Graduates will be able to do independent scientific work, especially in the field of applied but also basic research.
• The doctoral student is guided not only to gain knowledge in the field studied, but also to its further development.
• The focus of the study is primarily on basic and applied research in the following areas: design, development and operation of energy and fluid machines and equipment, combustion, environmental engineering, process engineering, fluid mechanics, thermomechanics.
• The graduate has a very good knowledge of field theory and modern approaches in the field of computational and experimental modeling.
• The graduate has skills and abilities in the field of publishing and sharing R&D results in Czech and especially English.

• The profile of the graduate corresponds to the current state of scientific knowledge in the field of energy engineering and allows him to further develop research in the field.
• The graduate is a creative personality capable of independent and team scientific work, has sufficient skills for the preparation, implementation and management of R&D projects.
• The graduate is able to transfer results between basic and applied research and collaborate in multidisciplinary international scientific teams.
• During the study, the doctoral student will gain broad knowledge and skills in the field of fluid flow, heat transfer, design and operation of energy machines, equipment and systems.
• It is assumed that graduates will find employment as R&D workers in academic research organizations or in research institutes and departments of applied research of industrial enterprises in the Czech Republic and abroad, in ordinary and senior positions.

The graduate of the doctoral study programme in Energy Engineering will be prepared for independent and team R&D work in the academic environment, research organizations or research departments of industrial companies in the field of energy, both domestic and foreign.
The graduate will have a comprehensive view of current challenges and problems in the field of energy and will be able to respond by analysing the issue, design of appropriate models or technical measures and equipment. Therefore, they will be a suitable candidate not only for positions in the field of R&D, but also in public administration, consulting companies or managerial positions of companies focusing on energy.

See applicable regulations, DEAN’S GUIDELINE Rules for the organization of studies at FME (supplement to BUT Study and Examination Rules)

The rules and conditions of study programmes are determined by:
BUT STUDY AND EXAMINATION RULES
BUT STUDY PROGRAMME STANDARDS,
STUDY AND EXAMINATION RULES of Brno University of Technology (USING "ECTS"),
DEAN’S GUIDELINE Rules for the organization of studies at FME (supplement to BUT Study and Examination Rules)
DEAN´S GUIDELINE Rules of Procedure of Doctoral Board of FME Study Programmes
Students in doctoral programmes do not follow the credit system. The grades “Passed” and “Failed” are used to grade examinations, doctoral state examination is graded “Passed” or “Failed”.

Brno University of Technology acknowledges the need for equal access to higher education. There is no direct or indirect discrimination during the admission procedure or the study period. Students with specific educational needs (learning disabilities, physical and sensory handicap, chronic somatic diseases, autism spectrum disorders, impaired communication abilities, mental illness) can find help and counselling at Lifelong Learning Institute of Brno University of Technology. This issue is dealt with in detail in Rector's Guideline No. 11/2017 "Applicants and Students with Specific Needs at BUT". Furthermore, in Rector's Guideline No 71/2017 "Accommodation and Social Scholarship“ students can find information on a system of social scholarships.

The newly proposed doctoral study programme in Energy Engineering is being created as a new one within the institutional accreditation of the field of education "Energy". It follows on from the bachelor's degree in the specializations of the bachelor's study programme in Energy and the subsequent master's degree programmes in Energy and Thermofluid Engineering and Process Engineering. It is an education combining solid theoretical foundations in applied mechanics, design of power machines, design and operation of power systems, knowledge and skills in computational and experimental modelling in the field of power engineering and applied fluid mechanics and thermomechanics.
In the case of applicants from other faculties or universities, it is necessary that they master the above-mentioned disciplines at the level taught in these programmes.

1. AI Synergy in Advanced Small Data Analysis as an Effective Tool for Innovations in Sustainable Energy

   Current environmental challenges impose considerable pressure for high efficiency in sustainable energy innovations. Many traditional technical concepts have reached their limits, necessitating the rapid discovery of groundbreaking solutions. The initial stages of research and development for these technologies grapple with a lack of extensive data sets. Early sets of small data are being generated, from which information must be extracted with utmost efficiency. Even in the advanced phases of research and development, particularly in interdisciplinary subjects, it is crucial to swiftly and reliably identify key connections that might be obscured to human judgement. As the development of pioneering technologies progresses, it becomes desirable to optimize the data collection process and dynamically identify the most beneficial directions for data acquisition that will contribute most effectively to outcome improvements. One potential direction includes the application of advanced analyses of small data using stochastic models and uncertainty quantification (UQ) methods supported by artificial intelligence (AI) tools. The aim of this dissertation is to conduct a comprehensive investigation of the aforementioned methods, with a special emphasis on those that can significantly enhance the efficiency of research, development, and design of new energy technologies, accelerate innovation, and facilitate the implementation of pioneering solutions in the realm of future sustainable energy.

   Tutor: Mauder Tomáš, doc. Ing., Ph.D.

2. Development of spray systems for target applications using machine learning on internal database

   The Multiphase Fluid Mechanics Laboratory at FME has produced a significant amount of high quality image and numerical results on the behavior of various spray systems over the past decade. Currently, the department is working on several topics, most notably the development of spray systems for 1) nanoparticle surface applications and 2) CO2 capture. The goal of this work is to use this data, sort it, and process it in a way that is useful for the application of machine learning methods. Existing and new machine learning models will be used and developed to subsequently extract new insights into multiphase dispersive systems from existing and newly acquired data. These will enable the development and optimization of spray systems for both topics mentioned above. The topic of this thesis is multidisciplinary. It has full technical and material support, especially laboratory equipment, techniques and materials for experiments. Partial financial support of the student from the project is assumed. The topic is related to an existing or submitted research project. Several months internship at a foreign institution with the intention of strengthening international cooperation, participation in technical seminars and presentations at conferences are foreseen. The supervisor will be contacted by the applicant prior to admission to discuss the details of the study.

   Tutor: Jedelský Jan, prof. Ing., Ph.D.

3. Eco-innovation of rocket propulsion systems by a synergy of hydrogen peroxide and 3D printing

   Liquid rocket propulsion systems, where hydrogen peroxide (HP) serves as an oxidizing agent or monopropellant, offer significant potential for the reduction of environmental impact, and for the simplification of fuel storage and handling processes. However, the use of HP presents specific technical challenges related to its high reactivity and limited stability. One of the possible research directions is the shape optimization of components used in the rocket propulsion system, employing additive manufacturing (3D print) with materials compatible with the HP. The solution can also integrate advanced sensorial and control systems for efficient monitoring and management of HP decomposition, aiming at performance optimization and the enhancement of safety in propulsion systems. Therefore, the goal is to research prospective design proposals through computational simulations and experimental modelling, contributing to the development of more efficient and safer liquid rocket propulsion systems. It is expected that the research will receive support from European Space Agency (ESA) projects, including an opportunity for additional scholarship. The industrial partner is a Czech company OteSpace, s.r.o. As a part of the study, it is expected that the student will actively participate in international scientific conferences abroad and undertake an internship (stay) at a foreign university. These activities represent a significant opportunity for professional networking and acquiring new knowledge and skills. Essential tools and equipment for advanced research will be available to the student, including access to computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software, high-performance computing (HPC) systems, experimental facilities and equipment. The student is also expected to actively participate in experimental investigations related to the research (assembling, setting up, and tuning test apparatus, preliminary water tests, and HP tests).

   Tutor: Klimeš Lubomír, doc. Ing., Ph.D.

4. Characteristics of dynamic vapor layer development during the cooling of hot steel surfaces

   This project deals with the experimental study of vapor layer development during the interaction of water flows on moving hot surface. Laminar cooling is tricky due to the existence of various boiling regimes. The lowest cooling intensity is in film boiling, where the water is isolated from the surface by a layer of steam. Layer thickness decreases as the surface temperature decreases until the layer is broken and rapid increase in cooling intensity follows (transient boiling). The rewetting temperature is dependent on the dynamics of the water flow on the surface. It is higher in the region under the water stream than between. This leads to local overcooling and undesirable heterogeneity in material properties. The water streams from the surrounding jets interact in the areas between the streams and influence the heat transfer mechanism. Articles deal with laminar cooling, mainly for cooling on a stationary surface, which is different to real-life applications. The heat transfer and fluid flow laboratory is equipped to study steam layers on surfaces through experimental research and simulations.

   Tutor: Hnízdil Milan, doc. Ing., Ph.D.