EPSRC - Funded PhD Studentship

Energy Challenges for Complexity Science - Preventing Wide-Area Blackouts Through Adaptive Islanding Of Transmission Networks

Durham University - School of Engineering and Computing Sciences

This project will investigate an idea of preventing an imminent wide-area cascading power blackout by intentional splitting of a power system into islands. The aim of this PhD research will be to establish conditions under which preventive network splitting should be applied. Usually, blackouts are preceded by significant voltage, power and frequency oscillations, manifested as severe voltage reductions and unusual power flows. The emphasis will be on fast multi-facet analysis, incorporating transient and steady-state stability analysis, voltage stability analysis and other security assessment tools.

This PhD is a part of an interdisciplinary engineering-mathematical project which gathers power system engineers from Durham University, Operational Research and Optimization experts from The University of Edinburgh, and graph theoreticians from the University of Southampton. The project is funded by Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC) and is supported by the National Grid and Psymetrix Ltd.

Necessary background

You should ideally possess First Class Degree in electrical engineering or mathematics. Minimum requirement is Upper Second Class honours degree or equivalent.

Funding for UK/EU students:

This studentship is available from October 2010 for a period of three years and provides an annual stipend ca. Ł13,290 per annum and full payment of UK/EU Tuition Fees.

Funding for Overseas (non-EU) students:

If you are coming from outside the EU, then you will receive the same funding as EU students, including a stipend (see above), but you will have to pay the tuition fee at a higher, Overseas level. The difference between Overseas and UK/EU fees was ca. Ł11,475 in 2009/10 and it will be your responsibility to pay it. We are sorry, but we cannot offer any further financial assistance to pay for the difference.

Contact:

Professor Janusz Bialek, email: Janusz.Bialek@durham.ac.uk, tel. +44 (0) 191 3342505.

Website: http://www.dur.ac.uk/ecs/engineering/staff/teachstaff/?id=8054

How to Apply:

Applications consisting of a covering letter, a detailed CV, transcripts of grades from your degree, and the names of at least two academic references (with contact details) should be sent by email to Professor Janusz Bialek, email: Janusz.Bialek@durham.ac.uk.

Closing date: 31 December 2010.