Background information
Methanol is an important platform chemical and energy carrier used in fuels, chemicals and industrial processes. Traditionally, methanol is produced from fossil-based syngas, which results in significant CO₂ emissions. To move towards a low-carbon future, there is growing interest in producing methanol from captured CO₂ and green hydrogen, turning a waste stream into a valuable product.
Catalytic hydrogenation of CO₂ to methanol offers a promising pathway, but its performance strongly depends on reaction conditions, process design and energy integration. Process simulation tools such as Aspen Plus allow detailed evaluation of such systems, enabling optimisation of yield, efficiency and sustainability.
This internship focuses on modelling and evaluating a CO₂-to-methanol process, including material and energy balances and overall process performance.
Assignment Description
You will design and simulate a CO₂ hydrogenation process to methanol using Aspen Plus or similar software.
Your tasks may include:
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Developing a process flow diagram (PFD) for CO₂-to-methanol conversion
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Implementing the process in Aspen Plus (or another simulation tool)
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Defining thermodynamic models and reaction kinetics for CO₂ hydrogenation
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Performing mass and energy balance calculations under different operating conditions
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Analysing methanol yield, energy efficiency and CO₂ utilisation
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Evaluating the sustainability potential of the process through key performance indicators
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Exploring the impact of parameters such as temperature, pressure, H₂/CO₂ ratio and recycle strategies
Research questions
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How can waste CO₂ be efficiently converted into methanol through catalytic hydrogenation?
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Which process parameters and operating conditions optimise methanol yield and energy efficiency?
Desired Skills
We are looking for a student with:
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Background in chemistry, chemical engineering or mechanical engineering
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Basic understanding of reaction engineering, thermodynamics and mass/energy balances
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Experience with, or willingness to learn, Aspen Plus or similar simulation tools
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Strong analytical thinking and data interpretation skills
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Interest in sustainable energy, carbon capture and green process design
Supervision
The internship will be supervised by Dr. Agha Zeeshan Ali.
Regular meetings will be organised to discuss progress, review simulation results and provide feedback on modelling choices and reporting.
Practical Details
- Compensation: Internship fee of €350 per month
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Working language: English/Dutch