Multiphysics Simulations of Fuel Cell and Electrolyzer Performance Degradation

The National Energy Technology Laboratory's (NETL's) record of success has been built on understanding the future of energy and the technologies required to make that future possible. We’ve long touted our success in developing the technologies that took on acid rain in the 1970s and mercury in the early 2000s. More recently, NETL has a leading role in President Biden’s ambitious climate goals, including a carbon emission-free power sector by 2035 and a net-zero economy by 2050.

Program Goals

The NETL Postgraduate Research Program (PGRP) is a high-intensity program designed to identify recent Master’s and Doctoral graduates of high promise and to foster advanced skill development. It allows the postgraduate to systematically outline career goals and helps provide the means of achieving these goals. NETL principal investigators and leads serve as mentors to PGRP participants during the program. This interaction affords the postgraduate a unique opportunity to develop critical skills needed to become an independent professional.

The program goals include providing the opportunity to participants to:

• Develop skills and knowledge in their field of study
• Engage with new areas of basic and applied research
• Network with world-class scientists
• Exchange ideas and skills with the Laboratory community
• Use state-of-the-art equipment
• Contribute to answers for today's pressing scientific questions
• Collaborate with the broader scientific and technical communities

Project Details

Through the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), this posting seeks a post-Doctoral or post-Master's researcher to engage in projects with the Research Innovation Center (RIC) at the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) in the area of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells under the mentorship of Harry Abernathy. This project will be hosted at the NETL Morgantown, WV campus.

An opportunity exists for a post-doctoral researcher to develop computational multiphysics models and data analysis tools in support of the NETL Solid Oxide Fuel Cell and Electrolyzer research group.  Research efforts focus primarily on: (1) accurate capture of the relevant physical and chemical processes in a high temperature electrochemical device; and (2) validation of models using detailed in-house experiments or independently published reports. Within individual model development tasks, a lower priority has been assigned to ensure that the models and tools are computationally efficient, accessible, and user-friendly.  Broadly, the project goals include the following activities:

1. Generate computational environments using commercially relevant paradigms that allow rapid execution of existing cell performance models;
2. Create and implement codes for studied chemical and mechanical degradation modes (e.g., secondary phase formation, cracking, particle coarsening) of solid oxide cell components;
3. Establish a user interface for each of the independent models that permits a non-expert to complete simulations;
4. Implement a methodology for data exchange between independent simulation and analysis modules, ultimately producing a comprehensive performance degradation modeling framework;
5. Ensure that models are computing in true parallel fashion;
6. Generate high fidelity visualization tools supporting analysis.

Learning Objectives:

1. Use high performance computing to probe the connection between material properties, device microstructure, and lifetime performance.
2. Develop computational tools for simulating electrochemical performance of solid oxide fuel cells and electrolyzers.
3. Learn to interact effectively with experimental and computational scientists from multiple national labs and universities to accelerate development of solid oxide fuel cells and electrolyzers.
4. Improve written and oral communication skills through giving research updates in in-house subgroup and group meetings, preparing and editing technical manuscripts, and delivering presentations and posters at scientific conferences and review meetings.

Stipend: The selected participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience.

• Post-Master's stipend is $6187.50 per month.
• Post-Doctoral stipend is $7486 per month.

Deliverables: To document the effectiveness of the program, participants are required to submit a pre-appointment and post-appointment survey, as well as a reflection on their appointment experience when they renew or end their appointment. The reflection should summarize their project(s), additional activities, and overall experience. Details are provided as the appointment end date approaches.
Participants may also have the opportunity to contribute to manuscripts, journal articles, book chapters, conference presentations, posters, patents, and other publications as a part of their appointment. Such achievements should also be reported to ORISE; additional details are provided after an offer has been accepted.

The National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), part of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratory system, is owned and operated by the DOE. NETL supports the DOE mission to advance the energy security of the United States. This is an educational opportunity offered by NETL and administered by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education. Participants in the program are not considered employees of NETL, DOE, the program administrator, or any other office or agency.

Qualifications

To be eligible, you must either:

• have received a Doctoral degree within the last five years or be currently enrolled in a Doctoral degree program and complete the degree prior to the appointment start date.
• have received a Master's degree within the last three years or are currently enrolled in a Master's degree program and complete the degree prior to the appointment start date.

The ideal candidate would have some, but not necessarily all, of the following:

Demonstrable skill in advanced mathematical algorithms and computational methods for solving complex reaction and transport problems. 

Significant experience in computer programming (in  FORTRAN, MATLAB, and/or Julia) and will preferably have experience in programming suitable for a high power computing environment. 

Excellent communication skills and should have demonstrated experience completing research in a collaborative/team environment.

The candidate is NOT required to possess experience in solid oxide fuel cells or electrolyzers, but stronger consideration will be given to candidates with some experience in fuel cells, electrolyzers, electroceramic materials, electrochemistry, or any related systems in sensors, membranes, and other energy conversion devices.