Lieve Helsen

The Thermal Systems Simulation (The SySi) Team at KU Leuven’s Department of Mechanical Engineering is offering a PhD position on integrated steam production design and control using physics-based non-linear Model Predictive Control (MPC). The project is part of FLEX-SMR, an initiative funded by the Belgian Energy Transition Fund that aims to develop integrated solutions for flexible electricity and steam supply for chemical production sites. The research sits at the intersection of thermal systems, system integration, optimal control, and co-design. The successful candidate will work on transferring an in-house physics-based MPC workflow, originally tailored to the built environment, to steam processes in the chemical industry. The MPC approach will then be embedded in a co-design framework to optimize both control strategy and component sizing for a multi-energy vector steam system. The work also considers flexibility from industrial processes and utility systems, as well as storage technologies. The project is hosted within The SySi Team, led by Prof. Lieve Helsen, and carried out in close collaboration with Dr. Glenn Reynders, other PhD researchers, a post-doctoral researcher, and industrial partners The Binding Energy and INEOS-INOVYN. The team has strong expertise in physics-based modelling and simulation, integrated optimal control and design, and field testing and real-life demonstrations. It is also closely connected to EnergyVille, the sustainable energy research collaboration between KU Leuven, VITO, imec, and UHasselt. This PhD is especially suited to candidates with a Master of Science in Engineering, preferably in mechanical, energy, chemical, or computer science disciplines, and with strong interests in thermal energy systems, numerical optimization, scientific computing, and programming. Knowledge of C/C++ is required, while Modelica, Python, Java, and CasADi are valuable assets. The project is not focused on data-driven approaches; instead, it starts from system knowledge and physics-based modelling. The position is fully funded through the FLEX-SMR project for three years, with funding guaranteed for a fourth year so that the PhD can be completed. The student will receive a doctoral scholarship, a competitive salary including social security, access to university infrastructure and sports facilities, and the opportunity to join an internationally connected research environment. The position is located in Leuven, Belgium, with a deadline of 2026-09-15. Applicants will contribute to research, dissemination, communication, and valorisation tasks within the FLEX-SMR consortium, present findings at conferences, publish in top journals, attend international project meetings, and assist with teaching activities and Master’s theses.