PhD Position Fluid Dynamics of Battery Recycling

Fluid dynamics of battery particles in flow: towards reducing the world's dependence on Critical Raw 
Materials 
 
Job description

The rapid expansion in the use of batteries in recent years has created a critical issue: metals that are 
necessary for battery manufacturing (cobalt, nickel, lithium, etc) are scarce  and their supply is 
constrained, creating insecurities about future supply and geopolitical frictions. As part of the CRM Lion 
consortium, TU Delft, in collaboration with several industrial partners, aims to find a solution to the 
problem by extracting metals from spent lithium ion batteries. The PhD project focuses on multiphase flow 
simulations to fundamentally understand the fluid mechanics and transport phenomena controlling the 
metal dissolution and extraction process.
 
Scientific context: The state of the art method for battery recycling is hydrometallurgical dissolution, also 
called leaching dissolution. Leaching is a method for metal dissolution and separation that occurs in liquid 
solvent under mixing conditions. How can this method be optimised to make the process more 
environmentally friendly and reduce its cost (so that battery recycling can be a valid alternative to 
conventional mining)? Replying to this question requires an understanding of the convective and diffusive 
phenomena that occur at the solid-liquid interface of the battery particulate materials during leaching, and 
how these phenomena affect mass transfer at the level of the particulate suspension.
 
Project objectives: i) to develop mathematical and numerical models of the coupled fluid and mass 
transfer that occurs during the process of leaching of the black mass, a particulate (multiphase) mixture 
that originates from crushed Li-ion batteries, and ii) to investigate the microscale physical processes that 
give rise to leaching, both in laminar and turbulent flow conditions.
 
Approach: To reach the above objectives, a PhD candidate with an interest in multiphase fluid mechanics 
and in the development of numerical methods will be supervised by Dr. Lorenzo Botto (TU Delft's Process 
& Energy Department), in collaboration with Dr. Shoshan Abrahami (TU Delft's Materials Science and 
Engineering Department). The selected candidate will work as part of a research team, and work in 
collaboration with experimentalists. Specifically, 1 experimental PhD student and 1 experimental postdoc 
who will provide data for validation and experimental insights. A Dutch industrial company that develops 
an innovative metal extraction method will also be involved in the PhD project, and will furnish data, 
insights, and help developing relevant research questions. The ability of the PhD student to work in a team 
will therefore be valuable.
 
The numerical approach is based on an Eulerian-Lagrangian model of coupled transport of momentum, 
mass of leaching reactants and mass of leaching products, with experimentally measurable chemical 
kinetics parameters.
 
Job requirements

 We are looking for 1 candidate with an MSc in Mechanical Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering, Applied 
Physics, Chemical Engineering, Mathematics or related disciplines.
 
Applicants need to demonstrate:

An excellent track record in their education and research.
A strong educational background in fluid dynamics and transport phenomena.
Research experience in theoretical or numerical fluid dynamics, as evidenced by academic reports, theses 
or scientific papers from previous research; experimentalists will be considered if they can prove their 
ability to handle mathematical models.
An ability and willingness to learn to communicate effectively with different audiences.
Excellent command of English (written and spoken).
Interest in working in a team with close synergy between experiments and simulations.
An open mind to collaborate with colleagues, project partners, and industry.
An interest in investigating fundamental fluid dynamics processes with the aim of solving a practical 
problem.
 
TU Delft (Delft University of Technology) 

Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch 
waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, 
engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address 
challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our 
engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context. 
 
At TU Delft we embrace diversity as one of our core values and we actively engage to be a university where 
you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe this makes our 
work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together, we 
imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale. That is 
why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration. 
 
Challenge. Change. Impact! 
 
Faculty Mechanical Engineering 

From chip to ship. From machine to human being. From idea to solution. Driven by a deep-rooted desire to 
understand our environment and discover its underlying mechanisms, research and education at the ME 
faculty focusses on fundamental understanding, design, production including application and product 
improvement, materials, processes and (mechanical) systems. 
 
ME is a dynamic and innovative faculty with high-tech lab facilities and international reach. It’s a large 
faculty but also versatile, so we can often make unique connections by combining different disciplines. 
This is reflected in ME’s outstanding, state-of-the-art education, which trains students to become 
responsible and socially engaged engineers and scientists. We translate our knowledge and insights into 
solutions to societal issues, contributing to a sustainable society and to the development of prosperity and 
well-being. That is what unites us in pioneering research, inspiring education and (inter)national 
cooperation. 
 
Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. Do you want to experience 
working at our faculty? These videos will introduce you to some of our researchers and their work.
 
Conditions of employment 

Doctoral candidates will be offered a 4-year period of employment in principle, but in the form of 2 
employment contracts. An initial 1,5 year contract with an official go/no go progress assessment within 15 
months. Followed by an additional contract for the remaining 2,5 years assuming everything goes well and 
performance requirements are met. 

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, 
increasing from €3059 - €3881 gross per month, from the first year to the fourth year based on a fulltime 
contract (38 hours), plus 8% holiday allowance and an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%.  
As a PhD candidate you will be enrolled in the TU Delft Graduate School. The TU Delft Graduate School 
provides an inspiring research environment with an excellent team of supervisors, academic staff and a 
mentor. The Doctoral Education Programme is aimed at developing your transferable, discipline-related 
and research skills. 

The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance, and a monthly 
work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged.  

 
Additional information
For more information about this vacancy, please contact Dr. Lorenzo Botto, email: l.botto@tudelft.nl. 
Informal enquires are welcome.
 
Application procedure

Are you interested in this vacancy? Please apply no later than 4 January 2026 via the TU Delft job 
application website: 

https://careers.tudelft.nl/job/Delft-PhD-Position-Fluid-Dynamics-of-Battery-Recycling-2628-
CD/1333034957/

Upload the following documents:
A cover letter specific to this vacancy, motivating your interest and fit for the project
Your CV, including contact information of at least 2 references
A copy of your MSc thesis report

Any other document which can give insights into the quality of the candidate's previous work can be 
uploaded.
 
Doing a PhD at TU Delft requires English proficiency at a certain level to ensure that the candidate is able 
to communicate and interact well, participate in English-taught Doctoral Education courses, and write 
scientific articles and a final thesis. For more details please check the Graduate Schools Admission 
Requirements. 

Please note:

You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post. 
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letter and CV, and takes place at the final stages of the selection process. When the outcome of the 
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the risk assessment is carried out on the legal basis of the GDPR: performing a public task in the public 
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