Doctoral theses

Wind farms are essential to the energy transition, but their optimization remains limited by prediction models that use simplified representations of wind, ignoring the complexity of atmospheric conditions. The result: inaccurate predictions of energy production and turbine lifespan, hindering optimization and driving up costs.

Decarbonizing the chemical and energy industries is essential for achieving international climate goals. In this context, second-generation lignocellulosic biomass represents a sustainable alternative to fossil resources for the production of bio-based chemical intermediates.

Essential for numerous industrial processes and energy systems, catalysts gradually lose their efficiency due to phenomena such as coke formation or sintering. To extend their lifespan, which is crucial for a sustainable economy, tens of thousands of tons of catalysts are regenerated each year to restore their performance.

Integration of geoscientific knowledge and explainability in machine-learning algorithms for the assisted lithological interpretation of well data

The energy transition fosters the growth of the demand for electric machines, in particular for use in electric vehicles and in wind turbines. These electric machines rely on permanent (hard) magnets with high energy density.

Achieving carbon neutrality targets by 2050 requires the development of significant CO2 geological storage capacities. As global capacity is not unlimited, carbonate saline aquifers, more reactive to CO2, will have to be considered as potential injection sites.

The PhD aims to develop a methodological and operational framework for integrating geopolitical proximity and risk into prospective energy system modeling, with the objective of anticipating supply strategies in the context of increasing fragmentation. The work will unfold in three stages.

In a context where environmental and societal challenges related to plastic waste management are becoming increasingly urgent, the chemical recycling of plastic materials, such as the glycolysis of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), emerges as a complementary solution to traditional mechanical recycling.

Given the environmental urgency, the development of innovative technologies for capturing and storing CO2 is crucial. Traditional methods no longer meet current demands in terms of efficiency and capacity.

IFP Energies nouvelles (IFPEN) is offering a PhD position in the field of power electronics for electric mobility. The research will focus on the development of a multifunctional traction inverter integrating additional functions (e.g., a DC/DC stage), providing new degrees of freedom compared to conventional two-level inverters.

Esters are highly sought-after compounds in the chemical, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic sectors. An innovative alternative to the esterification of the corresponding acids is the alkoxycarbonylation of olefins.

In the ever-growing context of electrification in the automotive sector, the lithium-ion battery is currently the market’s dominant technology. Nevertheless, the energy density of current batteries, and therefore the range of electric vehicles, remains low compared to that of internal combustion vehicles.