Design and Process Engineering
· Designing, construction, calculation, technology of manufacturing, technical preparation of manufacturing including assembly and testing,
· Thermal and nuclear power plant devices such as steam and combustion turbines, steam generators, steam power plants and heating plants including nuclear power stations, industrial power engineering and their environmental aspects,
· Water turbines, hydrodynamic and hydrostatic pumps, piping systems, hydroelectric power plants, and pumping stations,
· Machinary and devices for chemical industry, food-stuff industry, and biotechnological treatment lines,
· Construction, modelling and theoretical studies of machines and devices for cutting, forming machines, industrial robots, and manipulators,
· Machine parts and mechanisms, methodology of designing machine elements and working mechanisms of general application with consideration of stochastic qualities of inputs, including the application of special types of machines and devices,
· Cars, vans and lorries, buses, trailers, semi-trailers, and motorcycles,
· Combustion engines for all types of vehicle drives, simulation of combustion engine thermomechanical systems, dynamics of driving gear, engine accessories, ecology,
· Machines and devices for in-plant handling of material and handling between operations, for the mining and transport of building materials, for passenger conveyance in buildings,
· Aerodynamic calculation and designing, flight mechanics, fatigue and durability of aircraft constructions, aeroelasticity of aircraft,
· Quality of machine industry production.

prof. Ing. Václav Píštěk, DrSc.

1. Extending and developing advanced tools for smart maintenance for risk management to reduce material/energy resources and footprint improvement

   The research is targeted to SPIL project Research Activity 10: Extending and developing advanced procedures and tools by developing and extending the tools for the optimisation of equipment maintenance actions and schedule for minimising the risk and cost arising from plant management. This includes operating and investment costs, as well as minimisation of the probability of failures, accidents, breakdowns, stoppages which may lead to potential disasters, and also, contribute to personnel occupational illnesses. These activities will study and extend the use of Process Integration methodology, process simulators, mathematical modelling and other advanced computational tools for achieving project goals.

   Tutor: Varbanov Petar Sabev, prof. Ing. Dr. habil., Ph.D.

2. Modernization and optimization of energy-intensive industrial processes

   The thesis is focused on using up-to-date technologies, design, software or methodologies to significantly improve the sustainability of energy-intensive process systems. Such modern technologies may include elements of advanced laboratory experiments, process intensification and integration, artificial intelligence, molecular design, industrial internet of things (IIoT) etc. From the previous master ‘s degree research, general optimization and debottlenecking analyses were developed to guide manufacturing/industrial engineers to achieve a more sustainable processing plant. However, it was found that modernizing specific units can significantly improve the process plant. In laboratory of energy-intensive processes (LENP) NETME Centre at the BUT, a similar finding was also obtained, where Vondra et al. (2018) have shown that the size of the equipment, capital and operating costs can be significantly reduced by using a modern design of separation systems. Hence, extended works will be done on developing new efficient and sustainable technologies, while retrofitting such technologies within current processing plants using an optimized approach. The research mainly focuses on the design, optimization and retrofitting industrial processes, specifically petroleum refineries. Hence, modernized and sustainable technology can be developed during the PhD research period to improve current industrial plants. To validate the research results and proving that technology improvement can develop global sustainability, a global industrial collaboration project of strategic importance is caried out. This project utilizes advanced scientific theories for technology development, and then validates it with real industrial projects. The basis of the theories will be supported by advanced process simulation techniques with the experiences of Touš et al. (2009). This approach is proven to give actual impactful results by Máša et al. (2018) throughout years of engineering project experience and development (Stehlík, 2016). The following tasks will be addressed: • Initial research: study on the current progress in the oil and gas industry • Data acquisition from experimental measurements in laboratories and industrial facilities • Initial plant optimization and debottlenecking study • Development of a modern and novel equipment, software tools or engineering method for retrofitting • Post retrofitting and improvement analysis References: MÁŠA, V., STEHLÍK, P., TOUŠ, M., VONDRA, M. (2018). Key pillars of successful energy saving projects in small and medium industrial enterprises. Energy, no. 158, 293-304. ISSN: 0360-5442. STEHLÍK, P. (2016). Up-to-Date Waste-to-Energy Approach, From Idea to Industrial Application. 1. 1. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, 115. ISBN: 978-3-319-15466- 4. TOUŠ, M., HOUDKOVÁ, L., BÉBAR, L., PAVLAS, M., STEHLÍK, P. (2009). Waste-to-Energy (W2E) software -a support tool for decision making process. Chemical Engineering Transactions. 18. 971-976. 10.3303/CET0918159. VONDRA, M., MÁŠA, V., BOBÁK, P. (2018). The energy performance of vacuum evaporators for liquid digestate treatment in biogas plants. Energy, 146, 141-155.

   Tutor: Máša Vítězslav, doc. Ing., Ph.D.