DLR-DAAD Doctoral Fellowship Nr. 706: Transient Simulation and Process Modeling for Advanced Control of Alkaline Water Electrolyzers under Intermittent and Pressurized Operation

Enter the fascinating world of the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) and help shape the future through research and innovation! We offer an exciting and inspiring working environment driven by the expertise and curiosity of our 11,000 employees from 100 nations and our unique infrastructure. Together, we develop sustainable technologies and thus contribute to finding solutions to global challenges. Would you like to join us in addressing this major future challenge? Then this is your place!

Our Institute of Engineering Thermodynamics in Stuttgart offers a

Nr. 706: Transient Simulation and Process Modeling for Advanced Control of Alkaline Water Electrolyzers under Intermittent and Pressurized Operation

What to expect:

The growing demand for green energy carriers has positioned alkaline water electrolysis as a key enabling technology, with hydrogen produced from renewable power as the backbone of the future energy supply. However, operating alkaline water electrolysis efficiently and safely under intermittent renewable power sources and varying pressure conditions poses significant challenges. The research proposes a modelling framework that brings transient simulation and steady-state process modelling together to improve the control and operational stability of alkaline electrolyzers integrated with upstream and downstream systems.
It’s impact on future energy supply routes has to be understood. Transient simulation captures the dynamic response of the electrolyzer to rapid fluctuations in load and system variables, essential for understanding real-time behaviour during start-up, ramp-up, and load shifts. However, process modelling offers a broader system-level view under various steady-state conditions, e.g. under pressurized operation, enabling accurate representation of thermal, mass, and energy balances. By bringing these two modelling approaches together, a predictive control strategy capable of handling both fast dynamics and longer-term operational trends could be developed. The research will investigate how transient effects impact control performance, assess pressure-sensitive response behaviours, and optimize system integration to enhance reliability and efficiency. This approach aims to close the gap between dynamic simulation and practical control implementation, supporting the development of alkaline electrolyzer control strategies within renewable-driven energy carrier production systems.

What we expect from you:

What we offer:

DLR stands for diversity, appreciation and equality for all people. We promote independent work and the individual development of our employees both personally and professionally. To this end, we offer numerous training and development opportunities. Equal opportunities are of particular importance to us, which is why we want to increase the proportion of women in science and management in particular. Applicants with severe disabilities will be given preference if they are qualified.

Further information:

Starting date: 01.07.2025
Type of employment: Full-time

Fatemeh Razmjooei

Email: Fatemeh.Razmjooei@dlr.de
Ralph-Uwe Dietrich

Email: Ralph-Uwe.Dietrich@dlr.de