General information
Organisation
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) is a key player in research, development and innovation in four main areas :
• defence and security,
• nuclear energy (fission and fusion),
• technological research for industry,
• fundamental research in the physical sciences and life sciences.
Drawing on its widely acknowledged expertise, and thanks to its 16000 technicians, engineers, researchers and staff, the CEA actively participates in collaborative projects with a large number of academic and industrial partners.
The CEA is established in ten centers spread throughout France
Reference
SL-DES-27-0016
Thesis topic details
Category
Engineering science
Thesis topics
Development of a Hydrothermal Oxidation (HTO) Process for the Mineralization of PFAS-Containing Effluents
Contract
Thèse
Job description
Due to their unique physicochemical properties, PFAS used in numerous industrial applications pose a problem regarding their accumulation in groundwater. This situation highlights the need for innovative treatment technologies aimed at minimizing PFAS levels in effluents. Various methods (thermal, biological, chemical) have been investigated, but they suffer from drawbacks such as high energy consumption or the generation of toxic secondary effluents. In this context, hydrothermal oxidation (HTO) offers a promising alternative, achieving PFAS mineralization rates exceeding 99.9% at temperatures of 600°C and above. Under these conditions, water becomes a reaction medium conducive to the mineralization of organic compounds. However, applying such operating conditions at an industrial scale presents a technological challenge due to significant heat loss and the *in situ* formation of HF, which can cause corrosion issues. This thesis aims to investigate the HTO process using a co-fuel and the *in situ* use of a silica-based material designed to sequester all fluoride ions. Defining the process's operating regime requires a detailed understanding of mass balances as well as the mechanisms of PFAS oxidation. Elucidating these mechanisms will require the implementation of a precise and rigorous analytical protocol to quantify all residual organofluorine compounds. Modeling high-pressure/high-temperature phase equilibria for fluorinated species can be performed using PhreeQC and Prosim Simulis software. Finally, the process's versatility regarding other organofluorine waste streams will also be considered. The candidate will work within the Supercritical Processes and Decontamination Laboratory, in collaboration with the Measurement, Safety, and Environment Laboratory (LITEN/Grenoble) and in interaction with technicians, engineers, and doctoral students. They will benefit from the expertise of these laboratories in hydrothermal processes and the analysis of perfluorinated compounds. The skills acquired during the PhD will open up numerous career opportunities in academic research and industrial R&D within the fields of chemistry and the environment..
University / doctoral school
Sciences pour l’Ingénieur : Mécanique, Physique, Micro et Nanoélectronique (SIMPMN)
Aix-Marseille Université
Thesis topic location
Site
Marcoule
Requester
Position start date
01/11/2027
Person to be contacted by the applicant
LEYBROS Antoine
antoine.leybros@cea.fr
CEA
DES/DMRC//LPSD
ISEC/DMRC/STDC/LPSD
Laboratoire des Procédés Supercritiques et de Décontamination
BP17171
30207 MARCOULE
04-66-79-16-41
Tutor / Responsible thesis director
LEYBROS Antoine
antoine.leybros@cea.fr
CEA
DES/DMRC//LPSD
ISEC/DMRC/STDC/LPSD
Laboratoire des Procédés Supercritiques et de Décontamination
BP17171
30207 MARCOULE
04-66-79-16-41
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