Description

Background:

Biosimo is a spin-off, based at ETH Zurich, aiming to develop and produce bio-based platform chemicals. Its focus so far has been on bio-acetic acid and bio-ethyl acetate. The experimental setup of the bio-acetic acid process is consolidated, and the next step is scaling-up. To fulfill the objective, we have realized process simulations of a commercial plant with a throughput of 10 tons per year. A thorough Life Cycle Assessment is though required to establish the effective carbon footprint of the process and to understand the CO2 savings our technology can determine, with respect to the alternative oil-based processes. Being the mission of the spin-off to grow into a fossil-free chemical company, this work is pivotal for our marketing strategies and expectations.

Project:

The project is run by the engineering team. The candidate will be leading the project but can rely on constant support and supervision. Simulation outputs are accessible for the analysis of mass and energy balances and of size and construction materials of the pieces of equipment. A Techno-Economical analysis will be conducted in parallel by another member of the team.

Tasks:

-Learning and understanding LCA approaches

-Literature review and data collection with interviews

-Critical analysis of results

-Writing a thesis report

Candidate profile:

-Final semester Master’s student in the field of Process Engineering, Environmental Engineering or Chemical Engineering

-Habitude of driving research independently and of taking initiative

-Excellent communication skills in English (both written and spoken)

-Good interpersonal skills

-A basic knowledge of LCA is a plus

Framework:

-Work location: Flexible (Home office, Biosimo Offices at ETH Zurich or Schlieren)

-Supervision: Home university professor support needed, additional supervision with Biosimo team lead and engineering advisors (Prof. Stavros Papadokonstantakis, TU Vienna)

-Start: Spring 2023




About Biosimo AG

Biosimo AG is a spin-off, based at ETH Zurich, aiming to develop and produce bio-based platform chemicals. Its focus so far has been on bio-acetic acid from bioethanol. Biosimo AG has developed proprietary catalytic processes that stand at the core of its technology platform.