Description

Today, more than 95% of industrial hydrogen production relies on natural gas, generating approximately 9–10 kg of CO₂ per kg of H₂ produced. At the same time, more than 27 Mt of plastic waste is generated annually in Europe, most of which is still landfilled or incinerated despite representing a valuable carbon resource. Red Clay Bio Food is developing innovative pyrolysis-based processes to convert plastic waste into low-carbon H2, intended for the hydrothermal treatment of pyrolysis oils derived from end-of-life tires. This approach creates a double circular economy pathway by valorizing two waste streams into high-quality fuels without relying on fossil energy sources.
The selected process combines plastic waste pyrolysis with catalytic reforming of a complex hydrocarbon mixture over Ni/Al₂O₃ catalysts [1,2]. The main scientific challenge lies in understanding and controlling the coupling between heat and mass transfer phenomena, thermal degradation kinetics, reforming reactions, catalyst deactivation mechanisms, process intensification, and hydrogen yield optimization. These interconnected phenomena require predictive modeling tools capable of supporting the scale-up from laboratory to industrial operation [3–5].
The PyroPHyL project aims to model and optimize hydrogen production from plastic waste pyrolysis coupled with catalytic reforming to support the design of Red Clay Bio Food’s future industrial reactor. The research program combines modeling and experimentation through three work packages:
WP1 (Months 1–12): Multiphysics Modeling
Development of an ASPEN Plus® model integrating mass and energy balances, heat and mass transfer, fluid flow, pyrolysis and reforming kinetics, and product distribution (H₂, CO, CO₂, CH₄) to predict reactor performance.
WP2 (Months 13–24): Experimental Validation
Characterization of feedstocks, catalysts, and products using advanced analytical techniques (TGA/DSC, BET, elemental analysis, GC-MS, XRD, SEM-EDS), combined with the design and operation of a dedicated validation test bench.
WP3 (Months 25–36): Optimization and Scale-Up
Development of a predictive tool linking operating conditions to hydrogen yield, purity, energy efficiency, economics, and environmental performance. Multi-objective optimization will support the design and sizing of an industrial demonstration unit.

The PhD candidate will primarily conduct research at iTheMM, a research laboratory of URCA specializing in thermal sciences, energy systems, mechanics, and materials science. The laboratory provides access to a wide range of state-of-the-art characterization facilities through the URCATECH platform, including: TGA/DTA/DSC, BET surface area analysis, Elemental analysis, GC-MS, XRD, SEM. Prof. Randrianalisoa's group has strong expertise in Multiphysics modeling and multiscale thermophysical characterization [5], Pyrolysis processes [4,6] combined with Catalytic reforming [7,8], Hydrogen production from plastic waste valorization [6,9,10]. These research competencies are directly aligned with the scientific objectives of the project. Red Clay Bio Food contributes the industrial perspective, operational data, and deployment strategy necessary for technology transfer and commercialization. The company will also support the development of the experimental validation platform and provide application-driven supervision focused on industrial impact and implementation.

Skills required

Profile and required skills: Engineering degree or Master’s degree in Energy, Process Engineering, Thermochemical Processes, Chemical Engineering, or a related field. • Strong background in heat and mass transfer, thermodynamics, and chemical reaction engineering. • Experience in the modeling and simulation of thermochemical processes, including mass and energy balances, reaction kinetics, and reactor modeling, using ASPEN Plus® (or equivalent software). • Proficiency in scientific programming and data analysis tools such as Python and/or MATLAB. • Basic knowledge of heterogeneous catalysis and a strong interest in experimental research, including instrumentation, test-bench operation, and experimental campaigns. • Ability to work at the interface between modeling and experimentation. • Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with a high degree of autonomy and scientific rigor. • Strong written and oral communication skills in both French and English. Desirable qualifications: materials characterization (XRD, SEM, ATG/DSC), gas analysis (GC-MS), process modeling with Aspen Plus®, SuperPro Designer®, and/or SimaPro® software, knowledge of pyrolysis/reforming processes, and data science.

Bibliography

Références :
[1] Barbarias et al., Energy & Fuels, 31, 12645, 2017.
[2] Williams et al., Energy & Fuels, 35, 3894, 2023.
[3] Salameh et al., Energy & Fuels, 40, 8473, 2026.
[4] Abou Rjeily et al., Env. Chem. Lett., 23, 147, 2025.
[5] Briclot et al., ACS Omega, 11, 32762, 2026.
[6] Abou Rjeily et al., Waste Biomass Valoriz., 14, 325, 2023.
[7] Abou Rjeily et al., Waste Biomass Valoriz., 14, 2715, 2023.
[8] Abou Rjeily et al., Biomass Conv. Bioref., 14, 25599, 2024.
[9] Salameh et al., Enhancing hydrogen production from plastic waste pyrolysis in line with catalytic steam reforming and water-gas-shift reaction, 11th WasteEng Conference, July 7-10th, 2026, Spain, paper 434.
[10] Abou Rjeily et al., Contribution of catalysts in the pyrolysis of composite waste coupled with catalytic steam reforming for hydrogen production, 11th WasteEng Conference, July 7-10th, 2026, Spain, paper 275.

Keywords

Pyrolysis, Plastic waste, Hydrogen, Reforming, Catalysis