Advanced and Sustainable Thermal Management Technologies

About the research project

With rapid electrification, digitalisation, urbanisation, and technological development, the demand for effective thermal management is increasing across a wide range of modern engineering and energy systems. Maintaining appropriate operating temperatures is essential for improving system performance, energy efficiency, reliability, safety, and service life. However, conventional thermal management technologies can involve high energy consumption, large system footprints, complex infrastructure, and environmental impacts. These challenges highlight the need for innovative thermal management solutions that can deliver high thermal performance while reducing energy consumption and environmental impacts.

This project focuses on the development and evaluation of advanced and sustainable thermal management technologies for next-generation energy and engineering systems. The research will explore innovative approaches to heat transfer, cooling, thermal storage, and temperature control, with the aim of overcoming the limitations of conventional thermal management technologies. Potential research directions may include advanced heat exchangers, liquid and immersion cooling, phase-change materials, heat pipes, evaporative and radiative cooling, advanced refrigerants, and hybrid thermal management systems. The project will consider both component-level and system-level performance, including thermal efficiency, energy consumption, reliability, cost, scalability, and environmental sustainability.

Particular emphasis will be placed on developing thermal management solutions that can adapt to increasingly demanding and variable operating conditions. Advanced modelling, numerical simulation, experimental investigation, and optimisation techniques may be integrated to understand complex heat-transfer processes and identify optimal system configurations. The research may also investigate the integration of thermal management with renewable energy, energy storage, waste heat recovery, and intelligent control systems to further improve overall system efficiency and sustainability.

The project is intended to provide flexibility for research across diverse applications where thermal management is a critical challenge. Depending on the research direction and candidate's interests, applications may include electrified transportation, data centres, electronic and electrical systems, buildings, refrigeration and air-conditioning, energy storage, and other energy-intensive technologies. Through the development of innovative and energy-efficient thermal management solutions, the project aims to contribute to the transition towards high-performance, reliable, and environmentally sustainable technologies and support the development of future low-carbon energy systems.

This project aligns closely with our recent ARC Discovery and Linkage projects in energy management for electric vehicles and the repurposing of second-life EV batteries. It will build on our existing research expertise while providing opportunities to expand our research into emerging energy-intensive systems, including data centres and other next-generation energy applications.

Primary supervisor

Meet Professor Xiaolin Wang

Funding

Applicants will be considered for a Research Training Program (RTP) scholarship or Tasmania Graduate Research Scholarship (TGRS) which, if successful, provides:

• a living allowance stipend funded by University of Tasmania of $34,315 per annum for 3.5 years
• a relocation allowance of up to $2,000
• a tuition fees offset covering the cost of tuition fees for up to four years (domestic applicants only)

A tuition fee offset may be offered to eligible international applicants following competitive assessment 

As part of the application process you may indicate if you do not wish to be considered for scholarship funding.

Other funding opportunities and fees

For further information regarding other scholarships on offer, and the various fees for undertaking a research degree, please visit our Scholarships and fees on research degrees page.

Eligibility

Applicants should review the Higher Degree by Research minimum entry requirements.

Ensure your eligibility for the scholarship round by referring to our Key Dates.

Selection criteria

The project is competitively assessed and awarded. Selection is based on academic merit and suitability to the project as determined by the College.

Additional essential selection criteria specific to this project:

• Applicants must possess a solid background in thermal engineering

Additional desirable selection criteria specific to this project:

• The applicant should have completed coursework in thermodynamics, heat transfer, fluid mechanics, and other core areas of mechanical engineering

Application process

1. Select your project, and check that you meet the eligibility and selection criteria, including citizenship;
2. Contact Professor Xiaolin Wang to discuss your suitability and the project's requirements; and
3. In your application:
   • Copy and paste the title of the project from this advertisement into your application. If you don’t correctly do this your application may be rejected.
   • Submit a signed supervisory support form, a CV including contact details of 2 referees and your project research proposal.
4. Apply prior to 1 October 2026.

Full details of the application process can be found under the ' How to apply ' section of the Research Degrees website.

Following the closing date applications will be assessed within the College. Applicants should expect to receive notification of the outcome by email by the advertised outcome date.

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