MSc in Wastewater Heat Modelling

Scholarship is available to cover tuition fees and a stipend of $36,245 for an MSc by research for two years.

Wastewater contains significant amounts of waste heat and this represents an untapped thermal resource which could be utilised to reduce the demand for water heating. This project will explore the dynamics of heat transfer in municipal sewer systems to advance our knowledge on the evolution of this waste heat within sewer networks from the point of discharge, through sewer pipes and into treatment plants. The project will take advantage of available measured data from an Australian sewer network to develop numerical models of the system. This modelling will:

  • enable assessment of the available resources
  • understand the impacts of heat extraction on sewer operations
  • assess any impacts of wastewater heat recovery on emission or fatbergs in sewers.

$36,245

03 July 2026

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Seeking candidates with a 1st or 2nd class honours degree in Civil, Mechanical or Environmental Engineering.

Applicants should submit their CV, academic transcripts and cover letter to Professor aonghus.mcnabola@rmit.edu.au

This research builds on previous work related to the following publication:

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