PhD Position, High-order methods for hydrogen combustion in gas turbines

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PhD Position, High-order methods for hydrogen combustion in gas turbines (R1), BarcelonaClient:

Barcelona Supercomputing Center

Location:

Barcelona, Spain

Job Category:

Other

EU work permit required:

Yes

Job Views:

2

Posted:

25.04.2025

Expiry Date:

09.06.2025

Job Description:Context And Mission

Currently, a new paradigm for aircraft propulsion towards decarbonization is shifting the interest to technologies based on H2 combustion due to the lack of carbon atoms present in the fuel and the potential to reduce greenhouse emissions from the engine. However, the use of H2 in practical applications demands dedicated investigation on flame dynamics and thermoacoustics. Modelling H2 combustion remains a challenging task due to its unique properties and the tightly coupled interaction between turbulence, and combustion. The need for more fuel-efficient systems with lower greenhouse gas emissions keeps driving the development of models and High-Performance Computing (HPC) tools with better predicting capabilities for H2 flames. High-order methods offer enhanced accuracy and reduced computational cost compared to traditional low-order methods, while HPC and GPU acceleration provide significant computational power, enabling the simulation of complex combustion scenarios.

The proposed research project aims to investigate the combustion characteristics of hydrogen, a promising alternative fuel for a sustainable future, by employing high-order methods and leveraging the power of HPC architectures, specifically Graphics Processing Units (GPUs). This PhD project will focus on the development and application of high-order numerical methods using HPC and GPUs for simulating hydrogen combustion. The applicant is expected to work on the optimization of an in-house compressible solver and to extend the capability of the CFD solver with multicomponent transport and combustion models based on finite rate chemistry.

Research activities will be carried out in the framework of a EU project seeking to improve the fidelity of H2 flame simulations for aeronautical injectors. The applicant will join the Propulsion Technologies Group (PTG), a research group from the Computer Applications in Science and Engineering (CASE) Department at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center. As part of the PTG, the applicant will form part of a multidisciplinary team of researchers with a strong background on Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) applied to high-fidelity simulations for the development of clean propulsion and power generation systems. The PTG is actively involved in several European research-oriented and industrial projects for which results are disseminated in highly ranked scientific journals and conferences.

Key Duties

• Developing advanced numerical methods for reacting flows using spectral elements.
• Investigating the fundamental combustion characteristics of hydrogen, including ignition, flame propagation, and extinction phenomena, using high-order numerical methods.
• Developing and optimizing computational algorithms specifically tailored for GPU architectures, enabling efficient utilization of HPC resources for large-scale hydrogen combustion simulations.
• Applying the high-order methods and GPU-accelerated simulations to study complex hydrogen combustion scenarios, such as combustion in gas turbines, internal combustion engines, or hydrogen-based power systems.
• Analyzing and interpreting simulation results to gain insights into the combustion processes, pollutant formation, and combustion efficiency.
• Collaborating with research groups within the department and potentially with industry partners working on hydrogen-related technologies and HPC/GPU-based simulations.
• Contributing to scientific publications and reporting to different National and EU projects the researcher will be involved in.

Requirements

• Education
  • The candidate should hold a Bachelors or MSc in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace, Civil Engineering, Applied Mathematics, Physics, or Chemistry.
• Essential Knowledge and Professional Experience
  • General knowledge on fluid mechanics, chemistry, thermodynamics, and numerical methods would be expected.
  • Good knowledge of any programming language.
• Additional Knowledge and Professional Experience
  • Parallel programming for HPC is not necessary, but will be considered an asset.
• Competences
  • Strong analytical skills.
  • Ability to work independently and within a team.
  • Good communication and teamwork skills to work in a multidisciplinary team.
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to be able to work within a team to complete tasks on schedule.
  • Fluency in English is required, and Spanish will be convenient.

Conditions

• The position will be located at BSC within the CASE Department.
• We offer a full-time contract, a good working environment, a highly stimulating environment with state-of-the-art infrastructure, flexible working hours, extensive training plan, restaurant tickets, private health insurance, support for relocation procedures.
• Duration: Open-ended contract due to technical and scientific activities linked to the project and budget duration.
• Holidays: 23 paid vacation days plus 24th and 31st of December per our collective agreement.
• Salary: we offer a competitive salary commensurate with the qualifications and experience of the candidate and according to the cost of living in Barcelona.

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