PhD in Computational Simulations of Turbulent Reaction Flows for Clean Energy and Sustainable Propul

1 - Working at the VUB

For more than 50 years, the Vrije Universiteit Brussel has stood for freedom, equality and solidarity, and this is very much alive on our campuses among students and staff alike.

At the VUB, you will find a diverse collection of personalities: innovators pur sang, but above all people who are 100% their authentic selves. With some 4,000 employees, we are the largest Dutch-speaking employer, in the private sector, in Brussels; an international city with which we are only too happy to connect and where (around) our 4 campuses are located.

Add to this our principle of free research - in which self-reflection, a critical attitude and an open, creative mind around scientific and social issues are central - and you have a university that is fundamentally groundbreaking and pioneering in education and research. In short: the VUB all over again.

Moreover, the VUB is a member of EUTOPIA, an alliance of like‑minded European universities, all ready to reinvent themselves.

2 - Position Description

The Faculty of Engineering, Department Applied Mechanics, Research Group Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics is looking for a PhD-student with a doctoral grant.

More concretely your work package, for the preparation of a doctorate, contains:

Research

The FLOW research group is a young, dynamic group working in the fields of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and data-driven modelling. At the Department of Mechanical Engineering (MECH) - Thermo and Fluid Dynamics (FLOW), there is now a vacancy for a PhD research position.

In the reacting flow group at FLOW, we aim to address the current challenges in energy transition enhancing sustainable energy technologies that involve renewable carbon‑free fuels, efficient energy conversion, and pollutant emissions reduction. The group focuses on numerical simulations, for which in-house codes for Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS), Large Eddy Simulation (LES), and 1D flame calculations are available and constantly further developed. Commercial codes are used for Reynolds‑ Averaged Navier‑Stokes (RANS) simulations. Several national and international collaborations with industrial and academic partners exist.

The current position focuses on the assessment and modeling of relevant carbon free fuels, e.g., hydrogen and ammonia. The deployment of hydrogen‑based fuels is key to decarbonise hard‑to‑abate sectors and for clean energy conversion, e.g. in gas turbines, shipping, and industrial burners. However, hydrogen‑based fuels feature entirely different combustion characteristics due to very different fuel properties, such as flame speeds, ignition characteristics, and particularly they feature thermodiffusive instabilities. These instabilities have a leading order effect on the flame dynamics of hydrogen‑based fuels, but the underlying physics are yet not sufficiently well understood. To gain deep insights into the fundamental physics of such flows, you will perform cutting‑edge DNS on state‑of‑the‑art high‑performance computers. Leveraging conventional physical analyses and innovative machine‑learning methods, you will analyse flame‑turbulence interactions, pollutant formation, as well as unclosed terms relevant to LES modelling. The analysis involves the fluid dynamic as well as combustion related aspects of the flow. Finally, you will develop innovative LES models and pioneer their application in real combustors, e.g. in burners, furnaces, and gas turbines, to show their outstanding impact.

You will be expected to apply for external funding, to publish at top‑tier journals, and actively participate in scientific conferences.

Teaching

The position also involves, to a limited extent, coordinating and supervising exercises, practical sessions and projects (WPO) within modules in the Bachelor’s programmes in Mechanical Engineering, as well as supervising projects undertaken by Bachelor’s students. The specific duties are determined annually in consultation with the candidate.

For this function, our Brussels Humanities, Sciences & Engineering Campus (Elsene) will serve as your home base.

3 - Profile

What do we expect from you?

• You must hold a master’s degree (or equivalent) in engineering, physics or close related field with above-average results.
• You have good knowledge of fluid dynamics and thermodynamics, ideally also combustion;
• You have a good level English;
• You possess programming skills;
• You are self‑motivated and you have a strong learning ability;
• You have a good communication and interpersonal skills;
• You have not performed any works in the execution of a mandate as an assistant, paid from operating resources, over a total (cumulated) period of more than 12 months.
• As a (non‑)EEA national, meet the conditions for obtaining a valid permit for VUB and comply with the VUB residence req