Currently, the harsh and restrictive reactive environments within high-speed propulsion systems, such as scramjets, can be limiting factors for their development and practical implementation. Typically, these limitations lie in the ability to ignite, propagate, and stabilize a flame near flammability limits, at low temperatures and pressures, and within short residence times, therefore necessitating some form of energy addition. There is a need to better understand the fundamental phenomena involved in enhancement with different forms of energy addition, such as (1) efficient energy coupling into a high-speed and highly-turbulent reactive flow, (2) in situ production of elevated temperatures and active species, and (3) the effect of specific plasma-produced species. A range of systems is available to address these problems, from simple bench-top devices (including a variable pressure combustion platform) to wind tunnels (including direct-connect scramjet facilities). A host of optical and laser diagnostic assets are available to study these phenomena, including (but not limited to) planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF), particle image velocimetry (PIV), and high-frame-rate imaging (>100,000 frames per second).

 

key words

Supersonic combustion; Scramjets; High-speed flows; Plasma; Plasma-assisted combustion; Advanced optical diagnostics; Reactive flow energy coupling;

Citizenship:  Open to U.S. citizens

Level:  Open to Postdoctoral and Senior applicants

Additional Benefits

Relocation

Awardees who reside more than 50 miles from their host laboratory and remain on tenure for at least six months are eligible for paid relocation to within the vicinity of their host laboratory.

Health insurance

A group health insurance program is available to awardees and their qualifying dependents in the United States.