Developing advanced concepts for future multi-scale (i.e., small- and medium-scale) combustion systems is important for many propulsion and power applications with significant impact and broad relevance to next-generation Air Force systems. Advanced multi-scale combustion systems provide the potential for enhancing the range, speed, and affordability of gas turbine engines.  The primary objective involves developing advanced multi-scale combustion systems concepts for small- and medium-scale gas turbine engines. The experimental or computational research should focus on one of the following areas:

(a) Investigate fundamental phenomena associated with flame structure, flame dynamics, fuel-air mixing, turbulence, or chemical kinetics in advanced multi-scale combustors.

(b) Explore advanced combustion technologies for enhancing ignition under low-pressure low-temperature conditions or improving flame stabilization in high-speed compressible flows.

(c) Develop and apply intrusive or non-intrusive diagnostic techniques for measuring fuel-air mixing, pressure, temperature, or velocity in advanced multi-scale combustors.

(d) Develop and apply large eddy simulations to advanced multi-scale combustors for providing new insights, interpreting experimental observations, or guiding designs of future systems.

The research is expected to be conducted in collaboration with the Air Force Research Laboratory Aerospace Systems Directorate Turbine Engine Division Combustion Branch.  The Combustion Branch provides access to state-of-the-art experimental and computational resources including the Combustion Research Complex, High Pressure Combustion Research Facility, and Department of Defense High Performance Computing Centers.  The experimental facilities are capable of supplying large amounts of air and fuel at the pressures, temperatures, and flow rates necessary to achieve relevant conditions in representative configurations.  Experimental capabilities include but are not limited to emissions sampling; hot-wire anemometry; high-speed broadband, filtered chemiluminescence, and mid-infrared imaging; hydroxyl and formaldehyde planar laser induced fluorescence (PLIF) imaging; particle image velocimetry (PIV); and phase Doppler particle anemometry (PDPA).  Computational capabilities include in-house and commercial large eddy simulation (LES) codes and high-performance computing (HPC) systems.

key words

Combustion; Detonation; Propulsion; Power generation; Combustion experiments; Combustion modeling; Computational fluid dynamics (CFD); Large eddy simulations (LES); Laser diagnostics; Gas turbine engines; Augmentors

Citizenship:  Open to U.S. citizens

Level:  Open to Postdoctoral and Senior applicants