​​​​​Abstract:
Multidimensional modelling of reactive flows in internal combustion (IC) engines continues to present a formidable challenge, despite recent advances in computational power and numerical methods. In this talk, the specifics of flows in IC engines will be discussed, which include sheared flows, impinging jets, interplay of the in-cylinder flow with fuel injection as well as squish-flow interaction or tumble breakdown. The time-varying geometry of IC engines further leads to significant changes in pressure and temperature levels – even in the absence of combustion – strongly affecting viscosity, boundary layer structure and heat transfer. While present day computational methods still preclude the solution of the entire turbulence spectrum of turbulent reacting flows at most engine relevant dimensions and conditions, significant progress has been made and some examples pertaining to IC engines will be highlighted which use direct numerical simulation. The implications when employing averaged or filtered methods (viz. RANS or LES) specifically for reactive flows will subsequently be discussed, clearly highlighting the need for sophisticated methods. The talk closes motivating future research and development in the field of IC engines, since these are likely to dominate long-distance road and marine transport for decades to come.

​Bio:
Diploma in Mechanical Engineering (2000) and Dr. sc. techn. in combustion from ETH Zurich (2005).
Since 2006 head of engine computational reactive fluid dynamics group at the Aerothermochemistry and Combustion Systems Laboratory of Prof. Dr. K. Boulouchos, ETH Zürich.
Since 2008: Lecturer for "Combustion and chemically reactive processes in energy and materials science".
Since 2012: Part time employment as a project leader at the ETH spin-off "combustion and flow solutions GmbH" (CFD services company).

Research interests: Numerical methods for turbulent reactive single and multi-phase flows in non-premixed, premixed and dual fuel systems; from fundamental, optically accessible rigs to industrially relevant applications, in particular internal combustion engines.​