Combustion modeling in the Lattice Boltzmann framework

The industry relies increasingly on numerical simulation for designing, improving, and even validating new combustion devices (engine, burner, furnace, etc.). Today, numerical combustion modelling relies almost exclusively on numerical codes solving the Navier-Stokes equations.

The Lattice Boltzmann solvers are very different from these codes, intending to solve a discrete variant of the Boltzmann equation. This type of flow solver is progressing rapidly, however, in low-Mach turbulent flows configurations. The results obtained with Lattice Boltzmann methods (LBM) have proved very good for aerodynamic applications, motivating intensive development of new methods.

The thermodynamic closure will first have to be extended to cope with multi-component ideal gas phase, including indeed the diffusive effects within (thermal and species diffusion). This is a prerequisite to the second step, which will be to include the description of the kinetics responsible for combustion within the LBM framework. Serious fundamental work, as well as numerical modelling is then required.

The student will be part of one of the leading research groups on LBM in France. The thesis will be co-supervised by P. Boivin, combustion specialist, and P. Sagaut, a world-renowned scientist on turbulence modelling and LBM.