CIFRE-PhD Numerical modeling of fire dynamics and flame-wall interaction for decarbonized propulsion AIRBUS

**Job Description:**
UK VERSION
*Keen to participate in the technical challenges of future aircraft?*
Airbus is seeking a PhD candidate to advance numerical combustion methods for material fireproofness, with a specific focus on Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF).
*The Team:*
Based in Toulouse within the Propulsion Center of Competence, our multidisciplinary team develops and deploys advanced methods, including numerical simulations, modeling, and artificial intelligence, to address complex propulsion and acoustic challenges, supporting both R&T and aircraft programs.
*Your working environment:*
Global capital of aeronautics and European capital for space research, Toulouse is a dynamic city in the southwest of France served by an international airport. Ideally located between the Mediterranean sea and the Atlantic ocean and close to the Pyrenees mountains, it offers plenty of options for outdoor activities!
How we care for you:
* *Financial rewards: * Attractive salary, agreements on success and profit sharing schemes, employee savings plan abounded by Airbus and employee stock purchase plan on a voluntary basis.
* *Work / Life Balance: * Extra days-off for special occasions, holiday transfer option, a Staff council offering many social, cultural and sport activities and other services.
* *Wellbeing / Health: * Complementary health insurance coverage (disability, invalidity, death). Depending on the site: health services center, concierge services, gym, carpooling application.
* *Individual development:* Great upskilling opportunities and development prospects with unlimited access to +10.000 e-learning courses to develop your employability, certifications, expert career path, accelerated development programmes, national and international mobility.
At Airbus, we support you to work, connect and collaborate more easily and flexibly. Wherever possible, we foster flexible working arrangements to stimulate innovative thinking.
*Your Mission:*
Decarbonization is a top priority, and assessing the fire resistance of structures with new fuels is a key challenge. We need to push the boundaries of numerical simulation to predict heat fluxes on walls. However, the numerical simulation of turbulent combustion interacting with structure is a complex scientific domain. In order to predict the heat flux on the wall, the Large Eddy Simulation (LES) approach will be used as well as the most advanced combustion models.
In this PhD, you will enhance the AVBP solver, focusing on fuel multi-phase injection, flame-wall interaction, and aerothermal/radiative coupling. You will work in an international research environment, with academic supervision provided by CERFACS.
If these new opportunities and challenges are what you are looking for, we are ready to support you all along your integration !
*Activities & Responsibilities:*
The research work is structured into two main axes to bridge the gap between high-fidelity scientific methodology and industrial application:
*1. Academic Axis *
This axis aims to establish high-fidelity LES modeling for complex, heterogeneous fire topologies:
* *Pool Fires: * Focus on flame stabilization above stagnant liquid surfaces, integrating evaporation models and flame-wall interaction methods to accurately characterize thermal aggression.
* *Spray Fires:* Modeling of pressurized fuel jets impinging on walls, including atomization and evaporation mechanisms. This includes specific research on SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) spray flames, capturing chemical kinetics and specific fuel properties.
* *Hybrid & Complex Fires:* Analyzing interaction scenarios (pool/leak fires combined with sprays). This involves fine turbulence modeling for flame-wall interaction, accounting for local quenching, and developing strong coupling between the combustion solver and solid thermal/radiative codes.
*2. Operational Axis*
This axis focuses on transitioning the LES methodology from an academic proof-of-concept into a predictive engineering tool:
* *Design Fire Scenarios:* Conducting a critical bibliographic review of initiation/propagation mechanisms in the propulsion compartment.
* *Calibration:* Calibrating key LES parameters using academic benchmarks to ensure fidelity in convection, diffusion, and radiative transfer.
* *Experimental Exploitation:* Utilizing the database from Airbus and Partner's test benches (pool and spray fires) to validate models, refine mesh strategies, and compare simulated thermal profiles against experimental data.
* *Demonstration:* Performing high-fidelity simulations of complex fires within realistic engine compartment geometries, providing a definitive demonstration of the tool's predictive maturity.
Your role may include some business travels.
Of course, your job requires an awareness of any potential compliance risks and a commitment to act with integrity, as the foundation for the Company's success, reputation and sustainable growth.
*Skills:*
* Masters in Fluid Mechanics/Combustion or Engineering degree.
* Proficiency in unsteady CFD simulation, numerical methods, and turbulence modeling.
* Strong programming skills (Python/scientific computing).
* Plus: Knowledge of combustion theory, pre/post-processing tools, or aeronautics.
* Advanced level in English
* Soft skills: Collaborative, curious, perseverance, customer-oriented
Not a 100% match? No worries! Airbus supports your personal growth with customized development solutions.
Take your career to a new level and apply online now !
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FR VERSION
*Envie de participer aux défis techniques de l'aviation du futur ?*
Airbus recherche un(e) candidat(e) en doctorat pour contribuer au développement de méthodes numériques de combustion pour la simulation de la tenue au feu des matériaux.
*L'équipe :*
Basée à Toulouse au sein de la division Airbus Commercial Aircraft et du centre de compétences Propulsion, notre équipe pluridisciplinaire développe et déploie des méthodes avancées (simulations numériques, modélisation, intelligence artificielle) pour répondre aux enjeux complexes de la propulsion et de l'acoustique, en soutien aux activités de R&T et aux programmes aéronautiques.
*Votre environnement de travail :*
Capitale mondiale de l'aéronautique et capitale européenne de la recherche dans le spatial, Toulouse est une ville dynamique du sud-ouest de la France desservie par un aéroport international. Idéalement située entre la mer Méditerranée et l'océan Atlantique et à proximité des Pyrénées, elle offre de nombreuses possibilités d'activités de plein air !
Parce que nous prenons soin de vous :
* *Avantages financiers: * Salaire attractif, accords d'intéressement et de participation, plan d'épargne salariale abondé par Airbus, plan d'actionnariat salarié sur la base du volontariat, avec attribution d'actions gratuites en fonction du nombre d'actions souscrites.
* *Équilibre vie privée / professionnelle: * Des jours de congés supplémentaires pour occasions spéciales et des options de transfert de congés, un comité d'entreprise proposant de nombreuses activités socio-culturelles et d'autres services.
* *Bien-être / santé:* couverture complémentaire des frais de santé et de prévoyance (incapacité, invalidité, décès). Selon le site : centre de services de santé, services de conciergerie, salle de sport, application de covoiturage.
* *Développement individuel: * des opportunités d'évolution et des possibilités de formations nombreuses (catalogue de plus de 10.000 e-formations disponibles en libre accès pour développer votre employabilité, certifications, programmes de développement accéléré, parcours expert, mobilité nationale et internationale).
Chez Airbus, nous vous aidons à travailler, à vous connecter et à collaborer plus facilement et de manière plus flexible. Partout où cela est possible, nous favorisons la flexibilité dans nos modes de travail afin de stimuler l'esprit d'innovation.
*Votre mission :*
La décarbonation est une priorité absolue, et l'évaluation de la résistance au feu des structures utilisant de nouveaux carburants constitue un défi majeur. Nous devons repousser les limites de la simulation numérique pour prédire les flux thermiques sur les parois. Cependant, la simulation numérique de la combustion turbulente…