PhD student – HyNOISE Doctoral Candidate (DC10): Identification and modelling of hydrodynamic instabilities driving combustion noise in turbulent hydrogen flames

Doctorat / PhD Profil chercheur : First Stage Researcher (R1) Type de contrat : Temporary Date limite de candidature : 31 Dec 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Rome) Programme UE : Horizon Europe - MSCA Domaine : Physics » Applied physics

About HyNOISE HyNOISE is a Doctoral Network aimed to train doctoral candidates able to face current and future challenges in the prediction and control of direct and indirect noise generated by hydrogen flames. Four specific research objectives will be pursued: 1) Unveil the dynamics and sound pressure level generated during unsteady ignition and flashback process 2) Investigate the direct broadband sound generated due to the coupling between unsteady flame dynamics and flame-flame interactions, hydrodynamic and thermo- diffusive instabilities, and turbulence. 3) Understand physical mechanisms leading to the onset of thermoacoustic instabilities coupled with different modes at either with a specific focus on high frequencies 4) Study the contribution of convective waves to combustion noise and thermoacoustic instabilities. Multiple hydrogen-air archetypes typical of air-breathing hydrogen combustion systems in both single and annular multi-injector configurations will be investigated. In a collaborative partnership between academic and industry partners who are major European gas turbine manufacturers, HyNOISE bring relevant expertise together and to pursue solutions for hydrogen through integration and combination of unique and advanced theoretical, high-fidelity modelling and experimental expertise. This will lead to the development of new models and tools able to correctly predict hydrogen flame dynamics and its resulting pressure field, and, on this basis, developing control and mitigation methods to overcome current limitations in hydrogen combustion systems and design innovative, quiet, and stable combustion devices. The technologies developed will stimulate the green transition in the power generation and transport sectors, thus contributing to the achievement of the EU's challenging decarbonization goals. About the host organization Technische Universität Berlin (TUB) is one of the largest technical universities in Germany. Its seven faculties cover engineering and natural sciences, economics and business, planning sciences, humanities and the social sciences. The TUB has a professional EC Funding Support Service with long-standing experience in the administration of EC grants (FP 7: 211 contracts, Horizon 2020: 160 contracts and Horizon Europe: 103 contracts so far). The TU Berlin received approx. 138 million € funding (Horizon 2020 & Horizon Europe). The Institute of Fluid Dynamics and Technical Acoustics (ISTA) within the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Transport Systems performs teaching and research related to fluid dynamics, acoustics, and combustion. The Chair of Fluid Dynamics (Prof. C. Oliver Paschereit, website: https://www.tu.berlin/fd ) and the Laboratory for Flow Instability and Dynamics (Dr. Thomas Kaiser https://www.tu.berlin/index.php?id=34633 ) at the ISTA at the ISTA closely collaborate on research and development in experimental combustion and fluid dynamics and their modelling. Beside fundamental research, development work is being performed for major companies in power generation as well as in transportation. Individual Research Project (IRP) Title: Identification and modelling of hydrodynamic instabilities driving combustion noise in turbulent hydrogen flames Problem Definition The main objective of the project is to identify the key mechanisms that drive combustion noise in turbulent hydrogen jet flames and to develop a physics-based, low-order modelling framework that can be used to optimize combustion systems. The focus will be on direct combustion noise of circular turbulent non-swirling jet flames caused by the dynamic interaction of turbulent structures of the underlying flow field and the flame front. To construct a comprehensive database, we execute compressible reacting Large Eddy Simulations, mirroring TUB’s experiments. Using extended Spectral Proper Orthogonal Decomposition, we derive low-order dynamical models revealing dominant flow structures and their interaction with flame dynamics and noise. These insights inform a physics-grounded model of said structures, employing the linearized Navier-Stokes equations using an active flame approach. Addressing turbulence closure, we pioneer a data assimilation method employing physics-informed neural networks (PINNs). As next step, we employ the resolvent framework to estimate direct noise from the linearized model and compare with acoustic measurements conducted at TUB. For quantitative comparison, a low order model of the resolvent forcing will be developed. The model is then used in a parametric study to probe how diverse combustion conditions (i.e., Reynolds number, equivalence ratio, preheat temperature) affect noise. The PINN-based assimilation process obviates LES reruns by directly integrating experimentally determined mean fields. Through these efforts, we aim to untangle combustion noise intricacies, advancing combustion system design and operation. Research Objectives Compressible LES of hydrogen jet flame. Empirical modelling using extended SPOD and clustering. Assimilation of closure models of linearized reacting field equations using PINNs. Resolvent analysis based on assimilated linearized mean field equations and comparison with empirical modes and noise. Investigation and low order modelling of optimal forcing modes for quantitative noise prediction. Parametric study to investigate the influencing parameters on flame noise Expected Results Compressible LES of a turbulent hydrogen jet flame for experimental validation. SPOD-based identification of turbulent structures driving combustion noise. Linearized framework to model these mechanisms for optimization studies. Secondments Politecnico di Bari (Italy, ca. 3 months): apply developed linearized model for noise estimation of LES dataset from DC9 University of Cambridge (UK, ca. 2 months): improving LOM modelling using data-driven approached developed by DC12 The IRP will have a strong link to other IRPs from different DCs for: Work on joint simulation and modelling Provision of input and data

About HyNOISE

HyNOISE is a Doctoral Network aimed to train doctoral candidates able to face current and future challenges in the prediction and control of direct and indirect noise generated by hydrogen flames. Four specific research objectives will be pursued: 1) Unveil the dynamics and sound pressure level generated during unsteady ignition and flashback process 2) Investigate the direct broadband sound generated due to the coupling between unsteady flame dynamics and flame-flame interactions, hydrodynamic and thermo- diffusive instabilities, and turbulence. 3) Understand physical mechanisms leading to the onset of thermoacoustic instabilities coupled with different modes at either with a specific focus on high frequencies 4) Study the contribution of convective waves to combustion noise and thermoacoustic instabilities. Multiple hydrogen-air archetypes typical of air-breathing hydrogen combustion systems in both single and annular multi-injector configurations will be investigated. In a collaborative partnership between academic and industry partners who are major European gas turbine manufacturers, HyNOISE bring relevant expertise together and to pursue solutions for hydrogen through integration and combination of unique and advanced theoretical, high-fidelity modelling and experimental expertise. This will lead to the development of new models and tools able to correctly predict hydrogen flame dynamics and its resulting pressure field, and, on this basis, developing control and mitigation methods to overcome current limitations in hydrogen combustion systems and design innovative, quiet, and stable combustion devices. The technologies developed will stimulate the green transition in the power generation and transport sectors, thus contributing to the achievement of the EU's challenging decarbonization goals.

About the host organization

Technische Universität Berlin (TUB) is one of the largest technical universities in Germany. Its seven faculties cover engineering and natural sciences, economics and business, planning sciences, humanities and the social sciences. The TUB has a professional EC Funding Support Service with long-standing experience in the administration of EC grants (FP 7: 211 contracts, Horizon 2020: 160 contracts and Horizon Europe: 103 contracts so far). The TU Berlin received approx. 138 million € funding (Horizon 2020 & Horizon Europe). The Institute of Fluid Dynamics and Technical Acoustics (ISTA) within the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Transport Systems performs teaching and research related to fluid dynamics, acoustics, and combustion. The Chair of Fluid Dynamics (Prof. C. Oliver Paschereit, website: https://www.tu.berlin/fd ) and the Laboratory for Flow Instability and Dynamics (Dr. Thomas Kaiser https://www.tu.berlin/index.php?id=34633 ) at the ISTA at the ISTA closely collaborate on research and development in experimental combustion and fluid dynamics and their modelling. Beside fundamental research, development work is being performed for major companies in power generation as well as in transportation.

Individual Research Project (IRP)

Title: Identification and modelling of hydrodynamic instabilities driving combustion noise in turbulent hydrogen flames

Problem Definition

The main objective of the project is to identify the key mechanisms that drive combustion noise in turbulent hydrogen jet flames and to develop a physics-based, low-order modelling framework that can be used to optimize combustion systems. The focus will be on direct combustion noise of circular turbulent non-swirling jet flames caused by the dynamic interaction of turbulent structures of the underlying flow…