PhD Studentship in Finite Element Modelling of Hydrogen fuel systems for Zero Carbon Jet Engines

About the Project

Applications are invited for a fully funded studentship for 3.5 years, leading to the award of a PhD degree at Imperial College London. The studentship is aligned to the £9.5m EPSRC Programme Grant ‘Making Hydrogen Work in Zero Carbon Jet Engines’ (link) and welcomes UK and international applicants. The project start date can be up until October 2026 but an immediate start is desirable.

Topic: UK is scaling-up its hydrogen economy to unlock over 12,000 jobs and up to £11b investment, while the European aviation industry has committed to achieving hydrogen fuelled and hybrid-electric propulsion by 2050. We must design new fuel systems, capable of heating-pressurising liquid hydrogen (LH2) from its cryogenic storage conditions (-250 C) to conditions suitable for combustion. Jet engines pose dynamic changes in fuel flow rate and pressure, causing transient thermomechanical stresses and temperatures in metallic components. This increases the likelihood of thermal shock and catastrophic failure, exacerbated by embrittlement processes driven by the rapid diffusion of Hydrogen.

Objectives: You will develop Finite Element (FE) models of thermomechanical stress and cyclic plastic-creep deformation in heat exchangers subjected to transient temperature-pressure histories. You will implement advanced material models for stainless steel (Abaqus UMAT) to devise a robust procedure for predicting thermal fatigue failure. You will contribute to incorporating hydrogen diffusion and convective-conductive heat transfer aspects into the fatigue assessment process by collaborating closely with research groups focused on CFD analysis and Hydrogen embrittlement experiments. You will investigate the effect of heat exchanger geometry and service history on fatigue life. You will become an expert on advanced Finite Element modelling and study rigorously Thermo-elasticity theory and under the direction of Dr Skamniotis and through daily interaction with peers who work on closely related projects. You will attend and present progress at quarterly Programme Grant meetings at Oxford and Imperial.

The project aligns seamlessly with the UK’s mission towards Net Zero and the large investments of world-leading turbine manufacturers on hydrogen technologies. A unique opportunity is presented to contribute to the pressing need for safe and efficient cryogenic hydrogen combustion, storage and supply, in order to phase-out fossil fuels and decarbonise our society.

Eligibility: You will be an enthusiastic and self-motivated person who meets the academic requirements for enrolment for the PhD degree at Imperial College London. You will have a 1st class honours degree in Mechanical Engineering/Materials/Physics/Mathematics/Computing. Applicants with strong programming and FE modelling skills are especially encouraged to apply.

To find out more about research at Imperial College London in this area, go to:

https://www.imperial.ac.uk/mechanical-engineering/research/

For information on how to apply, go to:

http://www.imperial.ac.uk/mechanical-engineering/study/phd/how-to-apply/

For further details of the post contact Dr Christos Skamniotis christos.skamniotis@imperial.ac.uk. Interested applicants should send an up-to-date curriculum vitae to Dr Skamniotis. Suitable candidates will be required to complete an electronic application form at Imperial College London in order for their qualifications to be addressed by College Registry.

Funding Notes

Fully funded studentship, aligned to the £9.5m EPSRC Programme Grant ‘Making Hydrogen Work in Zero Carbon Jet Engines’