PhD project in Multi-physics simulation of hypersonic thermal structures
PhD @University of Southampton posted 2 days agoJob Description
About the project
The extreme temperature environment around a hypersonic vehicle can presently not be simulated accurately. This project will close this gap by coupling a non-equilibrium, real-gas shock-capturing fluid solver in our AMROC/VTF framework to a general-purpose solver for solid heat conduction and surface radiation. Verification and validation cases will be studied.
Our Adaptive Mesh Refinement Object-oriented C++ (AMROC) software infrastructure provides a validated dynamically adaptive strand mesh hypersonic solver for high-temperature gas dynamics. AMROC also permits coupling to structure mechanics solvers through our open-source Virtual Test Facility (VTF) routines. Here, we will tightly couple AMROC to the general-purpose thermal solver EDF Syrthes, combining accurate aerothermodynamic flow simulation with complex multi-material heat conduction and surface radiation modelling. This multi-physics software will enable trustworthy predictions of all heat contributions in and out of the vehicle and allow virtual testing of detailed internal solid structures under realistic hypersonic aerothermodynamic loads.
This project will be carried out under the UK Hypersonics Doctoral Network, which has been supported by the Ministry of Defence and EPSRC for building the necessary expertise to develop next-generation hypersonic vehicles. You are expected to attend cohorting and training activities in the UK Hypersonics Doctoral Network, led by the University of Oxford and Imperial College.
Entry requirements
You must have a UK 2:1 honours degree or its international equivalent in one of the following:
- engineering
- computer science
- mathematics
You want to specialise in computational fluid dynamics.
Essential skills:
- excellent programming skills in C/C++
- experience in numerical modelling and simulation, demonstrated through prior project work
Desirable skills:
- training in compressible flows
Students must be citizens of one of the AUKUS alliance nations (United Kingdom, Australia and the United States of America), and should not have dual nationality with any country on the UK Government’s list of countries subject to trade sanctions, arms embargoes and other trade restrictions.
Fees and funding
For UK and AUKUS students, tuition fees will be paid, and you’ll receive an enhanced stipend, per year, for up to 4 years.
This project is funded by the Ministry of Defence Hypersonic Technologies and Capability Development Framework (HTCDF) through the EPSRC Doctoral Training Programme.
How to apply
You need to:
- choose programme type (Research), 2025/26, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences
- select Full time or Part time
- choose the relevant PhD in Engineering
- add name of the supervisor in section 2
Applications should include:
- a personal statement
- your CV (resumé)
- 2 academic references
- degree transcripts to date
Contact us
Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences
If you have a general question, email our doctoral college (feps-pgr-apply@soton.ac.uk).
Project leader
For an initial conversation, email Professor Ralf Deiterding (R.Deiterding@soton.ac.uk).
