IFP Energies nouvelles is a public-sector research, innovation and training 
center active in the fields of energy, transport and the environment. Its 
mission is to provide public players and industry with efficient, economical, 
clean and sustainable technologies to take up the challenges facing society in 
terms of climate change, energy diversification and water resource management. 
It boasts world-class expertise.

Nowadays, a major axis of development for spark-ignition (SI) engines is based 
on the concept of downsizing. Technologies such as Variable Valve Timing (VVT) 
and Direct Injection (DI) systems help handling drawbacks such as abnormal 
combustions (knock, pre-ignition and super-knock) and controlling cylinder-to-
cylinder and cycle-to-cycle injected fuel quantities. In parallel, the CO2 and 
pollutant emissions legislations evolve introducing new pollutant species and 
more severe homologation driving cycles. The new constraints on the speciations 
of NOx and HC, the granulometry of soot particles as well as the more severe 
driving cycle coldstart conditions (that are a major source of pollutants) 
represent the major challenges. In this scenario, from design to control 
strategies and calibration of new engines concepts, numerical simulation is 
commonly and growingly used. IFPEN develops and commercializes within the IFP-
Engine library of AMESim detailed combustion models for SI engines (CFM). At 
present, the CFM model predicts with good accuracy heat release, standard 
pollutant emissions, such as CO/CO2, NOx and HC, and knock phenomena. 
Nevertheless, the model is dedicated to the combustion of homogeneous mixtures 
and accounts for heterogeneities only in a simple manner. This strongly limits 
its domain of applicability, and makes it not adapted for the simulation of DI 
SI engines for which heterogeneities have a first order impact on auto-ignition 
and pollutant emissions. The aim of this PhD is to extend the application domain 
of the CFM model in order to account for composition and temperature 
heterogeneities induced by DI systems and their impact on combustion 
instabilities and CO, NOx, HC and soot emissions. The model validation will be 
done first by comparing simulations to hot engine data, and then to forced 
cooling engine data reproducing cold start conditions.

Entry requirements : candidates will have a degree in Engineering and a 
background in numerical simulation, combustion and/or fluid dynamics. A good 
knowledge of English is a must.

If interested, please send a detailed CV and a cover letter to
Dr Alessio Dulbecco (email: alessio.dulbecco@ifpen.fr). 

Closing date for applications : open until a suitable candidate is found.