Initially based on an explicit weakly compressible approach, the Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) method is a meshless and Lagrangian particle method offering large advantages for solving complex CFD problems. In particular, the absence of an underlying grid allows simulations involving strong deformations of the fluid interface, possibly with disconnections/reconnections and in coupled interactions with deformable geometries.
However, the weakly compressible explicit character of the scheme imposes small time steps through a CFL condition, responsible for possibly high calculation times.
This PhD project concerns the development of an incompressible SPH scheme, making it possible to partially or totally relieve the constraints linked to the CFL condition and to drastically speedup the simulations, while retaining the advantages inherent in this specific method.
This research work revolves around three axes:
- Work on an incompressible SPH scheme oriented towards multiphase flows
- Research on a surface tension model compatible with the selected scheme
- Development of a phase change model compatible with the selected scheme
These developments will be applied and validated on several benchmarks, involving strong deformations of the free surface in interaction with complex geometries.


Conditions:
The PhD thesis will take place at LHEEA (Ecole Centrale Nantes, France), within a development team specializing in the SPH method.

Gross monthly salary: 2150 euros

Required documents to apply: CV, letter of interest and transcripts for the last two years

Application deadline: March 2025

https://lheea.ec-nantes.fr/version-francaise/offres-demplois-de-theses-et-de-stages-au-lheea