Research Fellow (Fire engineering, Mechanical engineering )

NANYANG TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY; Singapore; On-site; SGD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Nanyang Technological University’s Energy Research Institute @ NTU (ERI@N) invites applications for a Research Fellow to lead the development of a coupled CFD and fire dynamics model in OpenFOAM, focusing on battery thermal runaway and fire propagation in EVs and PABs.

The role includes advancing multi-physics modelling, validating with burning test data, and delivering software tools with a user-friendly interface, while coordinating with the PI and reporting progress to the funding agency.

Qualifications

• PhD in fire engineering, mechanical/related field required.
• Strong focus on fire dynamics, battery fires, and CFD is essential.
• Hands-on experience with energy/battery fire modelling preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of CFD and fire dynamics models in OpenFOAM.
• Collaborate with PI on R&D, tech evaluation, and project coordination.
• Validate models with burning test data and publish results.

Skills

C/C++

Fortran

CFD

Battery fires

Numerical methods

Communication

Education

PhD in fire engineering, mechanical engineering, or related field

Tools

OpenFOAM

FDS

Job description

Established in 2010, the Energy Research Institute @ NTU (ERI@N) is a pan-university research institute that focuses on systems-level research for tropical megacities. It performs translational research that covers the energy value chain from generation to innovative end-use solutions, motivated by industrialisation and deployment. ERI@N has multiple Interdisciplinary Research Programmes which focus on translational Research, Development & Deployment which focus on specific area of the energy value chain, and a number of Living labs and Testbeds which facilitate large scale technology deployment enabling validation and demonstration of real-world applications.

For more details, please view https://www.ntu.edu.sg/erian

We are seeking a Research Fellow to lead the development and implementation of a coupled Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and fire dynamics model within the OpenFOAM framework. This model will simulate battery thermal runaway and subsequent fire propagation. The successful candidate will dedicate their efforts to the following specific research objectives:

1) Developing models for predicting the thermal runaway (TR), venting, and jet fire in a single cell with different cell characteristics by coupling the electro-chemical reaction, fluid, and combustion models.

2) Extending the single-cell model to predict the TRP in the battery pack considering the impact of jet fire with different battery pack features based on conjugate heat transfer (CHT) framework.

3) Developing the model to predict the fire propagation in EVs and PABs by coupling the CFD model and the semi-reduced-order model.

4) Developing software for transferring the modeling with a simplified User Interface.

Key Responsibilities:

• Actively support the Principal Investigator in project R&D, management, technology evaluation, project coordination, and stakeholder interfacing.

• Manage & conduct research on developing models for electric-vehicles (EVs), power-assisted bicycles (PABs) and related fires

• Manage & conduct research on model validation using burning test data

• Actively participate in the development of a software tool for modelling electric-vehicles (EVs), power-assisted bicycles (PABs) and related fires.

• Lead in preparation and submission of project reports, presentations, publications and materials for intellectual property (IP) applications.

• tasks, including preparing slides for regular meetings with funding agency, executing budget virements and financial tracking, drafting and compiling interim and final project reports. etc.

• Assist Principal Investigator to mentor junior research team members

• Regular reporting of research progress to the Principal Investigator

• Periodically provide updates on individual.

Job Requirements:

• PhD in fire engineering, mechanical engineering, or a related field, with strong focus on fire dynamics, battery fires, and CFD.

• At least 1 year of relevant hands-on experience in battery fire model development, with familiarity using OpenFOAM and Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS).

• Proficient in C, C++, Fortran (or similar), with strong numerical/analytical abilities and good written and oral communication skills.

We regret to inform that only shortlisted candidates will be notified.