PhD Position in Cavitation in Cryogenic Fluids in Microgravity Conditions at ISAE-SUPAERO

A fully funded PhD position is available in the Space Advanced Concepts Laboratory (SaCLaB) at ISAE-SUPAERO, France, in collaboration with IMFT, focusing on 'Cavitation in cryogenic fluids in microgravity conditions.' The project addresses technological and scientific questions related to depressurization for propellant preconditioning and transfer in space applications, where bubble formation and growth due to cavitation can impact wall heat transfer. The research is highly relevant for space propulsion, nuclear power plants, and other applications where phase change and cavitation are critical. The project aims to answer open scientific questions about pool cavitation, including the impact of contact line phenomena, wall roughness, cavity shape, and the dynamics of depressurization and fluid nature (pure or with non-condensable gas) on bubble growth and wall heat flux. The work involves developing advanced numerical models and solvers for two-phase flows with phase change, validated for nucleate boiling and pool cavitation, and extending these models to microgravity conditions and multi-bubble configurations. The PhD will support the SCREAMH2 microgravity wall cavitation experiment, currently under ESA contract, and will contribute to parametric studies and model development for bubble cavitation in microgravity at the wall. The project will also simulate and study other phenomena involving phase change in compressible flows, such as sloshing in tanks and hydrodynamic cavitation with the development of cavitation pockets. Applicants should have a Master of Science (or equivalent) in aerospace or mechanical engineering, with a strong background in fluid mechanics, numerical methods for computational fluid mechanics, and thermodynamics. The position is fully funded by CNES and offers a collaborative research environment at ISAE-SUPAERO and IMFT. To apply, candidates must send a CV, transcript of marks, motivation letter, and referee contact by email to [email protected] by 01/03/2026. Keywords: cavitation, cryogenic fluids, microgravity, fluid mechanics, numerical simulation, computational fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, space propulsion, phase change, bubble dynamics.