Shining light on flame spread

Flame spread over solids is a key aspect of fire science. It shapes how we assess the hazard of materials and systems, from the built environment to wildland fuels. Yet our ability to predict flame spread rates remains limited, even after decades of research. The main reason is that the governing processes occur in a narrow region near the leading edge of the flame, where heat transfer, gas-phase chemistry, and fluid mechanics are strongly coupled and where the measurements needed to separate and quantify these effects have been largely unavailable. 

The project will address the current knowledge gaps by building a new experimental picture of flame spread. The aim is to generate the measurements required to (i) improve fundamental understanding and (ii) provide a high-quality dataset for the development and validation of predictive numerical models. You will study opposed flame spread (OFS) and concurrent flame spread (CFS), with an emphasis on the interactions between the environmental variables and the resulting flame spread rate and the controlling processes. A central theme is to quantify what sets the flame spread rate by closing the energy balance near the spread front and linking it to the flame structure and mixing/chemistry length scales. The work will use and integrate a range of experimental methodologies and will specifically seek to bridge the gap between fire science methods and more advanced optical diagnostics which may include high-resolution gas-phase thermometry and species measurements, surface temperature diagnostics for pyrolysing solids, flow-field measurements to resolve mixing, and diagnostics relevant to soot/radiation. 

This PhD project is aligned with the EPSRC-funded project Shining a Light on Flame Spread and the successful candidate will join a team composing a postdoctoral research associate, experimental officers and an existing PhD student, as well as the academics.

https://eng.ed.ac.uk/fsmm 

Candidate profile:

We are looking for a candidate with a strong background in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Applied Physics, or a closely related area. You should be comfortable with quantitative thinking and keen to work at the interface of experiment and analysis. 

Useful experience (not essential) includes: 

• heat transfer, fluid mechanics, combustion, transport phenomena, or thermodynamics 

• experimental work in fire science or experience with optical diagnostics 

• data analysis and programming (e.g., Python/Matlab) 

• careful experimental practice, uncertainty awareness, and clear communication 

This PhD suits someone who wants to develop high-level experimental skills and produce results that directly support the wider fire science and modelling community, with relevance to fire safety challenges in the built and natural environments.

Funding is available to Home applicants (UK & EU with settled/pre-settled status).

Further information and other funding options.