Research Fellow in CFD Analysis of Accidental Releases of Liquid Hydrogen and Ammonia

Organisation/Company UNIVERSITY OF SURREY Research Field Engineering Chemistry Engineering Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Final date to receive applications 3 Mar 2026 - 00:00 (UTC) Country United Kingdom Type of Contract Other Job Status Full-time Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

The University of Surrey is a global community of ideas and people, dedicated to life-changing education and research.

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The Fire and Explosion Modelling Group (FEMG) at University of Surrey is seeking a Research Fellow to work on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis of accidental releases of liquid hydrogen and ammonia using OpenFOAM.

The first part of the post is funded by international energy companies. It involves CFD simulations of accidental releases of cryogenic liquid hydrogen, focusing on the evaporation and subsequent atmospheric dispersion as well as the consequence of potential ignition of the resulting cloud. The in‑house modified OpenFOAM code will be used. Some further development may be required to facilitate the study.

The ammonia part of the post is funded by the UK Research and Innovation through the UK‑HyRES (Hydrogen and Alternative Liquid Fuels Research) Hub flexible scheme. You will use the in‑house modified OpenFOAM to simulate the atmospheric dispersion of ammonia following accidental releases, considering the exothermic chemical reactions between ammonia and water as well as the aerosol characteristics of ammonia cloud.

The project will involve collaboration with industry and existing researchers. As part of a joint industry project as well as UK‑HyRES Hub, you will benefit from the networking opportunities. It is also possible to work across FEMG’s other projects like CFD modelling of gaseous hydrogen fires and explosions.

We are interested to hear from researchers with PhD in a relevant discipline (although candidates who have almost completed a doctoral degree may be appointed). Experience in CFD simulations using OpenFOAM will be essential. Experience in OpenFOAM code modification is desirable.

This is a full‑time position available until 31/07/2027 to start as soon as possible.

Please submit your CV via our website. You will also be asked to answer some brief questions to help us assess your suitability for the role. Interviews will take place soon after the advertisement has closed.