
Prof.dr.ir. S. (Stefan) Hickel
Prof.dr.ir. S. (Stefan) Hickel
Profiel
Expertise
The area of my research interests is theoretical and computational fluid dynamics with an emphasis on turbulence phenomena in aerodynamics and flight propulsion as well as turbulence in fluids with complex thermodynamics. My primary tools for investigating physical problems are numerical modeling and simulation on supercomputers.
I have a strong background in turbulence modelling and in the development of highly accurate and computationally efficient numerical methods for Large Eddy Simulation (LES) and Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS). Concerning fundamental flow phenomena, I am interested in the transition from laminar to turbulent flow, stratified turbulence and waves in the atmosphere, interactions of turbulence with shock waves in compressible flows at low and high Mach numbers, mixing and combustion in trans- and supercritical flows with strong real-gas effects, and the interaction of turbulence with phase change/cavitation in multiphase flows, for example.
In view of the increasing popularity of LES in engineering, I am also developing numerical methods that allow for an efficient and largely automated simulation of complex flow geometries. Some examples are the modelling of wall boundary layer flows at high Reynolds numbers, methods for representing moving geometries on stationary Cartesian grids, dynamic grid adaptation, and fluid-structure interaction. Representative LES applications in current research projects include, for example, unsteadiness of shock- turbulence interaction in the inlet of a SCRamjet engine and the improvement of the mixing and combustion at supersonic speeds, a reactor for gas-dynamic generation of nano-particles, fluid-structure interaction in rocket nozzles, combustion of supercritical fluids in rocket thrust chambers, delta-wing and slat-wing-flap high-lift configurations for aircrafts as well as the prediction of cavitation in fuel injectors for automotive Diesel engines.
The mentioned methods and applications cover a rather broad field; what they have in common is the intrinsic coupling of physical, mathematical and numerical modelling and my desire to investigate challenging contemporary problems.
Biografie
2022 - Treasurer of the European Research Community On Flow Turbulence And Combustion and Deputy Chair of the ERCOFTAC Scientific Programme Committee2017 - Director of the Graduate School of Aerospace Engineering
2017 - Member of the J.M. Burgerscentrum Board of Directors
2017 - Head of the Aerodynamics Section
2016 - Chairman of the ERCOFTAC Scientific Programme Committee
2015 - Full Professor and Chair of Computational Aerodynamics, TU Delft
2015 - Habilitation in Fluid Mechanics, TU München
2013 - Senior Lecturer, TU München
2008 - PhD in Computational Fluid Dynamics, TU München
2007 - Lecturer and Head of the Large Eddy Simulation Group at TU München
2005 - Research Associate, TU München
2003 - Research Associate, TU Dresden
2003 - Graduation in Mechanical Engineering, BTU Cottbus
2002 - Engineering Intern in Combustor Aerodynamics, Rolls-Royce
2002 - Engineering Intern in Measurement and Test Engineering, Porsche
Expertise
Publicaties
-
2025
Dynamic stall on airfoils with leading-edge tubercles
Pere Valls Badia / Stefan Hickel / Fulvio Scarano / Mogeng Li
-
2025
Numerical simulation of transcritical multiphase combustion using real-fluid thermochemical and transport properties
Mohamad Fathi / Dirk Roekaerts / Stefan Hickel
-
2025
Streaky perturbations in swept-wing flow over forward-facing step
Jordi Casacuberta / Sven Westerbeek / Juan Alberto Franco / Koen J. Groot / Stefan Hickel / Stefan Hein / Marios Kotsonis
-
2024
A review of numerical methodologies for predicting rotating stall and surge in high-speed centrifugal compressors
Francesco Neri / Stefan Hickel / Matteo Pini
-
2024
Aerodynamic Optimisation of Acoustic Liners
H. Shahzad / S. Hickel / D. Modesti
-
Nevenwerkzaamheden
-
2020-01-01 - 2025-12-31
Advisering/onderzoek en overig
-
2016-10-14 - 2026-04-30
Advisering/onderzoek en overig
-
2024-10-01 - 2026-09-30
Overige dienstverlening
-
2020-01-01 - 2026-08-24
Advisering/onderzoek en overig