RICCARDO MALPICA GALASSI

✈️ Master Thesis in Sustainable Propulsion Design and Combustion Modelling

Aviation is undergoing a transition toward more sustainable propulsion technologies. If you are interested in studying and researching these technologies, I supervise master theses that focus on different aspects of propulsion system design and combustion modeling.

What You Can Expect

The work is research-oriented and involves numerical modeling, with an emphasis on technical rigor and critical thinking. Topics typically include the preliminary design of novel propulsion systems (e.g., hybrid-electric, hydrogen-fueled) and combustion modeling approaches (e.g., reduced-order models, machine learning-based models, or numerical studies of hydrogen flames).

Some programming is usually required, and familiarity with Python can be helpful. However, prior expertise is not a strict requirement—what matters most is a willingness to engage with the subject in depth.

Example Topics

• Reduced order models for the preliminary design of hybrid (thermo-electric) or hydrogen fuelled aeronautical propulsion systems. Models include: electrical motors, distributed propulsion, fuel cells, batteries, hydrogen tanks, etc.
• Fundamental numerical studies on hydrogen flames
• Gray-box models of combustion chambers 
• Development of data-driven combustion models using Machine Learning 

If you are interested, feel free to contact me to discuss potential topics in more detail.

SE²A International Female Programme:

Opportunities for female students to pursue Master's Thesis programs, supported by funding of approximately 900 euros per month, are currently available at Technische Universität Braunschweig (TU Braunschweig), Germany, within the Cluster of Excellence SE²A - Sustainable and Energy-Efficient Aviation. Detailed information regarding the program can be found on the official program webpage: SE²A International Female Programme - International Master's Projects.

These thesis projects offer a unique chance for academic growth and research exploration under the joint supervision of myself and Professor Federica Ferraro. For further inquiries and additional details, please do not hesitate to reach out to me via email.

✈️ New Course! Starting February 2025: Sustainable Aircraft Propulsion (6 CFU, MAER, 2nd year)

This course examines the challenges and possibilities of sustainable propulsion in aviation. It covers the fundamentals of novel propulsion systems design and explores how emerging technologies can improve efficiency and reduce environmental impact.

Course Overview

• Technical Focus – The course provides an in-depth look at propulsion technologies, including thermodynamic efficiency improvements, alternative fuels, hybrid-electric architectures, and hydrogen propulsion.
• Applied Learning – Students will work on projects that analyze real-world propulsion concepts and evaluate their feasibility.
• Research-Led Teaching – The course is taught by researchers actively working on sustainable aviation, bringing insights from ongoing studies and current debates.
• Collaborative Approach – Students will engage in discussions and teamwork, applying engineering principles to assess different technological pathways.

Who Should Take This Course?

This course is intended for students interested in aircraft propulsion and its role in the broader context of sustainable aviation. It provides technical knowledge applicable to both research and industry.

Course Content:

The course addresses the challenge of the energy transition in commercial aviation, with a focus on propulsion systems and their interactions with the aircraft system and the operating environment. Specifically, the course aims to:

• Contextualize Sustainability: Understand the sustainability challenges in air transport, starting from historical drivers and exploring economic, social, and environmental aspects.

• Environmental Impact Analysis: Delve into the causes of aircraft environmental impact, with a focus on greenhouse gases and pollutant mechanisms of formation.

• Regulatory Landscape: Provide an overview of regulatory bodies and current international strategies dedicated to sustainability.

• Engineering Analysis of Advancements: Analyze potential technological advancements addressing sustainability goals, including innovative propulsion system designs, alternative thermodynamic cycles, alternative fuels, fuel cell technology, and hybrid-electric architectures.

• Efficiency Comparison: Compare the efficiency of different solutions from an energy perspective, evaluating their "well-to-wake" impact on aircraft performance.

• Methodologies and Tools: Equip students with methodologies for analyzing and predicting future scenarios and supporting decision-making processes, including statistical data analysis, machine learning, data-driven modeling, and uncertainty quantification.

• Computational Tools: Provide and utilize computational tools for the analysis and design of innovative aircraft.

Conduco attività di ricerca nel campo della propulsione aerospaziale, con particolare attenzione alla propulsione sostenibile (architetture propulsive innovative), alla modellazione numerica dei flussi reattivi e dei combustibili innovativi, e ai digital twin.
Ho oltre sette anni di esperienza in questo settore, avendo conseguito il dottorato in ingegneria aerospaziale presso la Sapienza nel 2018 e avendoci trascorso oltre 3 anni come ricercatore post-dottorato, prima di unirmi al Dipartimento di Aero-Thermo-Mechanics presso l'Université Libre de Bruxelles come Ricercatore Post-doc Marie Curie per 2 anni, responsabile del progetto di ricerca “PReDICT - Pollution Reduction Design for Innovative Combustion Technologies”.
Dal 2023 faccio nuovamente parte del Dipartimento di Ingegneria Meccanica e Aerospaziale della Sapienza Università di Roma come Ricercatore a tempo determinato.
Partecipo al Centro Nazionale CN4 (mobilità sostenibile), Spoke 1 (Air Mobility), WP5 Multidisciplinary design optimization of innovative solutions for next generation green aircraft; e al Centro Nazionale CN1 (HPC, Big Data & Quantum Computing), Spoke 6 (Multiscale modeling & Engineering Applications), WP4 Green Energy.
Ho collaborato con AVIO S.p.A. su progetti riguardanti la simulazione di fenomeni di combustione avanzati con openFOAM e la modellazione del transitorio di accensione di una camera di spinta a propellente liquido. Ho attive numerose collaborazioni di ricerca con Sandia National Laboratories (California, USA), Université Libre de Bruxelles, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST, Saudi Arabia), University of Notre Dame (Illinois, USA).
Sono membro del Combustion Institute e sono Management Committee Member della COST Action CYPHER (Cyber-Physical systems and digital twins for the decarbonisation of energy-intensive industries).