Combustion Theory 

Lecturer: Prof. Moshe Matalon, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA

This course provides an introduction to the theoretical foundations of combustion science. The aim is to develop an understanding of the basic principles associated with various combustion processes, how these concepts relate to experimental observations and how they can be used for theoretical and/or numerical modeling. It starts with a comprehensive overview of the mathematical equations that describe the flow of multi-component, chemically-reacting mixtures and covers various topics including the structure of premixed and diffusion flames, ignition and extinction phenomena, effects of flame stretch and differential diffusion, lifted diffusion flames and edge flames, burning of condensed fuels and spray combustion, intrinsic flame instabilities, and turbulent flames.

Combustion Chemistry and Modeling 

Lecturer: Prof. Henry Curran, NUI Galway, Ireland

This course introduces the development of detailed chemical kinetic mechanisms to describe the oxidation of hydrocarbon and oxygenated hydrocarbon fuels and ammonia. It includes a tutorial on the importance of thermochemistry and the use of group additivity to estimate/calculate thermodynamic parameters for species using the THERM program. There will be a detailed discussion on the important general classes of reactions associated with fuel oxidation and the calculation/estimation of the important rate constants associated with these reactions. The importance of good experimental data which are used as validation targets will also be discussed.

Turbulent Combustion in Low- and High-speed Flows 

Lecturer: Prof. Venkat Raman, University of Michigan, USA

Turbulence is an important characteristic of flame processes in practical systems. The role of this complex phenomenon on flame behavior controls the design, robustness, and performance of modern propulsion and energy conversion systems. This course will focus on the basics of turbulence, its impact on combustion and flame processes, and its application to gas turbines, scramjets, and the emerging field of rotating detonation engines. The use of modern high-performance computing tools and their role in altering the modeling needs will be discussed.

A Dance of Molecules: The Birth of Soot in Flames 

Lecturer: Prof. Angela Violi, University of Michigan, USA

From wildfires to vehicle exhaust, soot particles significantly impact our climate and air quality. This lecture series explores the molecular mechanisms of soot formation in combustion systems and investigates mitigation strategies. We begin with the fundamental principles of soot formation during hydrocarbon combustion, highlighting its crucial role in climate change and air pollution. We then delve into the world of molecular interactions employing molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to visualize and understand the complex processes within flames. This section will also introduce foundational  machine learning (ML) concepts which can be applied to analyze combustion data and identify key reaction pathways. Participants will gain hands-on experience with both MD simulations and basic ML techniques. 

Models for Simulating Atmospheric Aerosols  

Lecturer: Prof. Nicole Riemer, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA

This course provides an overview of atmospheric aerosol modeling and its critical role in air quality and climate simulations. Topics include the aerosol life cycle, with a focus on formulating governing equations for key processes, and a comparison of numerical discretization techniques used in state-of-the-art applications. Strategies for model verification, validation, and addressing structural and parametric uncertainties will also be discussed. Practical examples highlight how these approaches capture the complex physical and chemical transformations of aerosols and their impacts on weather, climate, and human health.

Experimental Methods in Fire Research  

Lecturer: Prof. Peter Sunderland, University of Maryland, USA

Many of the fuels, flames, and diagnostics associated with fire research are different from those that are common in combustion. The condensed fuels and optically-thick flames in many fires result in unusual experimental challenges. Recent research will be presented on pyrometry of embers, thin filaments, and soot, as well as fires involving firebrands, microgravity, refrigerants, and hydrogen. Several key fire standards will be discussed, including flash point, smoke chamber, cone calorimeter, cup burner, LIFT, and downward spread. Emerging topics in fire research will be introduced, including battery fires.