Development of an interface between an optimization software and a CFD simulation tool for the design improvement of chemical engineering technologies

IFP Energies nouvelles (IFPEN) est un acteur majeur de la recherche et de la formation dans les domaines de l’énergie, du transport et de l’environnement. De la recherche à l’industrie, l’innovation technologique est au cœur de son action, articulée autour de quatre priorités stratégiques : Mobilité Durable, Energies Nouvelles, Climat / Environnement / Economie circulaire et Hydrocarbures Responsables.

Dans le cadre de la mission d’intérêt général confiée par les pouvoirs publics, IFPEN concentre ses efforts sur :

• l’apport de solutions aux défis sociétaux de l’énergie et du climat, en favorisant la transition vers une mobilité durable et l’émergence d’un mix énergétique plus diversifié ;
• la création de richesse et d’emplois, en soutenant l’activité économique française et européenne et la compétitivité des filières industrielles associées.

Partie intégrante d’IFPEN, l’école d’ingénieurs IFP School prépare les générations futures à relever ces défis.

Development of an interface between an optimization software and a CFD simulation tool for the design improvement of chemical engineering technologies

This internship aims to develop a robust interface that connects an optimization tool—such as Lagun—with a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation software like ANSYS Fluent®. Many types of equipment used in the energy and chemical industries—such as distributors, internals, and fluid transport systems—can achieve significantly enhanced performance when their geometry is optimized for specific operational conditions.

The primary objective of this internship is to create an automated workflow that links the optimization and simulation environments, enabling efficient parametric studies on complex equipment geometries. Through this integration, the interface will facilitate the exploration of a wide design range, allowing the evaluation of hydrodynamic and thermal performance using high-fidelity CFD simulations. By automating the iterative design and simulation process, this tool will reduce the manual workload typically required during geometry optimization.

As a result, engineers will be able to focus more on analyzing results and identifying the most efficient and practically feasible design solutions.

This project offers a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of chemical engineering, numerical simulation, and optimization to solve real-world engineering challenges.

The objectives of the internship are:

• Familiarization with the existing tools Lagun and ANSYS Fluent ®.
• Design and development of the interface, including scripting to enable communication between the optimization software and the CFD tool, as well as automation of the CFD workflow (geometry creation, meshing, simulation execution, and result extraction).
• Application to real-world cases: testing the interface by optimizing a geometry to achieve the best compromise between hydrodynamic and thermal performance for one or two examples.
• Delivery of the final script along with user documentation.

Required profile

Programming, Fluid Mechanics, Numerical CFD Simulation, Chemical Engineering

• Engineering school/ master training (Bac +5)
• ENSEIRB, ENSEEIHT, Polytech Orléans, ENSPG, ENSIACET, UTC… other European universities, master’s degree in chemical engineering or Fluid Mechanics

Additional information

Duration of the internship : 6 months
Workplace : IFPEN Lyon, Rond-point de l'échangeur de Solaize, 69360 Solaize
Transport: public transportation / personal vehicle
Internship remuneration: 1130€/month (gross)

Please submit your CV and a short paragraph (optional)*
* In the paragraph (100 words max): you should answer briefly why are you interested in this internship and what are your skills that will allow you to achieve its objectives.