Matthias Hettel

Matthias Hettel is a Higher Academic Councillor and Senior Scientist at the Institute for Chemical Technology and Polymer Chemistry, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). His research focuses on computational fluid dynamics (CFD), combustion phenomena, and reactor engineering. He holds a Diploma in Mechanical Engineering (1990, specializing in Energy Technology and Fluid Dynamics) and a PhD in Chemical Engineering (2006, thesis on flame dynamics and numerical analysis).

His work spans reactive/non-reactive flow modeling, catalytic systems (e.g., monolith reactors), fixed-bed reactor design, and numerical methods like CFD-DEM coupling. Notable contributions include the DUO simulation framework for multiphysics modeling and optimization of industrial reactors. He has received the Posterpreis der Fachgruppe Reaktionstechnik (2014) for his work on coupled 2D/3D CFD modeling of catalytic reactors.

Key research areas include: combustion dynamics, fluidized bed reactors, emission control systems, and microfluidic tissue engineering. His interdisciplinary projects bridge chemical engineering, environmental science, and biomedical applications.