Thorsten Zirwes

Dr. Thorsten Zirwes serves as Deputy Head of Institute at the Institute for Reactive Currents (IRST) at the University of Stuttgart, where he leads research in combustion engineering and reactive flows. With a strong background in chemical engineering from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), where he completed his B.Sc., M.Sc., and PhD, Dr. Zirwes has established himself as a leading researcher in computational combustion.

• Deputy Head of Institute, Institute for Reactive Currents, University of Stuttgart (2023-present)
• DAAD PRIME Fellow & Visiting Postdoctoral Scholar, Stanford University (2022)
• PhD in Chemical Engineering and Process Engineering, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (2016-2021)

Dr. Zirwes' research focuses on advancing computational methods for understanding and modeling complex combustion processes, with particular emphasis on carbon-free fuels like hydrogen and ammonia. His work spans fundamental flame dynamics, turbulent combustion, and the development of efficient numerical algorithms for high-performance computing environments. He has made significant contributions to the understanding of thermodiffusion effects, flame instabilities, and porous media combustion for clean energy applications.

His extensive publication record shows a clear trend toward sustainable energy solutions, with increasing focus on hydrogen and ammonia combustion as carbon-free alternatives. The research spans fundamental fluid dynamics, practical combustion applications, and computational method development, demonstrating both theoretical depth and practical relevance to energy transition challenges.

• Jürgen Warnatz Prize (German Section Combustion Institute, 2023)
• Distinguished Paper Award from the Combustion Institute (2023)
• Bernard-Lewis Fellowship of the Combustion Institute (2022)
• Most downloaded author of the Springer Journal FTaC (2022)
• Doctorate at KIT with summa cum laude (2021)

Dr. Zirwes actively supervises research projects and collaborates with both academic and industrial partners. His group develops and maintains the EBI-DNS solver, an OpenFOAM extension for direct numerical simulation of combustion processes. Current research emphasizes carbon-free combustion technologies crucial for achieving climate goals, with strong connections to industry partners working on sustainable energy solutions.

His research group maintains strong connections with international institutions, including Stanford University, and participates in major collaborative projects focused on advancing clean combustion technologies. The team combines expertise in fluid dynamics, numerical methods, and high-performance computing to tackle challenging problems in sustainable energy.