RESEARCH

Main Research Areas:

• Advanced space propulsion field,

  • 1. particularly in airbreathing propulsion,  electric thrusters, and liquid/hybrid and solid rocket engines;

• Combustion

1.   Supersonic and subsonic combustion in homogeneous and heterogeneous phase;

2.  plasma assisted combustion by investigating the charged  species recombination, the impact of plasma on ignition and flame    anchoring

3.  Aluminium and water combustion for space application

• Chemical kinetics,  Particularly related to:

  • 1.  kinetics of combustion in the gas phase for aviation fuel (both at low and high pressure)

    2.  hydrocarbon cracking/reforming analysis for light species onboard productions, and examination of rocket performance

    3.  charged species recombination analysis

• ISRU: In Situ Resource Utilization in particular for mars exploration

• CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics); Particularly focused on

  1. 1.   RANS and LES simulations of scramjet, liquid rocket and hybrid engines.

     2.   Simulazioni 3D PIC/MCC for plasma thruster

     3.   SGS modeling for turbulent compressible reactive flows and for Electro-Magnetic/fluid dynamic interaction 

Funding Information (Grants as Principal Investigator or I-investigator)

STARTING: Space Technologies addressing research transfer into nowadays generations

Terza Missione

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) activities for students

HYGREEN: HYpersonic Green Ramjet Engine: Experiments and Numerics (SEED)

Project that deals with numerical and experimental analysis of ramjet hypersonic engines powered by low environmental impact fuels

HRElab (MBDA)

Project based on the investigation of innovative fuels for hybrid rockets

IMAGE

Coordinamento progetti collaborativi Horizon Europe – II edizione issued by La Sapienza

Contribution to manage proposal in Horizon Europe

Numerical Investigation of the Plasma assited Supersonic Combustion

Progetti di Ricerca Piccoli, issued by La Sapienza

Project dealing with  numerical investigation of scramjets

Numerical and experimental investigation of biopolymers -based hybrid propulsion

National program “Ricerche Universitarie” issued by University of Rome “La Sapienza”, prot. RP1181643632B178

Project dealing with  numerical and experimental investigation of different propellants for hybrid propulsion/ hybrid

Casting of solid propellant within rocket motors: safe and high efficiency methodology

Grant issued by GAUSS Srl

Project dealing with theoretical and experimental investigation of solid propellant manufacturing for solid and hybrid propulsion

Analysis and sizing of aerospace propulsion systems

Grant issued by GAUSS Srl

Project dealing with  sizing of low thrust engines and investigating performance for different propellants and operative conditions

THESEUS, THrusters Evolution for Space Exploration and Upper Stages

National program issued by AVIO SpA

Project investigating the combustion efficiency of different LCH4/O2 thrusters configurations and operative conditions by means of RANS/LES simulations

Flameless Oxidation and MILD combustion for NOx reduction strategy

National program FARI, prot. C26I12S5Z7 issued by University of Rome “La Sapienza”

Investigation of  the feasibility of MILD combustion chambers with high efficiency and low emissions by means of chemical and numerical analysis

Electro-Chemical Thruster for Space Propulsion

National program “Ricerche Universitarie” issued by University of Rome “La Sapienza”, prot. C26A11R8JJ

Investigation of innovative electro-chemical propulsion system for space applications

Physics of Compressible Reactive Turbulence

ISCRA program issued by CINECA

Numerical simulations of compressible reacting flows (RANS/LES)

Physics and Modelling of Mixing and Combustion in Supersonic Flows

National program “Progetti di Ricerca Universitari” issued by University of Rome “La Sapienza”, prot. C26I107PR8

Investigation of SGS models for turbulent combustion in compressible flows

Work Experience as Coordinator

2014-2015, RAMJET  Grant issued by AVIO SpA 

A project dealing with the sizing of ramjet engines and investigating performance for different operative conditions and mission requirements.

2014 FARI, proto. Call 26I12S5Z7   National program issued by University of Rome “La Sapienza”  

Project on FLAMELESS OXIDATION and MILD combustion for NOx reduction strategy

2008-2014, LAPCAT II (Long-Term Advanced Propulsion Concepts and Technologies II)

International program issued by EU within the 7th Framework Programme (FP7) Theme Transport, Contract no.: ACP7-GA-2008-211485.

Project investigating high-speed transport in particular NOx reduction strategies, ozone depletion, nozzle to tail vehicle sizing, RANS/LES of the European MR2 scramjet configuration

2007-2009, Collaborative Research on Hypersonic Airbreathing Propulsion System

Bilateral Special program between Korea and Italy issued by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

A project dealing with LES simulations of  the HyShot II scramjet engine

2007-2008, PRIN National program

National program issued by Italian Ministry of Instruction

Project investigating the feasibility of Microcombustors for Microturbine and Microthrusters through CFD simulations and theoretical  scaling laws

2005 - 2008, LAPCAT Long-Term Advanced Propulsion Concepts and Technologies.

The international program issued by the European Community within the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) Priority Programme 1.4 Aeronautics and Space.

A project investigating scramjet engines through LES simulations of the HyShot II and the NASA Langley scramjet configurations; analysis of different fuels; investigation of fuel cracking and reforming for scramjet applications (Technical report RT8_Lapcat_D.6.7.1.pdf)

2005-2010, GDR-E (European research group) at "Energy and Safety of Hydrogen".

The international program issued by the European Community within the Sixth Framework Programme; 

A project to investigating hydrogen as a fuel for aerospace applications.

2005–2010, TEPSI “Technologies and innovative processes  for the future hydrogen-based system” National FISR program issued by MIUR

a Project to investigating hydrogen as a fuel for power plants

2005, LCD laboratory grant International Grant issued by the Scientific France Embassy

For internship between France and Italian Researchers to work at experimental test facilities.

2003–2005, Studies on the preparation, atomization, and combustion of nano aluminum – water slurry, a novel “green” propellant for space applications’’ International program issued by INTAS, Ref. Nr. 03-53-5203 

A project investigating aluminum as fuel for  space applications and aluminum/water combustion chemistry and  kinetics (Technical report RT9_INTAS Report.pdf)

2002 – 2003, "Chemical Microrocket: Scaling and Performance Enhancement''

The international program issued by EOARD (European Office of Aerospace Research and Development), Contract Order Number FA8655-02-M034 

A Project investigating chemical micro-rockets feasibility and thermal load reduction strategy (Technical report RT10_FA8655-02-M034.pdf)

02/2002 - 06/2002, CFD analysis of  numerical thermo-fluid dynamics

The National program issued by CSM 

a project investigating advanced materials for nozzles.

For more details, visit SIA Advanced Propulsion and Combustion Laboratory