MSc Thesis Work for: Simulation based ABB Dynafin blade profile optimization

At ABB, we help industries outrun - leaner and cleaner. Here, progress is an expectation - for you, your team, and the world. As a global market leader, we’ll give you what you need to make it happen. It won’t always be easy, growing takes grit. But at ABB, you’ll never run alone. Run what runs the world.

This Position reports to:

R&D Team Lead

Details:

• Period:Jan-June 2027
• 30 ECTS per student
• Number of students: 1
• Location: ABB Corporate Research in Västerås, Sweden

You will be part of Materials Technology & Electromagnetics team at ABB Corporate Research in Västerås, Sweden. At Corporate Research we lead the innovation within ABB and our task is to ensure ABB's technology competitiveness now and in the future. We work in close collaboration with other research centers, our business areas: Motion, Automation and Electrification, as well academic and industrial partners. In our creative and highly skilled team we develop, design, build and test new concepts and prototypes of physical and digital powertrains or electrical devices.

ABBs revolutionary marine propulsion system DynafinTM utilizes individual blade control to reach new levels of efficiency compared to traditional marine propulsion systems. The complex hydrodynamic forces acting on the blades during operation, combined with the flexibility of the system, allows for tailoring the blade profiles to handle different operating conditions optimally.

Recent advances in manufacturing technologies allows for exploring new blade profiles, to increase efficiency even further and explore other benefits, such as reduced cavitation.

This thesis aims to improve the DynafinTM blade profiles to, for example, reach higher levels of efficiency and improve structural durability. This will be done using Computational Fluid Dynamics(CFD) and Fluid Structure Interaction(FSI) simulations to understand the hydrodynamic forces acting on the blades and the interactions with the water. The outcome is expected to improve the understanding of how different blade profiles impact the system and achieve improvements to the blades.

Your role and responsibilities

• Conduct a literature study on the hydrodynamic forces acting on the blades and state of the art propeller blade design
• CFD and FSI simulations of different blade profiles
• Optimize blade profiles
• Identify critical design features of the blades with focus on the hydrodynamic interactions

Qualifications for the role

• Master of Science student in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Physics, or a related field.
• Fluid mechanics and Fluid Structural Interaction knowledge.
• Good knowledge of CFD and FSI simulations. Experience with simulation tools such as ANSYS Fluent, COMSOL, OpenFOAM, or similar are beneficial.
• Background knowledge of blade design is beneficial
• Proficiency in written and spoken English
• Additional experience that is beneficial but not required: Reduced order model(ROM), cavitation modelling, parametric geometry modelling

More about us

Recruiting Manager David Lindell , 46 72 461 35 03, will answer your questions. Main contacts:

David Petersson, [email protected];

Binaya Baidar, [email protected]

ABB may support with accommodation during the period

Positions are filled continuously. Please apply with your CV, academic transcripts, and a cover letter in English.

We look forward to receiving your application!

A future opportunity

This role is part of our talent pipeline, which means it’s not currently open, but we’re always looking for curious minds, bold thinkers, and people who want to make an impact.

Click Apply to express your interest and be considered for future opportunities that match your experience and aspirations.

At ABB, we welcome people from all backgrounds and believe that diverse perspectives help us build a cleaner, smarter future.

Apply today or visit https://www.abb.com to learn more about how we help run what runs the world.