About

Professor Fabrizio Bisetti leads the Reactive Flow Modeling Laboratory (RFML) at the University of Texas at Austin, which is part of the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics in the Cockrell School of Engineering. His research mission focuses on developing and applying computational modeling techniques to solve complex multi-physics and multi-scale problems in fluid mechanics. The primary areas of emphasis in his work include turbulent flows, combustion, aerosol, and plasma processes. Professor Bisetti and his laboratory routinely utilize high-performance computing architectures, executing simulations on thousands of cores to advance their research in reactive flow modeling.

Research topics

• Materials science
• Mechanics
• Geometry
• Mathematics
• Physics
• Chemistry
• Thermodynamics
• Organic chemistry

Selected publications

• Mathematical models and numerical methods for high-fidelity simulation of ignition of reactive mixtures by nanosecond plasma discharges in realistic configurations

  Figshare · 2026-02-02

  datasetOpen accessSenior author

  We present a newly developed framework for the numerical simulation of ignition of reactive mixtures using single or repeated nanosecond discharge pulses. The framework builds upon the AMReX library, using the existing compressible solver PeleC and low-Mach solver PeleLMeX and allowing for adaptive mesh refinement, complex geometries, and execution on next-generation high-performance computing (HPC) systems. High-fidelity elementary models are adopted for weakly-ionised plasma discharges with significant energy deposition, consistent with nanosecond discharge pulses, and then implemented in the solver. The treatment of non-thermal electrons and charged species, thermodynamics of non-equilbrium species, plasma kinetics, limiting time scales, and boundary conditions for charged species are discussed and addressed for computational efficiency. The framework is demonstrated for three relevant applications: single and multi-pulse discharges in air, single pulse ignition of an ethylene/air mixture, and a three-dimensional plasma discharge in air with temperature stratification. The successful application of the framework demonstrates the feasibility of high-fidelity simulation of ignition of air/hydrocarbon mixtures in three-dimensions with multiple discharge pulses.

  PublisherDOI

• Mathematical models and numerical methods for high-fidelity simulation of ignition of reactive mixtures by nanosecond plasma discharges in realistic configurations

  Figshare · 2026-02-02

  datasetOpen accessSenior author

  We present a newly developed framework for the numerical simulation of ignition of reactive mixtures using single or repeated nanosecond discharge pulses. The framework builds upon the AMReX library, using the existing compressible solver PeleC and low-Mach solver PeleLMeX and allowing for adaptive mesh refinement, complex geometries, and execution on next-generation high-performance computing (HPC) systems. High-fidelity elementary models are adopted for weakly-ionised plasma discharges with significant energy deposition, consistent with nanosecond discharge pulses, and then implemented in the solver. The treatment of non-thermal electrons and charged species, thermodynamics of non-equilbrium species, plasma kinetics, limiting time scales, and boundary conditions for charged species are discussed and addressed for computational efficiency. The framework is demonstrated for three relevant applications: single and multi-pulse discharges in air, single pulse ignition of an ethylene/air mixture, and a three-dimensional plasma discharge in air with temperature stratification. The successful application of the framework demonstrates the feasibility of high-fidelity simulation of ignition of air/hydrocarbon mixtures in three-dimensions with multiple discharge pulses.

  PublisherDOI

• Mathematical models and numerical methods for high-fidelity simulation of ignition of reactive mixtures by nanosecond plasma discharges in realistic configurations

  Combustion Theory and Modelling · 2026-02-02

  articleSenior author

  We present a newly developed framework for the numerical simulation of ignition of reactive mixtures using single or repeated nanosecond discharge pulses. The framework builds upon the AMReX library, using the existing compressible solver PeleC and low-Mach solver PeleLMeX and allowing for adaptive mesh refinement, complex geometries, and execution on next-generation high-performance computing (HPC) systems. High-fidelity elementary models are adopted for weakly-ionised plasma discharges with significant energy deposition, consistent with nanosecond discharge pulses, and then implemented in the solver. The treatment of non-thermal electrons and charged species, thermodynamics of non-equilbrium species, plasma kinetics, limiting time scales, and boundary conditions for charged species are discussed and addressed for computational efficiency. The framework is demonstrated for three relevant applications: single and multi-pulse discharges in air, single pulse ignition of an ethylene/air mixture, and a three-dimensional plasma discharge in air with temperature stratification. The successful application of the framework demonstrates the feasibility of high-fidelity simulation of ignition of air/hydrocarbon mixtures in three-dimensions with multiple discharge pulses.

  PublisherDOI

• Simulation of Voltage and Current Waveforms During Nanosecond Pulsed Capacitive Discharges via Electrically Coupled Plasma Fluid Model and Lossless Transmission Line

  2026-01-08

  article1st authorCorresponding

  A framework for the simulation of voltage and current waveforms during nanosecond pulsed capacitive discharges via electrically coupled plasma fluid model and lossless transmission line is presented. It consists of a transmission line model based on the theory of Riemann invariants for hyperbolic laws, a zero-dimensional two-temperature plasma reactor with detailed non-equilibrium air plasma chemistry and attending load circuit model, and a novel numerical method that enables accurate coupling of ordinary differential equations that describe voltage and current at the load of arbitrary complexity to zero- and multi-dimensional plasma simulators. The framework is demonstrated for nanosecond pulsed discharges and shown to enable the simulation of realistic voltage waveforms and energy coupling to the plasma without any user-defined input beyond circuit parameters. Simulations show that a Gaussian pulse of sufficient duration is required for the plasma channel to become conductive. For such configurations, as the current increases abruptly, the voltage on the load drops, bringing the plasma discharge to a conclusion. Consequently, we find that energy transfer to the plasma occurs as electrons are cooling, yet increasing in density to a maximum before the density decreases slowly due to ion-electron recombination. A parametric study shows that, for a given pulse energy, Gaussian pulses of longer duration lead to a higher fraction of energy being transferred to the plasma due to higher electron densities and associated currents. While demonstrated for a zero-dimensional reactor for clarity, the extension to multi-dimensional plasma solvers is straightforward.

  PublisherDOI

• Enabling Low-Temperature (LTP) Ignition Technologies for Multi-Mode Engines through the Development of a Validated High-Fidelity LTP Model for Predicative Simulations Tools

  2025-01-31

  reportOpen access

  The goal of multi-mode engine architectures is to extend current lean-burn dilution limits with renewable fuels, which requires spark plugs to deposit high energies (hundreds of mJ) in order to initiate ignition and complete combustion. At elevated energy deposition rates, spark plugs experience increased electrode erosion and thermal losses, which ultimately shortens the spark-plug lifetime and lowers ignition efficiency. As such, in order to safeguard the efficiency gains of multi-mode concepts, new and improved ignition technologies are required. Recently, non-equilibrium low-temperature plasmas (LTP) have been shown to promote energy-efficient ignition via quenching and transport of electronically excited atoms and molecules, selective radical production and fast heating of hydrocarbon/air mixtures [1-2]. Thus, LTP is seen as a technology that can potentially improve the energy extraction efficiency of fuels, while enabling kinetically controlled combustion modes towards fuel leaner conditions to realize current DOE VTO goals of improving the sustainability of future mobility [3]. Although many previous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of plasma-assisted ignition to enhance combustion, the detailed enhancement mechanisms remain largely unknown, especially for oxygenated fuels and at elevated pressures that are most relevant to practical engine conditions. These barriers hinder the development of accurate and comprehensive numerical models that seek to describe LTP-based ignition in existing engine design software tools and methods. Current state-of-the-art simulation capabilities for LTP ignition systems are in need of improvements since they deliver qualitative results only due to important limitations of existing approaches. Firstly, validated kinetic models with elementary steps for plasma discharges in oxygenated fuel/air mixtures of relevance to the transportation sector are required. Such kinetic models do not exist at present and will be developed and validated within this project. Secondly, plasma discharges and reactive mixture ignition are multi-scale, unsteady processes requiring high-performance numerical methods and software that execute efficiently on DOE supercomputers. Such software does not exist at present and will be developed and applied to practical LTP ignition scenarios as part of this project. Thirdly, experimental databases that are tailored to serve as benchmark in support of the development of predictive computational models of LTP ignition do not exist and will be part of this project.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Reynolds number scaling and self-similarity of the surface density function of reactive-diffusive interfaces in shear-driven turbulence up to Reλ=140

  Proceedings of the Combustion Institute · 2024-01-01 · 1 citations

  articleSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• Large-Eddy Simulation of Isothermal Flow in a Technical Swirl Burner for Ammonia Combustion Applications

  2024-01-04

  articleSenior author

  In pursuit of an improved understanding of the performance and optimal mixtures for the use of ammonia-hydrogen mixtures as potential carbon-free replacements for methane in high density power generation, we seek to understand the flow within a swirl-stabilized technical burner. Large-Eddy Simulations are carried out for the both the pilot and main burners, with the burner geometry itself represented simulated using a controller-based immersed boundary method on a Cartesian grid. Extensive analysis was carried out to understand the statistical stationarity of the flow in the burner, quantifying the flow development time. The analysis of the convergence of statistics informs the number of independent flow snapshots required to produce sufficiently well resolved statistics. Mean velocity and filtered turbulence intensity statistics were calculated using sufficient samples and various flow structures and potential flame anchoring points, shear layers and regions of high turbulence intensity were noted, which will inform regions of interest in future isothermal mixing simulations and eventually, reactive simulations.

  PublisherDOI

• Variable Time-stepping Exponential Integrators for Chemical Reactors with Analytical Jacobians

  Applied and Computational Mathematics · 2024-04-07 · 2 citations

  articleOpen access

  Chemical combustion problems are known to be stiff and therefore difficult to efficiently integrate in time when numerically simulated. Implicit methods, such as backwards differentiation formula (BDF), are widely considered to be the state-of-the-art methods owing their capability of taking relatively large time-steps while maintaining accurate combustion characteristics. Exponential time integration methods have recently demonstrated the ability to accurately and efficiently solve large scale systems of ordinary differential equations. This study introduces a novel adaptive time stepping exponential integrator named EPI3V. Its performance is measured on spatially homogeneous isobaric reactive mixtures involving three hydrocarbon fuel mechanisms. The full combustion process is simulated using gas compositions with sufficient temperature to obtain auto-ignition. Simulations are run until the steady state is obtained, then a comparison of the computational efficiency and accuracy between a BDF and EPI3V method is made. The novel EPI3V method exhibits comparable computational efficiency to a well-established implementation of the variable time-stepping BDF implicit methods for two of the mechanisms investigated. In certain situations it even demonstrates a slight advantage over the implicit solver. However, in one specific case, the EPI3V shows relative performance degradation compared to the implicit method, but it still converges for this case. These results indicate that exponential time integration methods may be applicable to a larger variety of combustion problems.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Verification and Validation of a fully-coupled three-dimensional low-temperature plasma and reactive Navier Stokes solver

  2024-01-04 · 1 citations

  article

  The three-dimensional exascale reactive solver PeleC with Adaptive Mesh Refinement (AMR) capabilities is extended to simulate low-temperature plasma streamer discharges. Charged species fluxes are modeled using the drift-diffusion approximation, which is incorporated in a consistent manner with the PeleC reactive Navier-Stokes formulation. The Poisson equation for the electrostatic potential is solved in conjunction with the conservation of charged species. The solver implementation is validated against established benchmarks. The benchmarking exercise paves the way for future three-dimensional large-scale simulations of coupled low-temperature plasma-assisted ignition in turbulent reactive flows.

  PublisherDOI

• Early Response of Ablative Materials to Arcjet Testing

  AIAA SCITECH 2023 Forum · 2023-01-19 · 1 citations

  articleSenior author

  View Video Presentation: https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2023-1914.vid The initial temperature response of phenolic injected carbon ablators (PICA) under arcjet test conditions is modeled by considering heat conduction, radiation, and pyrolysis with publicly available material properties. Prior to significant pyrolization occurring, good agreement is found between experimental results and model results. Key processes during the initial temperature response are found to be heat conduction and radiation. The modeling approach proposed in this work is novel and can be combined easily with a statistical framework that implements Bayesian inference of material thermal properties and stagnation heat flux from multiple thermocouple data. Refined model results are intended for use in inference of material properties through comparison to experimental data.

  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• Collaborative Research: Experimental and numerical study on the Reynolds number dependence of surfaces in von Karman turbulent swirling flows

  NSF · $250k · 2018–2022

• Regimes of plasma-assisted ignition of turbulent hydrocarbon mixtures

  NSF · $362k · 2019–2023

Frequent coauthors

• Antonio Attili

  University of Edinburgh

  85 shared

• Heinz Pitsch

  RWTH Aachen University

  27 shared

• Stefano Luca

  University of Bologna

  25 shared

• Nicholas Deak

  14 shared

• Tejas Kulkarni

  14 shared

• Memdouh Belhi

  King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

  13 shared

• Jie Han

  Bechtel (United States)

  13 shared

• A. Bellemans

  13 shared

Education

• Ph.D.

  University of California, Berkeley

Awards & honors

• George & Dawn L. Coleman Centennial Fellowship in Engineerin…