Can you briefly introduce your graduation internship at Femto Engineering?

As part of my graduation internship, I joined Femto Engineering as a Project Engineer Intern, where I worked on CFD and combustion modeling using Siemens STAR-CCM+. During this internship, I combined academic research with hands-on engineering practice, while learning from experienced professionals in a supportive and international work environment.

How did you experience your time at Femto Engineering?

The support from my supervisors and colleagues has been outstanding, from deep technical discussions about fluid dynamics to friendly conversations during after-lunch walks and the Thursday/Friday end-of-week drinks.

The guidance I received for my graduation research was invaluable, especially considering that I had never worked with CFD before. I would like to thank my supervisors, Martijn and Sebastian, for their continuous assistance, clear explanations, and mentoring throughout the months.

I also want to thank my colleague Daniel for helping with meshing challenges and for providing another point of view whenever needed.

How did this internship support your academic development?

During my bachelor’s studies, I mainly covered the foundational theory required for CFD. This internship was my first opportunity to apply that knowledge in practice and explore the field in depth. CFD proved to be a versatile discipline with applications across many industries, and I am glad I gained hands-on experience that will benefit my future career.

Can you talk a bit more about your thesis? Why did you choose this topic, and what were your key learnings?

I had been following Femto Engineering on LinkedIn for some time when I came across their internship opportunities. At university, I had only simulated basic structural deformations, and when I discovered the CFD content shared by Femto, it truly amazed me. I knew such simulations existed, but I had little awareness of the engineering applications behind them and the extensive background knowledge they require.

I applied for three graduation internships at Femto and was eventually interviewed for the CFD combustion internship. While I had no specific preference initially, my previous semester experience in propulsion and gas turbines in aviation played an important role in the final selection.

My graduation assignment focused on validating combustion models in STAR-CCM+ using two well-known benchmark experiments:

The first was the Backward-Facing Step reacting flow by Pitz and Daily (1981), which investigates the effects of sudden flow expansion on combustion in a turbulent premixed flame. Selecting appropriate turbulence and combustion models was a key challenge in this case.

Diagram 1. Backward-facing step cross section and flow direction. Recirculation after step.

The second benchmark was the Sandia Laboratories Diffusion Flame D (1996), where the goal was to reproduce a turbulent methane/air diffusion flame and evaluate parameters such as species concentrations (methane, CO, O₂) and temperature distribution.

Diagram 2. Backward-Facing Step schlieren photo simulation vs paper. This is the only visual of the flame available in the original paper.

The second experiment was the Sandia Laboratories diffusion flame D (1996). In this benchmark the goal was to recreate a turbulent methane/air 25/75 diffusion flame and evaluate important parameters such as species concentrations along the flame (Methane, CO, O2) and temperature distribution.

Figure 1. The sandia flame D experiment. Temperature scene of simulated Sandia Flame D

The insights gained from these benchmarks are highly valuable for future combustion-related projects at Femto across different industries. Personally, I enjoyed working on a challenging topic and overcoming the steep learning curve, especially as a student with no prior CFD experience.

What was your experience working with Siemens STAR-CCM+?

As a first-time user, I found STAR-CCM+ to be a strong all-in-one solution for CFD applications. Although the learning curve was steep, the documentation and tutorials greatly supported my learning process. Within approximately three weeks to one month, I became comfortable with the software’s interface and workflow.

What are your key takeaways from your graduation internship at Femto Engineering?

I am very glad I had the opportunity to complete my graduation internship at Femto Engineering. It contributed significantly to my professional development and gave me insight into the work culture of a Dutch, yet highly international, engineering company. Learning such a complex topic firsthand from industry experts made this a unique and rewarding experience.