Senior Research Associate in Numerical Simulations in Turbulent Combustion

Academic Division: Energy, Fluids and Turbomachinery

Research group: Energy

Telephone: +44 1223 3 32681

Email: sg834@eng.cam.ac.uk

Personal website

Research interests

Combustion; Emissions; Thermofluids; Wildfires; Computational Fluid Dynamics

Teaching activity

• IIA Fluid Mechanics II, supervisor (2019-2021)
• IIA Heat & Mass transfer, supervisor (2018-2020, 2023)
• IIA Thermodynamics & Power Generation, supervisor (2018-2020)
• IIB Computational Fluid Dynamics, demonstrator (2019-2020)
• IIB projects, supervisor (2021-)

Biography

Savvas Gkantonas is a Senior Research Associate carrying out research on combustion science, emissions control, turbulent reacting flows, computational fluid dynamics and wildfire spread modelling. Savvas has experience in the industry, holds an MEng from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, an MSc from École Centrale Paris and a PhD from the University of Cambridge. In his PhD, he developed theory and modelling tools to capture the evolution of soot particles in turbulent flames and aviation engines. He is the recipient of a British Flame award and an ASME Turbo Expo best paper award.

Book chapters

• S. Gkantonas, M. Talibi, R. Balachandran, E. Mastorakos (2023) Hydrogen Combustion in Gas Turbines, In: Tingas, EA. (eds) Hydrogen for Future Thermal Engines. Green Energy and Technology. Springer.

Journal publications

• J. E. Petersen, S. Kapur, S. Gkantonas, E. Mastorakos, A. Giusti. (2023) Modelling and optimisation of extinction actions for wildfire suppression. Combustion Science and Technology 195 (14), 3584-3595.

• G. Efsthathiou, S. Gkantonas, A. Giusti, E. Mastorakos, C. M. Foale, R. R. Foale. (2023) Simulation of the December 2021 Marshall fire with a hybrid stochastic Lagrangian-cellular automata model. Fire Safety Journal 138, 103795.

• S. Gkantonas, E. Mastorakos. (2023) Low-order autoignition modelling for hydrogen transverse jets. Journal of Propulsion and Power 39 (5).

• S. Iavarone, S. Gkantonas, E. Mastorakos. (2023) Stochastic low-order modelling of hydrogen autoignition in a turbulent non-premixed flow. Proceedings of the Combustion Institute 39 (4), 5199-5208.

• E. Mastorakos, S. Gkantonas, G. Efstathiou, A. Giusti. (2023) A hybrid Lagrangian stochastic - cellular automaton framework for modelling fire propagation in inhomogeneous terrains. Proceedings of the Combustion Institute 39 (3), 3853-3862.

• D. McGrath, L. Fan, S. Gkantonas, S. Hochgreb. (2023) The effect of large fuel droplets on the propagation of a strained laminar acetone/air flame. Proceedings of the Combustion Institute 39 (2), 2503-2511.

• L. La Heij, S. Gkantonas, E. Mastorakos. (2023) Personalized displacement ventilation as an energy-efficient solution for airborne disease transmission control in offices. Frontiers in Mechanical Engineering 9, 1148276.

• P. Wolfram, P. Kyle, X. Zhang, S. Gkantonas, S. Smith. (2022) Using ammonia as a shipping fuel could disturb the nitrogen cycle. Nature Energy.

• M. J. Haugen, S. Gkantonas, I. El Helou, R. S. Pathania, E. Mastorakos, A. M. Boies. (2022) Measurements and modelling of the three-dimensional near-field dispersion of particulate matter emitted from passenger ships in a port environment. Atmospheric Environment 290, 119384.

• S. Iavarone, S. Gkantonas, S. Jella, P. Versailles, S. Yousefian, R. F. Monaghan, E. Mastorakos, G. Bourque. (2022) Quantification of Autoignition Risk in Aeroderivative Gas Turbine Premixers Using Incompletely Stirred Reactor and Surrogate Modelling. Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power 144 (12), 121006.

• S. Gkantonas, S. Jella, S. Iavarone, P. Versailles, E. Mastorakos, G. Bourque. (2022) Estimation of Autoignition Propensity in Aeroderivative Gas Turbine Premixers Using Incompletely Stirred Reactor Network Modelling. Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power 144 (10), 101009.

• Z. Zafari, P. M. de Oliveira, S. Gkantonas, C. Ezeh, P. A. Muennig. (2022) The cost-effectiveness of standalone HEPA filtration units for the prevention of airborne SARS CoV-2 transmission. Cost Effectiveness and Resource Allocation 20, 22.

• J. R. Smith, S. Gkantonas, E. Mastorakos. (2022) Modelling of Boil-Off and Sloshing Relevant to Future Liquid Hydrogen Carriers. Energies 15 (6), 2046.

• S. Trivedi, S. Gkantonas, L. C. C. Mesquita, S. Iavarone, P. M. de Oliveira, E. Mastorakos. (2021) Estimates of the stochasticity of droplet dispersion by a cough. Physics of Fluids 33 (2021), 115130.

• T. B. Ihmhof, S. Gkantonas, E. Mastorakos. (2021) Analysing the performance of ammonia powertrains in the marine environment. Energies 14 (21), 7447.

• P. M. de Oliveira, L. C. C. Mesquita, S. Gkantonas, A. Giusti, E. Mastorakos. (2021) Evolution of spray and aerosol from respiratory releases: theoretical estimates for insight on viral transmission. Proceedings of the Royal Society A 477 (2245), 20200584.

• S. Gkantonas, J. M. Foale, A. Giusti, E. Mastorakos. (2020) Soot Emission Simulations of a Single Sector Model Combustor Using Incompletely Stirred Reactor Network Modeling. Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power 142 (10), 101007.

• S. Gkantonas, M. Sirignano, A. Giusti, A. D'Anna, E. Mastorakos. (2020) Comprehensive Soot Particle Size Distribution Modelling of a Model Rich-Quench-Lean Burner. Fuel 270,117483.

PhD thesis

• S. Gkantonas. (2021) Predicting Soot Emissions with Advanced Turbulent Reacting Flow Modelling. PhD thesis, University of Cambridge.​

Conference proceedings​

• B. Harikrishnan, S. Gkantonas, E. Mastorakos. (2024) LES-DCMC of dual-fuel ignition problems. AIAA SciTech 2024 Forum, Orlando, Florida.

• S. Gkantonas, E. Mastorakos. (2023) Stochastic representation of the effects of micromixing on soot in turbulent non-premixed flames. Proceedings of the 14th International ERCOFTAC Symposium, Barcelona, Spain.

• S. Gkantonas, D. Fredrich, A. Giusti, E. Mastorakos. (2023) Modelling of soot and NOx emission from a lean azimuthal flame (LEAF) aeronautical model combustor using incompletely stirred reactors. Proceedings of the 15th International Conference on Combustion Technologies for a Clean Environment (CleanAir), Lisbon, Portugal.

• J. E. Petersen, S. Kapur, S. Gkantonas, E. Mastorakos, A. Giusti. (2023) Modelling and optimisation of extinction actions for wildfire suppression. Proceedings of the 12th Mediterranean Combustion Symposium, Luxor, Egypt.

• M. J. Haugen, S. Gkantonas, I. El Helou, R. S. Pathania, E. Mastorakos, A. M. Boies. (2022) Particle measurements from in-use maritime traffic using an unmanned aerial vehicle in Rafina, Greece. Transport Research Arena Conference, Lisbon, Portugal.

• S. Gkantonas, S. Jella, S. Iavarone, P. Versailles, E. Mastorakos, G. Bourque. (2022) Estimation of Autoignition Propensity in Aeroderivative Gas Turbine Premixers Using Incompletely Stirred Reactor Network Modelling. Proceedings of the ASME Turbo Expo, Rotterdam, Netherlands.

• S. Iavarone, S. Gkantonas, S. Jella, P. Versailles, S. Yousefian, R. F. Monaghan, E. Mastorakos, G. Bourque. (2022) Quantification of Autoignition Risk in Aeroderivative Gas Turbine Premixers Using Incompletely Stirred Reactor and Surrogate Modelling. Proceedings of the ASME Turbo Expo, Rotterdam, Netherlands.

• S. Iavarone, S. Gkantonas, A. Giusti, E. Mastorakos. (2022) Data-Driven Incompletely Stirred Reactor Network Modeling of an Aero-Engine Model Combustor. Proceedings of the 13th International ERCOFTAC Symposium, Rhodes, Greece.

• S. Trivedi, S. Gkantonas, Yuri M. Wright, Matteo Parravicini, Christophe Barro, E. Mastorakos. (2021) Conditional Moment Closure approaches for Simulating Soot and NOx in a Heavy-Duty Diesel Engine. SAE 15th International Conference on Engines and Vehicles, Capri, Italy.

• A. Gandomkar, S. Gkantonas, A. Svoboda, T. A. McManus, C. Carter, P. M. Allison. (2021) New perspectives of turbulent flame structure via CH PLIF in prevaporized liquid fuels. 12th U.S. National Combustion Meeting, Virtual.

• A. Gandomkar, S. Gkantonas, J. Schihl, T. A. McManus, C. Carter, P. M. Allison. (2021) Fuel Effects on Turbulent Premixed Jet Flame Topology as Resolved by CH PLIF Imaging. AIAA SciTech Forum, Virtual.

• S. Gkantonas, J. M. Foale, A. Giusti, E. Mastorakos. (2020) Soot Emission Simulations of a Single Sector Model Combustor Using Incompletely Stirred Reactor Network Modeling. Proceedings of the ASME Turbo Expo, Virtual.

• A. Gandomkar, S. Gkantonas, J. Schihl, T. A. McManus, C. Carter, P. M. Allison. (2020) Non-unity Lewis Number Effects on Curvature Statistics in Prevaporized, Turbulent Liquid Fuel Jet Flames: Curvature Calculation Methodology. Spring Technical Meeting of the Central States Section of The Combustion Institute, Virtual. 

• S. Gkantonas, A. Giusti, E. Mastorakos. (2020) Incompletely Stirred Reactor Network Modeling of a Model Gas Turbine Combustor. AIAA SciTech Forum, Orlando, Florida, USA.

• S. Gkantonas, A. Giusti, E. Mastorakos. (2019) Incompletely Stirred Reactor Network Modelling for Soot Emissions Prediction in Aero-Engine Combustors. Proceedings of the International Workshop on "Clean Combustion: Principles and Applications, Darmstadt, Germany.

• S. Gkantonas, M. Sirignano, A. Giusti, A. D'Anna, E. Mastorakos. (2019) Comprehensive Soot Particle Size Distribution Modelling of a Model Rich-Quench-Lean Burner. Proceedings of the 11th Mediterranean Combustion Symposium, Tenerife, Spain.

• S. Gkantonas, A. Giusti, E. Mastorakos. (2018) A Numerical Study of Soot Evolution in a Lab-Scale Rich-Quench-Lean Burner. Proceedings of the 12th International ERCOFTAC Symposium, Montpellier, France.

• A. Giusti, S. Gkantonas, J. M. Foale, E. Mastorakos. (2018) Numerical Investigation of flame structure and soot formation in a lab-scale Rich-Quench-Lean burner. Proceedings of the ASME Turbo Expo, Oslo, Norway.

Conferences, meetings, talks​​

• S. Gkantonas, G. Efstathiou, A. Giusti, E. Mastorakos. (2023) Modelling of Wildland-Urban-Interface (WUI) wind-driven fires with slope effects. Joint Meeting of the Belgian and Italian Sections of The Combustion Institute: Combustion for Energy Transition and Sustainable Mobility, Florence, Italy.

• S. Gkantonas. (2023) Solutions of fluid and particle age in turbulent reacting flows. Quarterly teleconferences of the International Sooting Flame Workshop on Turbulent Flames, online.

• P. M. de Oliveira, S. Gkantonas, E. Mastorakos. (2022) Hydrogen LEAF combustor: emissions performance and flame dynamics. 39^th International Symposium on Combustion, Vancouver, Canada.

• G. Efstathiou, S. Gkantonas, A. Giusti, E. Mastorakos. (2022) Simulation of the December 2021 Marshall fire with a hybrid stochastic Lagrangian-cellular automata model. 39^th International Symposium on Combustion, Vancouver, Canada.

• S. Gkantonas, P. M. de Oliveira, E. Mastorakos. (2022) Stirred reactor calculations of NOx emission from hydrogen gas turbine combustors. 2^nd Low-Carbon Combustion Conference, Cambridge, UK.

• P. Wolfram, P. Kyle, X. Zhang, S. Gkantonas, S. Smith. (2022) Ammonia as a maritime shipping fuel: do the benefits outweigh the risks? Workshop on the potential and impacts of the uptake of novel energy carriers, International Transport Forum, Virtual.

• S. Gkantonas, E. Mastorakos. (2021) Effects of micromixing in the near-field evolution of a chemically reactive plume behind a ship. 13th International ERCOFTAC Symposium, Rhodes, Greece.

• S. Gkantonas, M. Sirignano, A. Giusti, A. D'Anna, E. Mastorakos. (2021) Simulating soot particle size distributions evolution in non-premixed turbulent jet flames. 5th International Sooting Flame Workshop, Virtual.

• S. Gkantonas, A. Giusti, E. Mastorakos. (2021)  Predicting soot emissions from aero-engine model combustors using Incompletely Stirred Reactor Networks. 5th International Sooting Flame Workshop, Virtual.

• S. Gkantonas, A. Giusti, E. Mastorakos. (2020) Soot emissions prediction in aero-engine combustors using Incompletely Stirred Reactor Network modelling. UK Consortium on Turbulent Reacting Flows: annual meeting, Virtual.

• M. J. Haugen, I. El Helou, S. Gkantonas, E. Mastorakos, A. M. Boies. (2020) Standardising Unmanned Aerial Vehicle use for Emission Monitoring. Coordinating Research Council on Real-world Emissions, San Diego, California, USA.

• S. Gkantonas, A. Giusti, E. Mastorakos. (2019) Incompletely Stirred Reactor Network Modelling for Soot Emissions Prediction in Aero-Engine Combustors. Current Research in Combustion Forum, Institute of Physics Combustion Physics Group, Sheffield, UK.

• S. Gkantonas, A. Giusti, E. Mastorakos. (2019) Soot Emission Simulations Using Incompletely Stirred Reactor Network Modelling. 14th International Conference on Energy for a Clean Environment, Funchal, Madeira, Portugal.

• S. Gkantonas, M. Sirignano, A. Giusti, A. D'Anna, E. Mastorakos. (2018) Simulation of the evolution of soot particle size distributions in a lab-scale Rich-Quench-Lean burner. 4th International Sooting Flame Workshop, Dublin, Ireland.

• S. Gkantonas, I. El Helou, A. Giusti, A. W. Skiba, E. Mastorakos. (2018) Numerical and experimental investigation of soot evolution in a Rich-Quench-Lean burner. Cambridge Particle Meeting, Cambridge, UK.

• J. M. Foale, S. Gkantonas, A. Giusti, E. Mastorakos. (2017) Numerical investigation of flame structure and soot formation in a lab-scale Rich-Quench-Lean burner. Current Research in Combustion Forum, Institute of Physics Combustion Physics Group, London, UK.