
Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Polifke
Academic Career and Research Areas
The main research areas of the Professorship of Thermo-Fluid Dynamics from Prof. Polifke (b. 1962) are thermo-acoustic (combustion) instabilities, aeroacoustics as well as mixing and reaction in turbulent flows.
Prof. Polifke studied physics at the University of Regensburg, the University of Colorado in Boulder and the City University of New York (1981-87). He received his doctoral degree from the City University of New York (1990). His doctoral thesis dealt with the helicity of turbulent flows. After that, he spent almost ten years at ABB’s research center in Baden-Dättwil, Switzerland working on fundamental aspects of combustion technology. In 1999, Prof. Polifke was appointed professor at TUM. Since 2016 he has been editor-in-chief of the Int'l. J. of Spray and Combustion Dynamics.
Awards
- Fellow of The Combustion Institute (2021)
- Goldene Lehre (2. Platz) Preis der Fachschaft Maschinenwesen für gute Lehre (2002/2004/2006)
- Best Application Paper Award (Combustion & Fuels Committee of ASME/IGTI) (1998)
Key Publications (all publications)
Polifke W: “Modeling and Analysis of Premixed Flame Dynamics by Means of Distributed Time Delays”. Prog. Energy Combust. Sci. 2020; 79: 100845.
AbstractEmmert T, Bomberg S, Jaensch S, Polifke W: “Acoustic and Intrinsic Thermoacoustic Modes of a Premixed Combustor”. Proceedings of the Combustion Institute. 2017; 36: 3835–3842.
AbstractStrobio Chen L, Bomberg S, Polifke W: "Propagation and Generation of Acoustic and Entropy Waves Across a Moving Flame Front". Comb. and Flame. 2016; 166: 170-180.
AbstractTay-Wo-Chong L, Zellhuber M, Komarek T, Im HG, Polifke W: “Combined Influence of Strain and Heat Loss on Premixed Flame Stabilization”. Flow, Turbulence and Combustion. 2015; 97: 263–294.
AbstractKomarek T, Polifke W: “Impact of Swirl Fluctuations on the Flame Response of a Perfectly Premixed Swirl Burner”. J. Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power. 2010; 132: 061503.
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