Next-generation freight intermodal trains: an effective way to increase rail share and sustainability of inland transportation

Simona Gurrì is a Research Fellow at Politecnico di Torino working on reactive CFD of internal combustion engines fuelled by low-carbon alternatives (hydrogen, CNG, ethanol, methanol) for heavy-duty applications, with a line now extending toward ammonia. Her work combines combustion and turbulence modeling, chemical kinetics, and high-performance simulation, always validated against experimental engine data.

Her core expertise is in engine-scale combustion physics: in-cylinder turbulence-chemistry interactions, injection and mixture formation, and models that support the design and control of advanced internal combustion technologies. She employs CONVERGE CFD for 3D reactive simulations, GT-Power for 1D modeling, and Cantera for chemical kinetics and mechanism benchmarking, on CINECA HPC clusters.

Alongside engine CFD, a background in transportation and freight systems gives her a system-level perspective, connecting engine-scale choices to fleet and network performance — an uncommon dual grounding, directly relevant where engine and vehicle-system research converge. She is currently exploring postdoctoral and R&D opportunities in combustion, energy, and sustainable transport.