LIFSE

What LIFSE does

LIFSE (Laboratoire d'Ingénierie des Fluides et des Systèmes Énergétiques, also known as the Fluid Engineering and Energy Systems Laboratory) is a public research laboratory hosted by ENSAM (Arts et Métiers ParisTech) at 151 boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75013 Paris, with affiliations to both ENSAM and CNAM. The lab focuses on fluid engineering, turbomachinery design, multiphase flows, aeroacoustics, cavitation, additive manufacturing, and energy systems including ORC and wind applications, and operates the eight-section Confluence technology platform that houses a Paris-only closed-circuit wind tunnel (built 1952), hydrodynamic tunnels, a semi-anechoic chamber, thermal machines, ORC circuits, a counter-rotating compressor test bench, rheology/biofluid benches, and an ISO 17025:2017-accredited Dynamic Metrology Laboratory.

LIFSE develops an in-house portfolio of proprietary research codes — CFDkit 2D/3D (high-order finite volume solvers for CAA/CFD), PolySPH (SPH solver for multiphase flows and rotomolding), LT-Noise (Ffowcs Williams & Hawkings acoustic solver for rotating machines), the TurboKit suite (Axial, Centrifugal/Turbine, Throughflow), SCSA (semi-classical signal processing for surge/cavitation detection), and SolidTrans (Lagrangian particle transport with penalization) — that are shared with collaborators but not commercialized.

LIFSE is not a commercial enterprise: it is funded by public research grants (notably the ANR-funded ALTOS project, ANR-24-CE05-6478), multi-year industrial chairs with Safran Aircraft Engines (BELISAMA, launched April 2023) and Valeo (ISYTHERM, since 2018 with a renewed 5-year term), additional industrial contracts with Renault and Decathlon, doctoral training, and continuing-education programs (Diplôme d'Ingénieur en Energétique via CNAM). Its customer base spans aerospace (Safran), automotive thermal systems (Valeo, Renault), consumer goods (Decathlon), defense biomedical (IRBA), and academic partners (Sorbonne Université, École Polytechnique). Sofiane Khelladi has directed the lab since 2020.

Name

LIFSE

Legal name

Ecole Nationale Supérieure d'Arts et Métiers (ENSAM)

Website

https://lifse.artsetmetiers.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

LIFSE is a public fluid-engineering research laboratory at ENSAM Arts et Métiers Paris that develops proprietary CFD/turbomachinery codes (CFDkit, TurboKit, PolySPH, LT-Noise, SCSA) and operates the Confluence experimental platform, serving aerospace, automotive, and academic partners through public grants and industrial chairs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Engineering Research Services

NAICS

Measuring, Dispensing, and Other Pumping Equipment Manufacturing (333914), Pump and Compressor Manufacturing (33391)

SIC

Pumps & Pumping Equipment (3561), Industrial & Commercial Fans & Blowers & Air Purifing Equip (3564), Cogeneration Services & Small Power Producers (4991)

akta.pro primary industry

Pneumatic Components (FRLs, Cylinders, Valves) (IMAHAGAC)

Keywords

• Computational fluid dynamics
• Turbomachinery design research
• Fluid mechanics research
• Energy systems engineering
• Aeroacoustics research

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Research Grants and Public Funding: LIFSE operates as a public research laboratory funded through ANR (French National Research Agency) projects, government research programs, and institutional funding from ENSAM and CNAM
2. Industrial Contracts: Applied research contracts with industrial partners including Safran Aircraft Engines (BELISAMA chair), Valeo (ISYTHERM chair), and other companies for turbomachinery development and testing
3. Education and Training: Revenue from engineering education programs, doctoral training, and continuing education courses delivered through ENSAM and CNAM partnerships

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

LIFSE is a public research laboratory that conducts experimental and computational research in fluid engineering and energy systems, with a focus on turbomachinery, multiphase flows, aeroacoustics, cavitation, and energy systems. The laboratory develops proprietary computational codes (CFDkit, PolySPH, TurboKit suite, LT-Noise, SCSA, SolidTrans) and operates the CONFLUENCE technology platform providing experimental infrastructure including wind tunnels, ORC circuits, anechoic chambers, and a national-reference dynamic metrology laboratory.

Product overview

LIFSE (Laboratoire d'Ingénierie des Fluides et des Systèmes Énergétiques) is a research laboratory at ENSAM Arts et Métiers Paris specializing in fluid engineering and energy systems. The laboratory offers a portfolio of research software tools (CFDkit, PolySPH, LT-Noise, TurboKit suite, SCSA, SolidTrans) for computational fluid dynamics, aeroacoustics, turbomachinery design, and particle transport. These software products are complemented by the CONFLUENCE technological platform, which provides experimental infrastructure including wind tunnels, hydrodynamic test rigs, thermal/ORC installations, acoustic chambers, and metrology facilities. The laboratory operates as part of the Carnot Arts institute network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CFDkit 2D/3D Ensemble of high-order finite volume solvers 2D/3D for Computational AeroAcoustics (CAA) and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) applications, developed in-house at LIFSE for research use.
• PolySPH 2D/3D Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) solver for multiphase flows, including a version for rotational molding of thermoplastic and reactive polymers.
• LT-Noise Acoustic solver based on Ffowcs Williams & Hawkings aeroacoustic analogy, designed for rotating machines such as fans, compressors, and turbines.
• TurboKit Suite (Axial, CT, Throughflow) Suite of turbomachinery design and analysis tools including TurboKit-Axial (sizing and analysis for axial turbomachines with geometric optimization), TurboKit-CT (sizing and analysis for centrifugal compressors and centripetal turbines with geometric optimization, surge analysis, and acoustics), and TurboKit-Throughflow (2.5D stream curvature throughflow solver for compressible fluid turbomachines).
• SCSA (Semi-Classical Signal Analysis) Signal processing code based on a semi-classical approach for detection of surge and performance collapse in turbomachines under cavitation conditions.
• SolidTrans 2D/3D Lagrangian solid particle transport solver with fluid/particle feedback via penalization method for 2D and 3D simulations.
• Plateforme CONFLUENCE Technological platform for the design of fluid systems, energetics, and energy conversion, comprising 8 specialized sections: aerodynamic wind tunnel, hydrodynamic tunnels, thermal machines, semi-anechoic chamber, Zone Sheds installations, software valorization, Dynamic Metrology Laboratory (LMD), and rheology facilities. Part of the Carnot Arts institute platform network. Available to industrial and academic partners for collaborative research.
• Industrial Research Collaboration Services Applied research contracts and industrial chair programs (BELISAMA with Safran Aircraft Engines, ISYTHERM with Valeo) for collaborative R&D on turbomachinery, thermal systems, aeroacoustics, and energy efficiency. Includes co-development, testing on CONFLUENCE platform, and computational analysis.
• Engineering Education and Doctoral Training

Quantifiable outcome

• RAICOR counter-rotating compressor achieves maximum efficiency of ~73%
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature15 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• University of A Coruña (UDC)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 February 2024Partner in the Green-HUGS research project (jointly with UPM and CSIC) analyzing viability of geological formations for green hydrogen storage through numerical simulation and laboratory experiments.
• Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 February 2024Partner in the Green-HUGS research project analyzing viability of geological formations for green hydrogen storage through numerical simulation and laboratory experiments.
• Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 February 2024Partner in the Green-HUGS research project analyzing viability of geological formations for green hydrogen storage through numerical simulation and laboratory experiments.
• Safran Aircraft EnginescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 April 2023The BELISAMA industrial chair (Banc d'Etude LIFSE Safran AE pour les Moteurs d'Avenirs) focuses on mastering high-speed hydromechanical systems. The 5-year collaboration aims to advance centrifugal pump design, develop components using decarbonized fluids as kerosene alternatives, and optimize energy consumption. The partnership was officially inaugurated on April 27, 2023.
• ValeocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018The ISYTHERM chair (Ingénierie des Systèmes Thermiques pour la Mobilité Terrestre) has been working for 5 years on thermal system components, developing experimental platforms and modeling tools for thermal and aerodynamic component characterization. The new 5-year collaboration signed focuses on integrating AI into thermal turbomachine research for innovative next-generation designs.
• AMVALORcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAMVALOR is the valorization subsidiary of Arts et Métiers that manages the ISYTHERM chair with Valeo and other technology transfer activities.
• CNAM (Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLIFSE is affiliated with CNAM in addition to ENSAM. The partnership provides engineering education programs including the Diplôme d'Ingénieur en Energétique through CNAM's network of over 200 centers.
• Lodz University of Technology (Poland)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing cooperation between Lodz University and ENSAM with joint seminars and research activities in aerodynamics and turbomachinery.
• Renault GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustrial contracts for turbocharger research including studies on surge phenomenon and performance limits at low flow rates.
• CSTB (Centre Scientifique et Technique du Bâtiment)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative research on building aerodynamics, including wind interaction studies with buildings in urban environments.
• Institut Carnot ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLIFSE's Confluence technology platform is part of the Institut Carnot Arts network, providing a framework for technology transfer and applied research partnerships.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Institut P' (CNRS / Université de Poitiers): French academic lab active in fluid mechanics, turbomachinery, and energy systems with comparable industrial collaborations and Carnot affiliation — comparable in scale, mission, and sponsor mix.
• von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics: Belgian non-profit research institute focused on fluid dynamics, turbomachinery, and aeroacoustics; runs industrial training programs and applied research with aerospace partners — a near-perfect institutional analog to LIFSE.
• CERFACS: Toulouse-based French research center specializing in computational fluid dynamics, numerical simulation, and turbomachinery — directly comparable as an academic/industrial CFD lab with similar sponsor mix (aerospace majors).
• Whittle Laboratory (University of Cambridge): Leading academic turbomachinery research group with deep industrial partnerships (Rolls-Royce, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries) and experimental rigs — comparable in mission, scope, and industry-academia integration.

Broad incumbents

• Safran Tech: Safran's central R&D division; LIFSE's BELISAMA sponsor and counterpart in applied turbomachinery and propulsion research — directly comparable research portfolio and facility footprint.
• Siemens Energy (Industrial Turbomachinery): Major OEM and in-house R&D performer in compressors and turbines; overlaps with LIFSE's turbomachinery themes as both customer-side researcher and indirect competitor for talent and grants.
• Ansys: Global commercial leader in CFD (Fluent, CFX) and turbomachinery simulation — sets the competitive ceiling that LIFSE's in-house CFD codes must differentiate against in industrial bids.
• Dassault Systèmes (SIMULIA): Commercial CFD/CAE vendor (Abaqus, PowerFLOW); relevant competitor context for any LIFSE software-licensing pivot and a participant in the same turbomachinery digital-twin ecosystem.
• ONERA: French national aerospace research center with broader aerospace mandate but overlapping expertise in aeroacoustics, turbomachinery, and CFD; competes for similar ANR and industrial funding pools in France.

Emerging players

• NUMECA International: Commercial CFD software vendor specializing in turbomachinery simulation (FINE/Turbo); relevant as the closest commercial comparator to LIFSE's TurboKit/CFDkit software stack.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/lifse_am
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lifse

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about LIFSE