Research themes
Prof A Turan
Developed advanced computational techniques for a variety of applications including the development of a comprehensive gas turbine combustor analysis procedure, (as well as various case studies in fundamental and engineering research primarily in the area of power generation). Researched the internal aerodynamics of ramjets with emphasis on developing analytical tools describing swirl and turbulence effects. Investigated interchangeability parameters applicable to various burner configurations and analytical studies of multi-phase effects in ramjets, gas turbine combustors, boilers and power related equipment. Managed a variety of modelling studies for major gas turbine manufacturers and agencies including NASA, DoD and DoE. Successfully completed a computational fluid dynamics study concerning the fundamental description of the fouling process in coal fuelled boilers. Contributed in a major way towards design and development of low emission gas turbines with special emphasis on combustion instability phenomena. Managed all facets of technology development activities for a major chemical processing company. Recently, Chair holder in Thermodynamics of Power Generation.
Dr A P Watkins
- The application of advanced turbulence and combustion models to the flows in internal combustion engine chambers
- Modelling of high-speed direct-injection diesel, gasoline direct-injection (GDI) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) sprays
- The development of a new spray model based on moments of the number size distribution of the drops
- The development of a statistically-based spray wall impaction model for application with the moments approach to spray modelling
- The development of a fully-integrated spray wall impaction heat transfer model
- Development of a transient electrically-charged spray code
- Application of charged sprays to GDI and LPG engines
- Application of charged sprays to agricultural spraying systems
- The modelling of the flow of saturated and superheated pressurised liquids within and from medical devices and pressure vessels
- Development of agglomeration models for spray drying.
Dr Y Zhang
- Digital and optical flow visualisation
- Digital image and signal processing of flame dynamics and structure
- High temperature measurement and monitoring
- Flame and acoustic wave interactions
- Combustion instability
- Innovative flow diagnostics and data processing
- Terahertz wave visualisation of sooty flame at high pressure
- Flight dynamics of insects and flies
- Sports dynamics measurements.
Dr B Axcell
- Film boiling
- Heat transfer in novel insulation materials
- Buoyant convection in an annulus
- Boron dilution transients in pressurized water reactors
- Carbon diffusion in steels
- Radioactive emissions from coal-fired power stations
Dr R Prosser
- Simulation of Combustion:
- DNS of combustion
- Time dependent boundary conditions for compressible, turbulent, reacting flows
- Advanced wavelet based numerical methods for the simulation of flame structures
- Stiff integration methods for the resolution of complex chemical kinetics - LES:
- Prediction the broad band noise produced by the trailing edge of an in-car fan
- Presumed PDF approaches to model turbulent combustion (CD-Adapco/ TCS funded)
- Numerical issues regarding adaptive meshes for LES, and the specification of turbulent inflow conditions - General CFD/experimental projects:
- Mixing in Non-Newtonian fluids applications
Dr K Kontis
- Experimental aerodynamics: subsonic, transonic, supersonic and hypersonic vehicles
- Flow control: separation, boundary layer and circulation control, passive and active devices, MEMS, smart coatings, micro-fluidics etc
- Shock wave related phenomena: transonic, supersonic and hypersonic flows, glancing interactions, shock tube flows, shock-vortex interactions, shock-structure interactions etc
- Development and application of advanced flow measurement techniques: pressure and temperature sensitive paint systems, LIF, ultra-high speed schlieren photography, holographic interferometry, LITA, PIV, Filtered Rayleigh, liquid crystals
- Missile/projectile and aircraft aerodynamics at high incidence
- Fundamental studies on incompressible and compressible flow structures: hydrodynamic instabilities, transition, turbulence
- Engine intake and exhaust configurations and CFD simulations