The department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Bath is inviting applications for the following fully funded PhD project with enhanced stipend.
Please note that we may close this advert early if a suitable candidate is identified, so early application is encouraged.
Project
One of the most promising routes being explored to enhance the sustainability of the aerospace sector is a shift to hydrogen/electrically powered aircraft. The reduced cruise speeds, shorter flight distances and enhanced efficiency associated with these technologies means that turboprop engines are becoming the propulsion system of choice. Carbon fibre composites are widely used for turboprop propeller blade design, however at present the impact of defects in these parts are accommodated by conservative safety factors that result in overengineering.
This project will advance existing understanding of the impact of laminate wrinkling, the most common type of composite defect, on the material properties of propeller blades. This will involve the development of novel high-resolution experimental techniques to quantify mechanical property variations around these artefacts. The resulting insights will be embedded into software that is able to simulate wrinkles from scans of industrial parts to determine the impact on part performance. As well as reducing the high financial cost and environmental impact of unnecessarily scrapping parts, this will facilitate analysis on how future designs can be made more “defect tolerant”. This in turn will allow refinement of propeller part design, reduce overengineering and help more rapidly achieve zero carbon aviation.
The successful candidate will benefit from access to the advanced facilities, support structure and extensive composites expertise within the Integrated Materials, Processes and Structures Research Centre at the University of Bath. This will be supported by strong industrial engagement with Dowty Propellers, including secondments, access to parts, industrial scale equipment and testing facilities. In addition, the student will be exposed to state-of-the art techniques, including methods exploiting large research facilities (such as Diamond Light Source) and will therefore emerge as a world expert in a rapidly developing field.
Candidate Requirements
Applicants should hold, or expect to receive, a First Class or high Upper Second Class Honours degree (or the equivalent). A master’s level qualification would also be advantageous.
Experience in the following areas would be beneficial: · Composite Materials · Material Testing · Finite Element Modelling · Non-destructive testing
Non-UK applicants must meet our English language entry requirement.
Enquiries and Applications
Informal enquiries are welcomed and should be directed to Dr Alexander Lunt - [Email Address Removed]
Formal applications should be made via the University of Bath’s online application form for a PhD in Mechanical Engineering.
Please note that this is a generic application form. When completing the form, you must therefore identify your application as being for 'Dowty Propellors studentship' in Section 3 Finance (question 2), and you must quote the project title and lead supervisor’s name in the ‘Your research interests’ section. Failure to complete these steps will cause delays in the processing of you application and may result in you missing the application deadline.
More information about applying for a PhD at Bath may be found on our website.
Funding Eligibility
To be eligible for funding, you must qualify as a Home student. The eligibility criteria for Home fee status are detailed and too complex to be summarised here in full; however, as a general guide, the following applicants will normally qualify subject to meeting residency requirements:
- UK nationals (living in the UK or EEA/Switzerland),
- Irish nationals (living in the UK or EEA/Switzerland),
- Those with Indefinite Leave to Remain
- EU nationals with pre-settled or settled status in the UK under the EU Settlement Scheme.
This is not intended to be an exhaustive list. Additional information may be found on our fee status guidance webpage, on the GOV.UK website and on the UKCISA website.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
We value a diverse research environment and aim to be an inclusive university, where difference is celebrated and respected. We welcome and encourage applications from under-represented groups.
If you have circumstances that you feel we should be aware of that have affected your educational attainment, then please feel free to tell us about it in your application form. The best way to do this is a short paragraph at the end of your personal statement.
Keywords
Carbon fibre composites, wrinkles, defects, mechanical testing, simulation
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