Technoeconomic Environmental Risk Assessments (TERA) of Advanced Aicraft and Propulsion Concepts

ULTIMATE (Ultra Low emission Technology Innovations for Mid-Century Aircraft Turbine Engines) (http://www.ultimate.aero/) is an EU Horizon 2020 collaborative project that aims to assess the potential of advanced propulsion technologies to meet the SRIA (Strategic Research and Innovation agenda) challenges to reduce the impact of civil aviation on the environment. The ULTMATE project partners include Rolls-Royce UK, Safran Aircraft Engines, GKN Aerospace, MTU, Chalmers University, the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Bauhaus Luftfahrt, ISAE, Arttic and Cranfield University.

The overall efficiency of an aero-engine can be improved by enhancing its thermal and/or propulsive efficiency. A state-of-the-art turbofan engine has an overall efficiency of approximately 40%. The three main loss sources are the combustor losses, the core exhaust losses and the bypass flow losses. ULTIMATE will aim to develop technologies to address these loss sources.

Following a down-selection of advanced propulsion technologies, within ULTIMATE, Cranfield University is assessing the potential of the following power plant configurations for advanced tube and wing aircraft concepts.

1. A pusher counter-rotating open rotor powerplant with intercooling and a nutating disc topping cycle (for short/medium range missions)
2. A geared turbofan with intercooling, inter-turbine reheat and a closed-circuit Rankine bottoming cycle with super-critical CO2 as the working fluid for the bottoming cycle (for long range missions)
3. A geared turbofan with intercooling, topping and bottoming cycles, a secondary combustor and a reverse-flow core arrangement (for long range missions)

The concepts will be assessed using a fully rigorous techno-economic environmental risk assessment (TERA) approach. The fuel burn and emissions benefits of the “ULTIMATE” configurations will be assessed relative to both Y2000 baseline and Y2050 Reference Configurations.

Details of the PhD Project
The proposed PhD project will contribute to the following tasks:

1. Development of advanced integrated aircraft and engine performance simulation models based on (but not limited to) the three configurations described above. This will comprise significant developments to both the engine and aircraft performance modelling software.
2. Higher fidelity modelling (both steady state/transient) of nutating discs and/or SCO2 bottoming cycle components.
3. Development and verification of engine general arrangement and preliminary weight estimation models for (but not limited to) the three configurations described above.
4. TERA assessments (design space exploration, parametric studies, sensitivity studies and multi-disciplinary optimisation studies) of the advanced aircraft and propulsion concepts.

Additionally the successful candidate will be expected to contribute to formal project deliverables and general project management activities (including technical leadership of some related MSc student projects). Close communication with the project partners is expected and any official visits to the project partners will be funded by the project.

Start Date: As soon as possible
Duration: Three Years

How to apply:
For further information please contact:

Dr. Vishal Sethi, E-mail: [Email Address Removed], T:+44(0)1234758270
Or
Dr. Devaiah Nalianda, E-mail: [Email Address Removed], T:+44(0)1234754742

The online application form is available at the following link: http://ccwebapps-dmz.dmz.cranfield.ac.uk/prospectuslinks/course/show.action;jsessionid=52DA0BE11F28782CE5A6264E519291B4?course=PhD+in+Aerospace

Deadline for Applications:
15th May 2017