Fluid-Structure Interactions for Wings in Separated Flows

Applications are invited for fully funded studentship (£14296 (2016-7 rate) tax free stipend, plus £3,000 training support fund and fees paid) to start in October 2017 in the field of unsteady aerodynamics and fluid structure interactions.

Flutter is where inertial forces combine with unsteady aerodynamic forces to drive structures in aeroelastic resonance with potentially fatal consequences. Flutter is well established and modelled for attached flows but at high angles of incidence or during high plunge velocities the flow can become massively separated. This changes the unsteady aerodynamic forces completely and is poorly understood. This project will investigate the FSI of wings in separated flows through experimental measurements using the water and wind tunnel facilities at the University of Bath. These measurements will include both unsteady force and volumetric velocimetry using EPSRC strategic equipment (EP/K040391/1 and EP/M000559/1). It is an extension to a current EPSRC project (EP/M022307/1) investigating reduced order models for highly vortical, separated flows of rigid bodies supported by Airbus. The primary purpose of this project is to improve aircraft flutter modelling. In addition FSI in separated flows may prove to be a viable source of energy extraction for power generation.

If interested please contact Dr David Cleaver ([Email Address Removed]) or Prof. Ismet Gursul ([Email Address Removed]) for further details. These studentships are competitively awarded in a series of panels, so the sooner you apply the greater the probability of success.

Candidate Requirements: Applications are welcomed from UK and EU students who have, or would expect to obtain, a good undergraduate degree (BEng or MEng) in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mathematics or equivalent. To be eligible for the full stipend EU applicants must have been resident in the UK for a period of at least 3 years at the time of application.