Fluid Dynamics Technologies
Overview
Understanding of fluid dynamics is an essential aspect of many technologies related to atmospheric flight of aerospace vehicles and associated propulsion units. The Fluid Dynamics and Flow Control Technology Group encompasses expertise across a spectrum from fundamental turbulence mechanics though to understanding of the certification issues associated with the use of flow control systems on aircraft. The Group has a combination of world-class leadership in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) coupled with excellent experimental facilities and long term research partnerships with the aerospace industry. The group has a proven track record of delivering high quality science and of generating innovation that is of direct relevance to industry.
Fluid Dynamics
Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD
The CFD subgroup undertakes extensive computational research on external and internal aerodynamics including the aerodynamics of aircraft, helicopter, cars, and trains; flow and heat transfer in rotating components of gas-turbines and combustors. Within the subgroup there are various underpinning generic capabilities where individuals have international presence:
- Unstructured finite volumes for very complex geometries;
- High accuracy methods for representation of turbulence (Direct & large eddy simulations);
- Numerical issues resulting from local refinement, convection schemes, positivity of variables;
- Code-friendly advanced RANS statistical models (stable and accurate on any complex grid);
- Coupling statistical (RANS) & deterministic (LES) methods via hybrid models or domain decomposition;
- High accuracy methods for acoustics, non-reflecting boundary conditions;
- Moving geometries such as helicopter blades, turbine rotor-stator interaction, flow induced vibrations.
The subgroup also has close collaboration with professional software developers: CD-Adapco, ANSYS-CFX, NUMECA, TELEMAC, and EDF Code_Saturne.
Turbulence Mechanics
The aim of this subgroup is to advance understanding of turbulent heat and fluid flow processes and to develop mathematical models of turbulence suitable for reliable numerical simulation of industrial heat and fluid flow systems. The above aim is pursued through a variety of experimental and computational research projects related to the development of advanced statistical mathematical models of turbulence (RANS models) independent of flow topography to permit reliable flow and heat transfer computations in arbitrary geometries. Models include:
- Stress transport models, satisfying physical realizability conditions.
- Non-linear eddy-viscosity models, offering an inexpensive method of resolving turbulence anisotropy in many flows Significant goals are:
- The development of reliable and economical strategies for the inclusion of the effects of near-wall turbulence in the simulation of industrial flows
- The application and validation of the above modelling strategies in flows influenced by:
- Geometrical complexity
- Flow separation and reattachment
- Impingement
- Rotation
- Unsteadiness (forced and natural)
- Heat transfer
Advanced Flow Diagnostics and Instrumentation
This subgroup employs a range of advanced instrumentation to examine problems in aero-thermodynamics including:
- Optics and lasers
- High-speed photography and photonics
- Instrumentation for flows with combustion and/or shock waves.
Specific areas of current research and application include:
- Flow visualisation techniques in rotating flows
- Advanced heat-transfer and convective wall heat flux sensors
- Fluorescence, phosphorescence and liquid crystals, including pressure-sensitive paints
- Laser speckle and holography
- Laser-Doppler Anemometry (LDA) and Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV)
- High speed photography for flame instability, acoustics and their interaction
- Terahertz imaging,
Flow Control Technology
Overview
Successful flow control may be defined as the achievement of making a flow behave in a way that it would not ordinarily do so by the application of a minimum amount of energy or effort. The aim of the Flow Control Technology subgroup is to develop the means by which flow control capability is transitioned from laboratory demonstrations to practical flight hardware. This work encompasses both understanding of fundamental fluid mechanics and understanding of the engineering constraints that dictate the practical, commercial and regulatory viability of new aerospace technologies. As such, expertise within the group includes elements of advanced manufacturing, aircraft design and aircraft systems, as well as more traditional theoretical and experimental fluid dynamics expertise. Flow control application areas:
- Separation delay for improved deflected surface controls (high lift system, hinged flight controls) (EU, Airbus, BAESYSTEMS)
- Flapless flight controls for low observable flight vehicles based on flow control (Fluidic Thrust Vectoring, Circulation Control,
Flow Control Spoiler Systems (QinetiQ))
- Turbulent skin friction reduction
- Aeroacoustic noise reduction (Airbus UK)
Flow control actuator technology expertise
- Momentum injection devices
- devices powered by remote external air supply, e.g. air jet vortex generators, Circulation Control slots
- electrically powered devices that use mechanical transduction to deliver local fluid momentum, e.g. Synthetic Jet Actuators (SJAs)
- Geometric devices
- micro flow disrupters for promotion of separation, e.g. micro tabs
- micro flow mixers for delay of separation, e.g. vane vortex generators
Flow control sensor systems expertise
- Wireless distributed pressure sensors (BAESYSTEMS)
- MEMS hot film shear stress sensors (BAESYSTEMS)
- Acoustic tomography for non intrusive boundary layer measurement (Airbus UK)
Flow control implementation experience
- Evaluation and characterisation of MEMS flow control sensors and actuators under transonic conditions relevant to civil transport aircraft (Airbus UK)
- Development of micro gas turbine based pneumatic power systems for flow control applications (BAESYSTEMS/EPSRC)
- Flight demonstration of fluidic thrust vectoring and circulation control systems for low observable flight vehicles (BAESYSTEMS/EPSRC)
- Evaluation of systems and certification issues of MEMS-based flow control systems for civil transport aircraft (work in conjunction with Airbus, sponsored by EU)
Fluid Dynamics Facilities at the University of Manchester
- Linux clusters for CFD
- Rotating water flow rig for heat and fluid flow through rotating cooling passages and passages
- Stationary air flow facility for investigation of heat transfer in air-cooled passages
- Range of high quality subsonic wind tunnels with force balances and optical access, including a boundary layer research tunnel
- PIV and LDA systems
- Hypersonic and transonic wind tunnels with schlieren visualisation systems
- Shock tubes
- Combustion laboratory with burners and an industrial gas turbine combustor (1MW)
- Dedicated thermoacoustics laboratory
Postgraduate Study at the University of Manchester
Msc Theoretical and Applied Fluid Dynamics
This MSc aims to produce high quality graduates with specialist training in fluid dynamics who will be suitable for employment in the aerospace, mechanical, chemical, offshore and water engineering industries. Students undertake a mixture of topics in theoretical, computational, and experimental fluid mechanics.
MSc Thermal Power and Fluids Engineering
The University of Manchester has for many years provided an internationally recognized masters programme in thermal power and fluids engineering.
Our Thermal Power and Fluids Engineering programme aims to educate and train thermo-fluids engineers capable of meeting present and future demands of industry and to equip them with the advanced skills and knowledge to engage in employment or further postgraduate research.
Research Degrees
The School is a leading provider of postgraduate research programmes on an international level and can lay claim to some of the most important discoveries in the field of engineering.
Five broad academic themes are covered in the School:
- Dynamics, Structures and Design
- Fluids
- Management and the Built Environment
- Manufacturing
- Nuclear
Academic Staff
| Professor K Kontis | Advanced Flow Diagnostics and Instrumentation, Energy and Multiphysics, Turbulence Mechanics (FULL) |
| Name | Research Areas |
|---|---|
| Dr DD Apsley | Computational Fluid Dynamics, Turbulence Mechanics |
| Dr M Bane | |
| Mr D Cooper | Advanced Flow Diagnostics and Instrumentation, Energy and Multiphysics, Turbulence Mechanics |
| Dr M A Cotton | Turbulence Mechanics (ASSOC) |
| Dr T J Craft | Computational Fluid Dynamics, Turbulence Mechanics (ASSOC) |
| Dr W J Crowther | Experimental Aerodynamics (FULL) |
| Professor P Duck | Fluid Dynamics (I) |
| Dr I Dupere | |
| Dr A Filippone | Computational Fluid Dynamics (FULL) |
| Dr J Gajjar | Fluid Dynamics (ASSOC) |
| Professor N Gray | |
| Dr A Hazel | |
| Professor M Heil | |
| Professor H Iacovides | Computational Fluid Dynamics, Advanced Flow Diagnostics and Instrumentation, Turbulence Mechanics (ASSOC) |
| Dr A J Jaworski | Experimental Aerodynamics, Energy and Multiphysics (I) |
| Dr A Juel | |
| Dr G Lane-Serff | |
| Professor B E Launder | Turbulence Mechanics (ASSOC) |
| Professor D R P Laurence | Computational Fluid Dynamics (FULL) |
| Dr L Margetts | |
| Dr A Nasser | |
| Dr R Pinning | |
| Dr A Revell | |
| Dr B Rogers | |
| Professor D Silvester | |
| Professor P K Stansby | Computational Fluid Dynamics |
| Professor A Turan | Computational Fluid Dynamics, Energy and Multiphysics |
| Professor S V Utyuzhnikov | Computational Fluid Dynamics, Energy and Multiphysics, Turbulence Mechanics (ASSOC) |
| Dr S Zhong | Experimental Aerodynamics, Advanced Flow Diagnostics and Instrumentation (FULL) |
