Postgraduate research project

Transition to turbulence in hypersonic flow applications

Funding
Competition funded View fees and funding
Type of degree
Doctor of Philosophy
Entry requirements
2:1 honours degree
View full entry requirements
Faculty graduate school
Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences
Closing date

About the project

You will join a group of PhD students and post-doctoral researchers using high performance computing to advance understanding of high speed aerodynamics. Over the past decade we have developed efficient open-source software that enables us to run large numerical simulations with billions grid points on mixed computer architectures including CPU and GPU machines. A current project is preparing the code set for the next generation of exascale computing, including development of tools for analysis of large data sets

Transition to turbulence is one of the key unknowns in high-speed aerodynamics, extending into the hypersonic flight regime. Limited experimental data, often only available for noisy wind tunnels, needs to be complemented with high fidelity numerical simulations. In this project we will consider a generalised cone-cylinder-flare configuration that includes transition to turbulence simultaneously with shock-wave/boundary-layer interactions. The methods used for the research will be stability theory, direct numerical simulation and modal analysis based on simulation databases. On the project you will gain skills in advanced computational methods and data processing, working alongside a diverse group of researchers. You will develop your writing and presentation skills and have the opportunity to present results at international conferences and interact with other groups around the world.