About
Dr Sergi Pallejà Cabré is a Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellow at the Institute of Sound and Vibration Research, within the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences at the University of Southampton. He is a member of the Rolls-Royce University Technology Centre in Propulsion Systems, focusing on understanding and modelling propeller installation noise in novel aircraft architectures and noise reduction technologies. His research interests also include noise reduction in porous aerofoils, the aeroacoustics and aerodynamics of closely coupled rotors, and the characterisation and suppression of tip leakage noise in ducted fans.
Research
Research groups
Research interests
- Propeller interaction noise
- Fan broadband noise
- Duct acoustics
Current research
Propeller interaction noise
Multiple sources of noise have been identified for propeller-based vehicles used in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and Urban Air Mobility (UAM) sectors. Current research on this topic includes a fundamental approach to identify and characterise the dominant sources of noise in counter-rotating propeller systems and propellers installed close to a wing which will contribute to designing low-noise propulsion systems.
Fan broadband noise
Current research on this topic includes the development of ‘downstream porosity’ for the reduction of turbulence/aerofoil interaction noise. This treatment provides significant reductions of turbulence-aerofoil interaction noise with a minimal impact on aerodynamic efficiency. Other new noise reduction technologies are being investigated such as flexible aerofoil sections and have led to the filing of a patent.
Duct acoustics
The current research on duct acoustics is focused on the investigation of noise reduction treatments for fan noise, mainly Over-Tip-Rotor (OTR) liners and porous tip treatments. The work on OTR liners focuses on improving understanding of the physics involved in the noise suppression of this technology and its prediction through analytical formulations. Current work also includes the investigation of noise generation and mitigation in compact ducted propellers.
Research projects
Active projects
Publications
Teaching
My teaching activity is in module FEEG2003 - Fluid Mechanics. My responsibilities comprise the organisation of the Boundary Layer Lab and related assessment and the teaching of one tutorial group. I also co-supervise undergraduate IP projects (FEEG3003) and MSc research projects (FEEG6012) since 2021.
Biography
2024 – Present: Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellow, University of Southampton, UK
2021 – 2024: Research Fellow, University of Southampton, UK
2017 – 2020: Marie Skłodowska Curie Early Stage Researcher and PhD student, University of Southampton, UK
2016 – 2017: MSc in Aerospace Dynamics (Aerodynamics Option), Cranfield University, UK
2015 – 2017: MEng in Aeronautical Engineering, UPC BarcelonaTech, Spain
2015: Aerospace Engineer Intern (Jul-Aug), GMV Aerospace and Defence, Spain
2011 – 2015: BEng in Aerospace Vehicle Engineering, UPC BarcelonaTech, Spain
Prizes
- 2021 AIAA Aeroacoustics Best Student Paper Award (2021)
- 2021 AIAA Aeroacoustics Best Student Paper Award (2021)