About the project
Ultra High Bypass Ratio (UHBR) aeroengines offer a pathway to quieter, more efficient aviation. However, their larger and slower fans introduce new challenges for broadband noise. Using high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics (CFD), this project will identify the turbulence characteristics that drive fan broadband noise and develop fast, accurate models for future aeroengine design.
Fan wake turbulence interacting with outlet guide vanes (OGVs) is a major source of broadband noise in UHBR aeroengines. Current semi-analytical engineering models rely on simplified representations of the wake turbulence, which may not fully capture the highly non-uniform and anisotropic characteristics of realistic fan wakes. As UHBR designs push towards larger fans and shorter rotor-stator spacing, accurately representing these wake characteristics becomes increasingly important for reliable broadband noise prediction.
This project will employ scale-resolving CFD, such as Large Eddy Simulation (LES) or Detached Eddy Simulation (DES), to simulate representative fan-OGV stages at low-speed conditions. The fan wake will be characterised in terms of turbulence intensity, integral length scales, velocity spectra and spatial coherence, with particular emphasis on their spanwise variation. The predicted turbulence characteristics will be validated against available experimental data. The unsteady OGV loading and broadband acoustic response will then be analysed to quantify how different turbulence characteristics influence broadband noise generation across frequencies and duct modes. The findings will identify the turbulence statistics most relevant to broadband noise prediction. These insights will inform improved semi-analytical engineering models, which will be assessed against existing approaches and experimental data to demonstrate improved prediction accuracy.
The project is jointly funded by Rolls-Royce and the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Sustainable Sound Futures. You'll be hosted within the Rolls-Royce University Technology Centre (UTC) in Propulsion Systems Noise at the Institute of Sound and Vibration Research (ISVR), University of Southampton. The UTC is a world-leading hub for aeroacoustics research, offering close collaboration with the global Rolls-Royce noise engineering team in the UK and Germany. Find out more about our research.
Training will be tailored to your background and needs, with opportunities to develop expertise throughout the project. We value curiosity, collaboration, persistence and a willingness to learn.
The School of Engineering is committed to promoting equality, diversity inclusivity as demonstrated by our Athena SWAN award. We welcome all applicants regardless of their gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or age, and will give full consideration to applicants seeking flexible working patterns and those who have taken a career break. The University has a generous maternity policy, onsite childcare facilities, and offers a range of benefits to help ensure employees’ well-being and work-life balance. The University of Southampton is committed to sustainability and has been awarded the Platinum EcoAward.
