Airbus/EPSRC Industrial CASE

Academic Supervisor: Professor Ning Qin, University of Sheffield
Industrial Supervisor: Mr Phillipe Garang, Airbus Operations Ltd.

Aerodynamic design optimisation is playing an increasingly important role in transport aircraft drag reduction, resulting in a reduction in aviation fuel usage and emissions. In aerodynamic optimisation, adjoint based optimisation allows for very detailed and efficient shape optimisation with hundreds or thousands of design variables.

This project focuses on parameterisation for Computer Aided Design (CAD) in the context of adjoint based aircraft optimisation. Effective representation of various aircraft components, from wing to fuselage, from nacelle to belly fairing, and their connections will be studied. The CAD parameterisation will be tested through actual aerodynamic optimisation of modern and novel aircraft shapes, in relation to their robustness, accuracy, efficiency and practicality.

Candidate Profile

The candidate should have or expect to obtain a good (1st or 2.i) aerospace, mechanical engineering, computer science or related physical science degree and should be enthusiastic about aerodynamic development, design optimisation and practical aerospace applications. Some experience in aerodynamics and/or computational fluid dynamics is preferred but not essential.

Further Information

This studentship is available from October 2013 for 3.5 years. The successful candidate will be expected to spend some time during their PhD at Airbus in Bristol, working with the company’s aerodynamicists and design engineers. The award covers tuition fees at the UK/EU rate and a tax-free stipend of £15,000 per year. Please note, the studentship is only available to UK and EU citizens due to funding restrictions.

To apply please send a copy of your CV to Professor N. Qin:

Professor Ning Qin
Department of Mechanical Engineering
University of Sheffield, Sheffield S1 3JD
Tel: 0114 2227718
Email: n.qin@sheffield.ac.uk