Supervisor:
Dr. Suresh Perinpanayagam
Duration of award:
3 year
Award type:
PhD
Application deadline:
20^th December 2013
Start Date:
ASAP

*Supported by the IVHM Centre at Cranfield University, this studentship will cover the tuition fees at the UK/EU rate and provide a bursary of up to £14,000 p.a. (tax free) for three years.

Cranfield University have an exciting research opportunity in the Integrated Vehicle Health Management Centre (IVHM Centre).The successful applicant will work in the fields of physics of failure and condition monitoring.

IVHM uses on-board sensors to obtain data on the condition of aircraft components which are then analysed to detect faults and even predict when failures will occur. This information is then used to improve the management of maintenance operations. Physics of failure comprise a series of techniques to obtain a better understanding of the failure mechanisms of system, their precursors, and, ultimately, to develop models and algorithms to inform maintenance decisions.

Integrated Drive Generators (IDG) are part of an airplane’s electric system and are used to extract mechanical energy from each turbine and convert it into electrical power. The amount of electrical power per passenger increases with each new generation of aircraft as mechanical and hydraulic systems are being progressively replaced by electric alternatives. The reliability of IDGs will become even more critical for future airplanes as manufacturers explore the use of distributed propulsion and the power demand for control and cabin systems continues to increase.   

IDGs are complex systems that are comprised of mechanical, electrical and electronics. The research project will focus on researching the most critical failure modes in order to develop diagnostic and prognostic tools for IDGs. The project will involve both theoretical and experimental work that should lead to developing a viable health monitoring solution to be implemented in an industrial setting.

Entry Requirements
First-class or upper second-class degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, or Electrical Engineering. Good interpersonal and communication skills and computer literacy. International students will have to provide a certificate to proof their level of English as required by Cranfield University.

Funding
*Applicants must have:

• no restrictions on how long you can stay in the UK and
• have been ‘ordinarily resident’ in the UK for 3 years prior to the start of the grant and
• not been residing in the UK wholly or mainly for the purpose of full-time education. (This does not apply to UK or EU nationals).

All EU nationals are eligible to receive a fees-only award if they do not have ‘settled status’ in the UK.

All non-EU nationals are very unlikely to be eligible for this funding under the Education (Fees and Awards) Regulations 1997.

How to apply
If you have any questions regarding the details of the project contact Manuel Esperon (m.esperonmiguez@cranfield.ac.uk).

If you are eligible to apply for this research studentship, please complete the online application via the Apply’ button below. 

For further information contact us today:
School of Applied Sciences
T: +44 (0)1234 754086
E: appliedsciences@cranfield.ac.uk

Please note that we are unable to consider submissions for specific research studentships that fall outside of the stated eligibility criteria.