Funding

Self-funded

Project code

SMDE5191021

Department

School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering

Start dates

October, February and April

Application deadline

Applications accepted all year round

Applications are invited for a self-funded, 3 year full-time or 6 year part-time PhD project.

The PhD will be based in the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering and will be supervised by Dr Jason Knight and Dr James Buick.

The work on this project could involve:

  • Wind tunnel testing of various wings with various spring loading to define aerodynamic characteristics
  • Modelling the motion using Star CCM+ CFD software combined with a structural solver
  • Generation of scaling laws and performance tables with application to motorsport wing or alternative

Dr Knight and Dr Buick at the University of Portsmouth have been using computational modelling to simulate a wide variety of fluid flow problems ranging from blood flow, convertible car roofs and hydrofoils. This timely and novel research project aims to advance knowledge and use of computational methods to predict aero-elastic effects of wings that purposively deform. These can be used in applications of drag reduction of cars whilst maintaining directional stability or shielding of workforce whilst maintaining ventilation. The development of scaling laws and high quality experimental results will be used to validate and further identify benefits that contribute towards a more efficient use of power and a more sustainable future.  Initially, agreement with the results from previous experimental and computational work (Knight, 2020) using a commercial CFD code will be found. The mechanical properties of the wing structure will be modified to determine its influence and provide performance characteristics using various aerodynamic loading and mounting configurations. Further integration of the methodology will be made to allow investigation for even more complex geometries to be studied. The effects of fibre orientation within the materials used for the wing surface will be studied to yield tailored performance characteristics. Such tailoring has been used in composite structures for forward swept wings and a similar approach will be used with wings to deform to prescribed shapes at particular wind speeds or aerodynamic loadings. In addition to automotive and motorsport, further applications of the technology could be applied for use in aviation, marine and other industrial environments that could provide potential employment prospects in the future. Background work can be found at Knight et al, 2020. Fluid-Structure Interaction of a Spring-Mounted Symmetrical Rigid Wing for Drag Reduction of Cars at Higher Wind Velocities.

Fees and funding

Visit the research subject area page for fees and funding information for this project.

Funding availability: Self-funded PhD students only. 

PhD full-time and part-time courses are eligible for the UK Government Doctoral Loan (UK and EU students only).

Bench fees

Some PhD projects may include additional fees – known as bench fees – for equipment and other consumables, and these will be added to your standard tuition fee. Speak to the supervisory team during your interview about any additional fees you may have to pay. Please note, bench fees are not eligible for discounts and are non-refundable.

Entry requirements

You'll need a good first degree from an internationally recognised university (minimum upper second class or equivalent, depending on your chosen course) or a Master’s degree in an appropriate subject. In exceptional cases, we may consider equivalent professional experience and/or qualifications. English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 with no component score below 6.0.

A keen interest in aerodynamics is essential backed up with some relevant project experience. Experience in wind tunnel testing, use of Star CCM+ CFD software and /or structural modelling would be an advantage.

How to apply

We’d encourage you to contact Dr Jason Knight (Jason.knight@port.ac.uk) to discuss your interest before you apply, quoting the project code.

Apply

When you are ready to apply, please follow the 'Apply now' link on the Mechanical and Design Engineering PhD subject area page and select the link for the relevant intake.

When applying please quote project code: SMDE5191021.