Design and modelling of sustainable, next generation aeroengines

Safran provides the world’s leading airframers with innovative and reliable propulsion systems. Efforts today focus on decreasing fuel consumption and maintenance costs, while designing more eco-responsible systems. Through CFM International (the 50/50 joint company between Safran Aircraft Engines and GE), Safran produce the LEAP® turbofan, successor to the best-selling CFM56®, with a reduction of 15% of CO2 emissions. The LEAP powers new-generation single-aisle commercial jets: the Airbus A320neo, Boeing 737 MAX and COMAC C919.

The ultimate goal of the collaborative research programme between Safran and the University of Bath is to make air transport safer and more environmentally friendly in tackling the challenge of climate change and contributing to the transition to carbon-neutral aviation by 2050. Improvements in engine performance are critical to realise this ambition.

One of the most important problems facing gas turbine designers today is the ingestion of hot mainstream gases into the wheel-spaces between turbine discs (rotors) and their adjacent casings (stators). Rim seals are fitted at the periphery of turbine cavities and superposed purge and leakage flows are used to prevent ingress. Through the project ‘Ingress through Gas Turbine Rim Seals 2’ (IRIS2), next generation rim seal technologies are to be developed, seeking to reduce the use of purge flow while minimising aerodynamic loss in the turbine.

Building on a successful collaboration between Safran and the University of Bath in this area between 2018 and 2024, this new programme of work will utilise an advanced multi-stage turbine test rig, fully instrumented to assess pressure, velocity, and concentration distributions within the turbine stage, to improve the understanding of its flow physics and modelling approaches. State-of-the-art experimentation will be coupled with computational fluid dynamics simulations to develop the modelling capability of the unsteady, three-dimensional flows occurring within the aeroengine stage.

The PhD candidate will join a growing team of turbomachinery researchers at Bath and work closely with academics and senior engineers at Safran Aircraft Engines. It is expected that the work will result in a series of technical publications at international conferences, in addition to frequent visits to the industrial collaborator in Paris.

This project is offered as part of the Centre for Doctoral Training in Advanced Automotive Propulsion Systems (AAPS CDT). AAPS CDT is supporting the future leaders of mobility. Bringing together industry, policymakers, academics and researchers to pioneer and shape the transition to clean, sustainable mobility for all.

Prospective students for this project will be applying for the CDT programme which integrates deep research with a unique skills and training programme to give you comprehensive training and detailed knowledge in your chosen specific subject area alongside colleagues working across a broad spectrum of challenges facing the industry.

The AAPS community is both stretching and supportive, encouraging our students to explore their research in a challenging and highly collaborative way. You will be able to work with peers from a diverse background, academics with real world experience and a broad spectrum of industry partners.

As part of our AAPS community you will benefit from our training activities such mentoring future cohorts and participation in centre activities such as masterclasses, research seminars, research incubators and guest lectures. There are also opportunities to undertake industrial placements and academic secondments.

All new students joining the CDT will be assigned student mentor and a minimum of 2 academic supervisors at the point of starting their PhD.

Funding is available for 3.5-years (full time equivalent) for Home students.

See our website to apply and find more details about our unique training programme (aaps-cdt.ac.uk)