PhD Research Studentship in Airframe Aerodynamics and Control using Electric Ducted Fans.

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As part of the global push for the electrification of aviation, electric ducted fans (EDFs) are gaining increasing use to propel novel concepts emerging in the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) sector and beyond. In addition to use as an alternative means for thrust generation, the reduced weight of an EDF, compared to a turbofan, also makes it viable to rotate EDF units for UAM eVTOL operation. In this case, the number of EDF units and their location within an air-vehicle configuration, must be considered from the outset as part of the overall air-vehicle design. Unconventional placement, combined with the possibility for rotation, means the aerodynamic and propulsion installation effects between an EDF and the airframe must be fully considered. These interactions will vary for differing operating conditions and differing throttle settings, with the potential to lead to critical control conditions. Transition from hover to forward flight will represent a particularly challenging requirement. However, there are also opportunities to utilise the interaction effects in a beneficial way, such as use of EDFs as alternative or supplemental control effectors, either directly by thrust vectoring and/or indirectly through localised powered airframe effects. This leads to an increased need to incorporate flight control design, alongside aerodynamics and propulsion installation, in overall air-vehicle design decisions. The project will undertake research utilising aerodynamic simulation, combined with flight control models, to investigate overall air-vehicle UAM design employing EDF modules. The project will benefit through close collaboration with Blue Bear Systems Research Ltd together with the wider research team within the Centre for Aerodynamics and Environmental Flow at the University of Surrey.