Department/faculty: Aerospace Engineering
Level: Master degree
Working hours: Maximum of 38 hours per week (1 FTE)
Contract: One year
Salary: Maximum of €2558 per month gross
The Aerodynamics group is composed of twelve scientific staff and hosts the Aerodynamics Chair and the Computational Fluid Dynamics Chair. The group has specific expertise in the field of advanced experimental and computational techniques for the analysis of aerodynamic systems, as well as in the advanced optimization of low-speed aerodynamics systems (airfoils). The group’s research is conducted collaboratively with European partners such as the European Space Agency (ESA), the German-Dutch Wind-Tunnels (DNW), LaVision GmbH and several other aerodynamics institutes.
Since 2000, an experimental aerodynamics team has concentrated on the development of advanced, non-intrusive measurement techniques such as Particle Image Velocimetry, InfraRed Thermography and Background Oriented Schlieren for the study of critical aerodynamic phenomena such as flow separation, transition to turbulence, and shock wave boundary layer interactions in the supersonic and hypersonic ranges.
The Aerodynamics laboratories are equipped with state-of-the-art wind tunnels with a large low-speed (low-turbulence) wind tunnel and high-speed transonic-supersonic tunnels up to hypersonic flows (Mach 11). A new low-speed large wind tunnel (Open Jet Facility) is being completed in 2008. The group has a 200 processor facility for parallel computing. The research activity above all maintains a high scientific profile and attention is given to the transfer and application of the developed technologies in real industrial situations. Visit www.lr.tudelft.nl/aerodynamics for an overview of current activities and relevant scientific publications. It is the intention of the Aerodynamics group to further explore new concepts in the field of experimental aerodynamics and aero-acoustics for which the FLOVIST project constitutes a perfect framework.
Job description
FLOVIST (Flow Visualization Inspired Aero-acoustics by Time-Resolved Tomographic Particle Image Velocimetry) is a 5-year project sponsored by the European Research Council (ERC) with a 1.5 million EUR grant. The project aims at developing and demonstrating an innovative experimental approach to investigate the sound produced by airflows around aircrafts.
The measurement of the unsteady behaviour of three-dimensional flows is of great interest within the scientific community and of practical relevance for several aerodynamic applications. Especially in complex flow configurations such as for aircrafts, propulsion systems or wind energy, systems operate under conditions where the flow is almost always turbulent and current diagnostic systems always return an incomplete description of the flow processes. Such difficulties remain a source of excitement and frustration for current researchers.
Today, with the proliferation of the most advanced air transport systems, attention remains focused upon increasing the aerodynamic efficiency and reducing the noise emissions to meet increasingly stringent noise-certifications and to pre-empt further regulatory burdens. In particular, aero-acoustics is becoming an area of increasing importance not only as a field of research in modern fluid dynamics, but especially in relation to aircraft aerodynamics (e.g. propeller and jet engines, helicopter cabin noise, undercarriages, etc.), including road vehicles. Moreover, the problem extends to the acoustic emission of many other aerodynamic systems for wind engineering applications, such as the noise produced by wind turbines or wind interaction with the built environment.
The research within the FLOVIST project requires the following development steps to be undertaken:
1) Realization of a global quantitative visualization tool by means of time-resolved three-dimensional velocimetry. This approach is based on the recently developed Tomographic PIV technique developed first at TU Delft (collaboration with LaVision GmbH)
2) Such a measurement system will be accompanied by data processing procedures enabling us to infer the instantaneous hydrodynamic pressure field from the kinematic flow properties (velocity and spatio-temporal derivatives). (cooperation with DNW)
3) Study and application of acoustic analogies for the visualization of the acoustic source pattern and correlation with the hydrodynamic field
4) Development of acoustic propagation algorithms in order to compare the sound pressure level obtained with respect to microphone measurements (collaboration with LMS)
5) Application to aircraft components aero-acoustic analysis, including propulsion systems (cooperation with NLR-DLR).
The activity is undertaken by a team of seven researchers and technical support people with expertise in aerodynamics, aero-acoustics, experimental methods (including laser optics and data systems), aircraft and propulsion technology. The work is embedded within the existing network with the National Aeronautical Laboratories (NLR), the German-Dutch wind tunnel consortium (DNW), the German Aerospace Agency (DLR), private companies (LaVision GmbH and Leuven Measurement Systems, LMS) and universities in the Netherlands (Eindhoven) and abroad.
Requirements
We seek candidates with an MSc degree in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering and with background in fluid mechanics, experimental methods, aero-acoustics. In particular the candidates should be familiar with optical measurement techniques and primarily PIV. An affinity for computer programming in Matlab or C languages, are an advantage. A good command of English is required, as well as initiative and communication skills. The candidate must be able to work autonomously and function as part of a team (including interaction with industrial partners) as well as supervise MSc graduation projects (starting from the 2nd year). The project is starting in mid 2008, therefore short term availability is a favourable condition.
Conditions of employment
Within the first year an evaluation will take place. Depending on the outcome of this evaluation, a three-year extension is possible.
TU Delft offers an attractive benefits package, including a flexible work week, free high-speed Internet access from home, and the option of assembling a customized compensation and benefits package (the ‘IKA’). Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities.
Information and application
For more information about this position, please contact Prof. dr. F. Scarano, phone: +31 (0)15 2785902, e-mail: f.sacarano@tudelft.nl. To apply, please e-mail a detailed CV along with a letter of application, references and publications list before June 30, 2008 to Bettie Ratuhaling, phone: +31 (0)15 2784501, e-mail: a.ratuhaling@tudelft.nl.
When applying for this position, make sure to mention vacancy number LR08-11.
January
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