ObjectivesThe Master of Science in Computational Fluid Dynamics course provides a solid background for graduates to be able to apply, in an educated manner, CFD as a design tool for engineering applications, providing excellent career opportunities across a broad range of industries. For graduates interested in an academic career the course provides an excellent basis from which to further specialise in the development and application of both numerical algorithms and physical models. This course has been designed to reflect the wide application of CFD. It covers a broad range of areas from aerospace, turbomachinery, multi-phase flow and heat transfer, to microflows, environmental flows and fluid-structure interaction problems. The course is organised in a modular fashion and is specifically designed to accommodate both full-time and part-time study
Course descriptionComputational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is the science of determining a numerical solution to the governing equations of fluid flow whilst advancing the solution through space and time to obtain a numerical description of the complete flow field of interest.
There has been considerable growth in the development and application of CFD to all aspects of fluid dynamics leading to CFD becoming a standard modelling tool widely utilised within industry. As a consequence there is a considerable demand for specialists in the subject, to apply and develop CFD methods throughout engineering companies and research organisations.
Department of Aerospace Sciences led by Professor Dimitris Drikakis, FRaES, FIoN, author of the “High Resolution Methods for Incompressible and Low Speed Flows” CFD textbook (Springer, 2004), has a broad range of expertise including, among other fields, Numerical methods development for computational science; Computational fluid dynamics; Computational & experimental aerodynamics; Transition, turbulence, instabilities and turbulent mixing modelling; Multi-species and multi-phase flows modelling; Computational heat transfer analysis; Shock-material interaction modelling; Environmental flows modelling; Computational fluid dynamics for automotive flows; Nanotechnology and nanoscience, eg fluid-material interfaces, micro/nanofluidics, particles transport.The Department has links with a number of several research establishments and industries such as: DSTL, AWE, UKAEA, MBDA, Rolls-Royce, Aston Martin, Formula 1 companies, Selex, Servomex, Malvern Instruments, Blue Bear Systems Research, Eaton Aerospace Ltd, Eurocopter (Germany), DLR (Germany), QinetiQ, BAE Systems, British Hydromechanics Research (BHR), Los Alamos National Lab (USA), National Physical Laboratory, Daresbury Laboratory, Turbomeca (France), Gamesa (Spain), Lambda GmbH (Austria), Lionix (The Netherlands), St Andrews Centre for Plastic Surgery and Burns (Essex), Guy’s and St Thomas’s NHS Trust (London), among others. The CFD research group comprises 41 researchers at the moment dealing with all aspects of fluid flow modelling, which creates an exciting environment to pursue CFD studies in.
Modes of study
The following course options are available:
* Postgraduate Certificate - Includes 60 credits of core modules. See Course Content for the detailed description of course modules and the credit system.
* Postgraduate Diploma - Includes a 100 credit taught component and a dissertation (PD Diploma).
* Master of Science - Includes a 100 credit taught component and an individual research thesis.
The following modes of study are available for any of the above options:
* Full-time - The course starts in October and takes a year to complete. Taught modules usually run until May, followed by work on the individual research thesis. Vivas normally take place at the beginning of September.
* Part-time - Similarly to the full-time option, the course also starts in October. However the course can be completed over two or three years. The choice of modules which are attended in a given year is discussed on a case-by-case basis, taking into account previous experience and work commitments of the student. The modular structure of the course is particularly suitable for part-time study. Furthermore if the current employer of a part-time student supports his or her studies, the thesis project is developed in consultation with the current employer. This provides additional flexibility and helps the part-time student manage his/her work and study commitments. These arrangements make the course an attractive option for Continuing Professional Development.
Core modules
The core part of the course consists of 11 modules. These modules are considered to represent the necessary foundation subject material. The first 8 modules form the Postgraduate Certificate qualification.
* Introduction to Fluid Mechanics & Heat Transfer
* Numerical Methods for PDEs
* Numerical Modelling for Steady & Unsteady Incompressible Flows
* Numerical Modelling for Steady & Unsteady Compressible Flows
* Classical Turbulence Modelling
* Advanced Turbulence Modelling and Simulation: LES & DNS
* High Performance Computing for CFD
* Managing Uncertainty in Simulations: Validation & Verification
* Grid Generation / CAD
* Data Analysis, Data Fusion & Post Processing
* The Role of Experimental Data in CFD
Optional modules
The course is designed to reflect the broad range of CFD applications by providing a range of optional modules to address specific application areas. MSc and PgDip students select 5 application modules from the following list:
* CFD for Aerospace Applications
* CFD for Micro and Nano Flows
* CFD for Rotating Wings
* CFD for Automotive Flows
* CFD for Multiphase Flows and Combustion
* CFD for Environmental Flows
* CFD for Fluid-Structure Interaction
Research projects
The individual research project allows students to demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate the existing research literature, to place their research into a theoretical and practical context and to exhibit knowledge and understanding of Computational Fluid Dynamics.
Research projects are offered in the areas of expertise in the Fluid Mechanics and Computational Sciences Group, Department of Aerospace Sciences. Tailored research projects can be developed to accommodate particular research interests and career aspirations of a student.
Selected examples of previous and ongoing projects:
* CFD modelling of the ‘Time of Flight’ (TOF) gas flow meter
* Simulation of heat transfer in cavity flows using hybrid LES/RANS model.
* CFD modelling of a Hypervapotron-type cooling system
* Fuel Spray-Spark Plug Interaction in GDI IC Engines
* Representative Sampling System for Laser Diffraction Particle Size Measurements
* Convergence control for Volume-Of-Fluid CFD simulations
* Prediction of local atmospheric conditions in urban areas
* Flow Simulations Of Shock And Boundary Layer Interaction Over Transonic Wings Using URANS, ILES, And Hybrid ILES/RANS Approaches
* URANS, ILES, And Hybrid ILES/RANS Approaches Incorporated With High Resolution Methods For Lid Driven And Open Cavity Flows
* Hybrid LES Simulations for Turchemi Combustor
* CFD Modelling of Dry Powder Transport in a Laser Diffraction System
* CFD Modelling of Sample Extraction from a Process Line
* Comparative Study of URANS, ILES, And Hybrid ILES/RANS Approaches For
Airfoils Near and After Stall
* Turbulent Flow Simulations Around A Multi-Element Airfoil using
Implicit Large Eddy Simulation (ILES) Approach
* Simulations for Tip Vortices of Subsonic/Transonic Wings with and
without Winglet Using Advanced Turbulent Approaches Incorporated with
High Resolution Methods
* CFD for Automotive Flows
* Unsteady heat transfer enhancement for turbomachinery
* Investigation of Base-flow buffeting of the Ariane5 Launcher
* High Resolution Simulation of Aircraft Weapons Bay
* Numerical Investigation of Supersonic Delta Wing Aerodynamics
* CFD modelling of a novel Carbon Monoxide (CO) Sensor