Projects
A comprehensive technical log of research campaigns, plant design studies, and experimental mechanics across aerothermal, structural, and energy systems.
Flagship research
High pressure turbine deterioration
Oxford Thermofluids Institute , Rolls-Royce , 2021-Present
Technical challenge: Understanding how shower head erosion and leading edge holing impact the thermal margin of high pressure nozzle guide vanes (HPNGV). Standard aerothermal correlations often fail for engine-run parts, requiring a deeper investigation into how geometric damage alters film cooling effectiveness and component life.
Achievement: Managed the aerothermal characterization of multiple rainbow-sets of engine-run vanes at the ECAT facility. I executed parametric studies over a wide range of Coolant to Mainstream Pressure Ratios (CMPR) to decouple the aerodynamic and thermal effects of wall material loss from general surface degradation.
Insights: Proved that leading edge holing triggers a significant redistribution of the internal coolant flow. While the extra coolant discharge can lower mean surface temperatures in specific regions, it simultaneously creates localized hot spots at the hole perimeters by disrupting the protective film cooling layer. This research provided a mathematical framework to incorporate these localized hot spots into metal effectiveness invariants, supporting more accurate maintenance intervals for civil jet engines.
Aerodynamics & CFD
9 stage axial compressor aerodynamic synthesis
University of Cagliari
Technical challenge: Designing a medium pressure compressor to achieve a total pressure ratio of 7 with a mass flow rate of 31 kg/s. Initial specific speed calculations (0.61) disqualified single stage architectures, while a preliminary 7 stage uniform-work setup resulted in excessive stage loading and diffusion factors that compromised aerodynamic stability in the first stage.
Achievement: Engineered a robust 9 stage configuration using the free vortex law to maintain radial equilibrium while keeping a constant mean aerodynamic diameter of 0.64 m. I implemented a non uniform enthalpy drop distribution, deliberately offloading the critical first stage and increasing work progressively through the machine. To ensure a smooth transition of flow angles, I formulated and numerically solved an 8th degree polynomial equation for the stator exit angles, identifying an optimal decay coefficient (k) of 0.843.
Insights: Through iterative solidity optimization, I constrained the Lieblein Diffusion Factor below the 0.45 safety threshold for every radial section. The analysis required careful management of transonic flow conditions at the first stage tip, where the Mach number reached 1.26. I balanced this by fine-tuning blade camber and momentum thickness ratios. The final design successfully synchronized 17 rotor and 25 stator blades for the initial stage, providing a high stall margin and a continuous, shock-free velocity triangle progression along the entire compressor axis.
Minimal length supersonic nozzle design (MOC)
University of Cagliari
Technical challenge: Synthesizing the divergent contour of a minimal length De Laval nozzle to achieve a perfectly uniform, shock free Mach 3 exhaust flow. This requires a precise mathematical cancellation of the Prandtl Meyer expansion waves originating from the throat corner to prevent internal reflections that degrade propulsive efficiency and flow quality.
Achievement: Developed a numerical solver utilizing the Method of Characteristics to compute the flow field downstream of a 0.1 m radius throat. I built a framework to solve the compatibility equations for both positive and negative characteristics, iteratively determining the intersection points and local Mach numbers. The solver was designed to target an isentropic area ratio of 13.303, which corresponds to the theoretical expansion required for a Mach 3 exit condition in air with a specific heat ratio of 1.4.
Insights: Conducted a rigorous convergence study to optimize the discretization of the characteristic net. By comparing 10, 20, and 79 characteristic lines, I demonstrated that 79 lines represent the optimal threshold where the area error converges below 0.01 percent. The analysis confirmed that increasing the discretization density not only improves the fidelity of the exit radius (targeting 0.365 m) but also significantly reduces the total axial length of the divergent section, providing a more compact and efficient propulsion component.
HPT blade aerodynamic design
University of Cambridge
Technical challenge: Executing the aerodynamic synthesis of a 4-stage axial turbine, balancing stage loading and reaction to maximize efficiency while strictly adhering to subsonic compressibility limits (Mach below 0.95).
Achievement: Implemented a hierarchical design process. I began with a 1D meanline approach to estimate hub and casing radii, followed by an axisymmetric throughflow calculation to resolve the radial equilibrium. I then utilized a quasi-orthogonal 3D (Q3D) iterative analysis to optimize individual blade profiles before performing a full 3D Navier-Stokes analysis on the final stacked blades using JD75.
Insights: By iterating on stage work fractions and inlet swirl angles, I successfully eliminated zones of negative reaction that were identified in the early throughflow stages. The final 3D validation demonstrated that while Q3D methods effectively capture profile losses, the high-fidelity 3D RANS was required to accurately quantify the secondary flow losses and endwall vortices that dictate the true efficiency of high-pressure turbine stages.
Compressor redesign via Machine Learning
University of Cambridge
Technical challenge: Improving the aerodynamic performance of a transonic compressor stator without the computational expense of exhaustive 3D CFD sweeps across all operating points.
Achievement: Employed a multi-fidelity design process. Analysed boundary layers via a 2D viscid-inviscid solver (MISES) and performed 3D CFD (MULTALL) to optimise blade lean.
Insights: Trained a neural network surrogate model on the CFD database, allowing for rapid, low-cost prediction of the critical trade-off between loss coefficients and pressure rise.
Computational fluid dynamics solver development
University of Cambridge
Technical challenge: Developing a robust 2D inviscid Euler solver from first principles capable of capturing transonic phenomena and shock waves without the numerical instabilities or spurious oscillations inherent in high-speed flow simulations.
Achievement: Engineered an explicit steady-state solver utilizing a cell-centered finite volume discretisation. I implemented a multi-stage Runge-Kutta time integration scheme for enhanced stability and a deferred correction method to achieve second-order spatial accuracy. To maximize computational efficiency, I integrated spatially variable time-stepping based on the local Courant-Friedrichs-Lewy (CFL) condition.
Insights: The primary optimization involved the calibration of the Jameson-Schmidt-Turkel (JST) artificial viscosity. By fine-tuning the smoothing factors, I successfully balanced shock-capturing capability with global entropy conservation. The solver was validated on a complex supersonic bend case, reaching a mean Mach number of 3.03 at the outlet with clean residual abatement and convergence achieved within the first 100 iterations.
Design & analysis
AM heat exchanger: design & validation
University of Oxford
Technical challenge: Protecting high-resolution infrared cameras within the 500 K environment of the ECAT+ turbine facility by designing a high-effectiveness, low-profile heat exchanger that fits within extreme spatial constraints without compromising facility flow quality.
Achievement: Developed a physics-based low-order aerothermal network model to optimize the internal cooling architecture. The solver utilized a Newton-Raphson iterative scheme to resolve the coupled pressure-temperature system, employing the McAdams correlation to model convective heat transfer within complex internal lattice geometries. The final design was manufactured in 316L stainless steel using Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS).
Insights: Conducted multi-fidelity validation by benchmarking the low-order model against 3D Conjugate Heat Transfer (CHT) simulations in ANSYS Workbench. I performed a rigorous thermal-structural Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to verify that thermal expansion stresses remained safely below the 316L yield limit under a worst-case 200 degree Celsius thermal gradient, ensuring a safe lens operating temperature of 305 K during high-temperature facility campaigns.
Holistic gas turbine design
University of Cambridge
Technical challenge: Executing the conceptual, end-to-end design of a 30 kN turbojet engine to strict performance specifications.
Achievement: Conducted 0D thermodynamic cycle analysis to select optimal pressure ratios and bypass ratios for the specific flight envelope.
Insights: Performed meticulous meanline sizing and component matching of the compressor, combustor, and turbine to meet thrust and specific fuel consumption targets.
Dyson product aeroacoustics
University of Cambridge
Technical challenge: Reverse-engineering the fluid dynamics and noise generation mechanisms of the Dyson Supersonic hair dryer.
Achievement: Extracted accurate CAD geometry and utilized CFD to quantify the air multiplier effect and jet entrainment ratios.
Insights: Mapped how internal flow path geometry and the Coanda effect directly influence exit velocity profiles and the resulting acoustic signature.
Mesoscale wind modelling with WRF
University of Cagliari / TU Delft
Technical challenge: Simulating atmospheric boundary layer flows and characterising wind resources over complex terrain.
Achievement: Set up and ran nested-domain simulations initialised with GFS and ERA-5 reanalysis data using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model.
Insights: Conducted sensitivity analysis of planetary boundary layer (PBL) schemes to accurately capture non-neutral atmospheric stability and successfully reproduce the diurnal cycle of a coastal low-level jet.
Utility-scale PV vs CSP plant design
University of Cagliari
Technical challenge: Formulating an end-to-end comparative thermodynamic and economic analysis between a 5 MW Photovoltaic (PV) plant and a 5 MW Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) system to determine the most viable technology for a specific site.
Achievement: Built an hour-by-hour operational model. Optimized the PV array layout and tilt to minimize shading using UNI 10349 standards. For the CSP variant, I sized the parabolic trough solar field and designed a 6-hour thermal energy storage tank (holding over 1.3 million kg of oil) to guarantee autonomy for the Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) power block.
Insights: By accurately modeling Incident Angle Modifiers (IAM) through custom polynomials and setting a strict 40 MWh minimum activation threshold for the ORC, I proved that while the CSP plant offered dispatchability, it yielded a highly negative Net Present Value. The analysis demonstrated that the PV architecture offered a superior break-even trajectory due to significantly lower CapEx.
Centrifugal pump aerodynamic design
University of Cagliari
Technical challenge: Designing the impeller and volute of a single-stage centrifugal pump from scratch to meet strict operational targets (160 cubic meters per hour at a 50m head) while maximizing hydraulic efficiency.
Achievement: Conducted a complete aerodynamic synthesis. I utilized Balje and Jaumotte statistical diagrams to select the optimal specific speed and dimensionless pressure and flow coefficients. The 11-blade impeller geometry was mathematically generated using the Kaplan error triangle method to transition from planar coordinates into cylindrical space.
Insights: Rather than assuming ideal Stepanoff conditions, I wrote a MATLAB script to plot the actual constant specific speed curve and find the true intersection with the operational line. This allowed me to correctly adjust the theoretical efficiency drop caused by the machine's smaller scale, ensuring the final volute and divergent diffuser sizing was grounded in realistic flow physics.
Onshore wind farm feasibility study
University of Cagliari
Technical challenge: Predicting true Annual Energy Production (AEP) and financial viability from raw anemometric data, while strictly adhering to environmental acoustic limits (sub-45 dB nighttime restrictions).
Achievement: Built a full-stack physical and financial model. Processed 8760 hourly data points to compute the specific wind shear exponent and extrapolate hub-height velocity. I corrected for site-specific air density (150m a.s.l.) and modeled turbine performance by interpolating manufacturer data via a custom 4th-degree polynomial.
Insights: The multi-variable analysis revealed a counter-intuitive financial strategy. By deliberately sizing the farm down to three 20 kW turbines (remaining under a 60 kW regulatory threshold), the project secured a much higher feed-in tariff, achieving a superior Internal Rate of Return and a 10-year payback period compared to larger multi-megawatt setups. I also mathematically verified that the array required a 2.25 km setback distance to satisfy spherical divergence noise limits.
Reversible pump-storage hydro plant
University of Cagliari
Technical challenge: Evaluating the technical and economic feasibility of retrofitting an existing water pumping station (Su Stampu) into a reversible pump-storage hydroelectric plant to exploit energy arbitrage, while strictly adhering to environmental minimum flow constraints.
Achievement: Derived the h-Q flow rating curve and performed a complete hydraulic analysis. I calculated penstock diameters by optimising the trade-off between Darcy-Weisbach friction losses and capital pipe costs over a 120 m head. The study compared two different turbomachinery architectures: a high-head Pelton wheel and a reaction Francis turbine.
Insights: By calculating the Net Positive Suction Head (NPSH) to prevent cavitation and matching the specific speeds, the techno-economic analysis identified a 1.71 MW Francis turbine as the optimal solution. The integrated financial model proved this configuration maximized annual energy production, yielding a payback period of just 7 years with a profitability index of 1.24.
Fluid machinery design & gas dynamics
University of Cagliari
Technical challenge: Designing both a multi-stage axial compressor and the divergent section of a De Laval supersonic nozzle using fundamental theories.
Achievement: Engineered a 9-stage compressor configuration by solving an 8th-degree equation for deviation angle decay. Built a numerical solver for the nozzle using the Method of Characteristics.
Insights: Mapped the Prandtl-Meyer expansion waves for the nozzle and proved that computing exactly 79 characteristic lines provided the strict mathematical threshold to minimize area error for a uniform Mach 3 exit flow.
Composites & structural analysis
Composite hydrofoil structural analysis
University of Cagliari
Technical challenge: Guaranteeing the structural integrity of thin-profile NACA hydrofoils under extreme, asymmetrical hydrodynamic loads.
Achievement: Conducted theoretical characterization using Classical Lamination Theory (CLT). Validated the stiffness matrices for layups like [0, 30, -30]s against experimental data.
Insights: Quantified the coupling between extension and bending in non-symmetric laminates. Observed experimental stiffness values (~21 GPa) matching orthotropic predictions, defining optimal layup sequences to prevent delamination.
Composites: manufacturing and characterisation
University of Cagliari
Technical challenge: Moving beyond theoretical mechanics to physically manufacture low-void pre-preg laminates and experimentally isolate their orthotropic stiffness matrices, while avoiding testing artifacts like grip-induced stress concentrations or shear-dominated bending.
Achievement: Executed a complete aerospace-grade manufacturing cycle using hand lay-up, vacuum bagging, and autoclave consolidation. I then conducted destructive tensile and flexural testing campaigns on an Instron 5585 universal testing machine, utilizing precision MTS extensometers to capture multi-axial strain data.
Insights: By testing specific stacking sequences (such as using a [+45/-45]2s laminate to isolate the in-plane shear modulus), I successfully extracted the fundamental stiffness parameters. During the flexural testing phase, I performed variable-span 3-point bending tests (from 160 mm down to 30 mm) to explicitly quantify the scale at which transverse shear deformation begins to artificially reduce the apparent flexural stiffness, proving the necessity of high span-to-thickness ratios for accurate modulus characterisation.
15-layer carbon fiber shaft design
University of Cagliari
Technical challenge: Designing and fabricating a composite drive shaft that simultaneously resists extreme torsional buckling and maintains a high flexural critical speed, without exceeding strict weight and geometric constraints.
Achievement: Engineered and computationally optimized a 15-layer asymmetric carbon-epoxy laminate stack to precisely balance longitudinal stiffness with shear strength. I executed the physical manufacturing using pre-preg tube rolling around a Teflon mandrel, applying 2.52 bar of radial consolidation pressure via thermodynamic contraction using Hi-Shrink Tape at 120 degrees Celsius.
Insights: Developed a 7-step progressive damage model in MATLAB to simulate ply-by-ply matrix degradation under increasing torque. By recalculating the reduced stiffness matrices after each localized failure, the model successfully predicted the exact sequence of ply failures and the non-linear angular deformation trajectory prior to ultimate catastrophic breakage.
Composites: laminate analysis and failure theory
University of Cagliari
Technical challenge: Predicting the stiffness and failure loads of complex, multi-directional composite laminate stacks mathematically, reducing the reliance on costly empirical testing for every design iteration.
Achievement: Developed a MATLAB codebase to automate Classical Lamination Theory (CLT). The program calculated the extensional, coupling, and bending stiffness matrices (the [A], [B], and [D] matrices) from constituent fiber and matrix properties across various stacking sequences. I then benchmarked these theoretical predictions against experimental data from tensile and bending tests.
Insights: The study explicitly quantified the coupling effects inherent in non-symmetric laminates, such as extension-bending and bending-twisting interactions. By integrating the Tsai-Hill and maximum stress failure criteria, the model successfully predicted the first-ply failure loads of coupled laminates with a deviation of less than 10% from the experimental rupture data.
Experimental mechanics
Strain-gauge pressure measurement
University of Cagliari
Technical challenge: Measuring the internal pressure of a thin-walled cylindrical vessel through indirect circumferential deformation, requiring the decoupling of sensor noise from micro-strain signals.
Achievement: Instrumented a cylindrical aluminum vessel with foil strain gauges in a quarter-bridge Wheatstone configuration. I utilized micrometric tools to characterize the vessel's geometric tolerances and executed a controlled depressurization cycle to measure the resulting elastic recovery strain.
Insights: I developed an uncertainty model using Student's t-distribution to account for gauge factors and geometric variance. By applying Mariotte's formula to the measured circumferential strain, I calculated an internal pressure of 0.665 bar. The high precision of the result validated the measurement chain and provided a baseline for the design of industrial safety monitoring systems for pressure vessels.
Tensile testing and elastic characterization
University of Cagliari
Technical challenge: Experimentally determining the Young Modulus of metallic specimens by reconciling the procedural differences between ISO 527 and ASTM D638 standards, particularly regarding pre load requirements and the precision of the initial elastic slope.
Achievement: Conducted monoaxial tensile tests on standard and holed specimens using an MTS testing suite equipped with 647 hydraulic wedge grips and a 634 1IF extensometer. I performed a rigorous statistical characterization of specimen geometry through ten discrete measurements per dimension, applying a Student t distribution at a 68.27 percent confidence level to propagate geometric uncertainties into the final calculations.
Insights: To ensure high fidelity results, I implemented a linearity assessment using a normalized Chi squared algorithm in MATLAB. This allowed me to select the optimal 800 point interpolation interval within the elastic regime, successfully converging on a Young Modulus of 70216.95 MPa. The study proved that even with high precision MTS instrumentation, geometric tolerance variance remains the dominant source of experimental uncertainty.
Flexural mechanics and Poisson ratio analysis
University of Cagliari
Technical challenge: Determining the Poisson ratio and Young Modulus of an aluminum specimen under bending while isolating the signal from non linearities and discontinuities caused by instrument sensitivity limits at low load increments.
Achievement: Conducted a cantilever bending test on a rectangular specimen instrumented with a six element strain gauge rosette. I utilized a P 3500 Strain Indicator to acquire multi axial data across half bridge and full bridge configurations. To ensure consistency, I applied a geometric correction factor to align the longitudinal and transverse strain measurements at the same effective distance from the load point.
Insights: I implemented a RANSAC (RANdom Sample And Consensus) algorithm in MATLAB to clean the experimental dataset. The algorithm successfully identified and rejected outliers in the strain curves caused by small mass differences, such as the 1.20g and 3.66g increments, that fell below the effective resolution of the sensor. This statistical refinement converged on a precise Poisson ratio of 0.2902, validating the measurement chain against theoretical expectations for aluminum.
Indirect metrology in thin walled vessels
University of Cagliari
Technical challenge: Quantifying the internal pressure of Al 3004 H19 thin walled vessels via indirect measurement of elastic recovery strain, while isolating the target signal from thermal interference and geometric constraints.
Achievement: Engineered a measurement chain utilizing foil resistance strain gauges in a quarter bridge Wheatstone configuration linked to a P 3500 Strain Indicator. The protocol required critical surface preparation including thermal conditioning to prevent condensation, controlled abrasion, and precise axial alignment to ensure the capture of pure circumferential strain data.
Insights: By applying Mariotte's formula for inverse stress calculation, I translated a measured micro strain of 252 into a final internal pressure of 0.665 bar. The analysis was supported by a rigorous statistical treatment using a Student t distribution for specimen characterization, achieving a final uncertainty of 1.6 percent and validating the reliability of strain based monitoring for non invasive structural assessment.
Damping & dynamic elasticity
University of Cagliari
Technical challenge: Characterising the dissipative and elastic properties of an aluminum specimen by analysing its out of plane damped oscillatory motion, specifically isolating the material dynamic response from the energy dissipation introduced by experimental boundary conditions.
Achievement: Conducted a series of dynamic tests across three different clamping configurations, including high rigidity setups with additional metal plates, to measure natural frequency and logarithmic decrement. I utilized a longitudinal strain gauge in a quarter bridge configuration connected to a P 3500 Strain Indicator. To ensure data fidelity, I implemented a custom zero offset algorithm in MATLAB to correct for signal drift and isolate the true peak to peak amplitude of the harmonic decay.
Insights: By solving the characteristic equation of damped motion and applying the natural frequency formula for inflected beams, I determined a dynamic Young Modulus of approximately 74 GPa. The study revealed that while the elastic modulus remains consistent, the damping coefficient n is highly sensitive to the clamping stiffness, proving that increased constraint rigidity directly correlates with higher observable damping in the experimental signal.
Structured-light 3D scanning
University of Cagliari
Technical challenge: Generating a high-density 3D reconstruction of non-planar surfaces using non-contact optical methods, while managing the phase-ambiguity inherent in periodic fringe patterns.
Achievement: Engineered a robust 3D metrology pipeline utilizing digital projection and high-speed imaging. I implemented and compared two encoding algorithms in MATLAB: Binary Sequential Coding (Gray Code) for absolute phase identification and Continuous Varying Color Code (RGB phase shifting) for superior spatial resolution.
Insights: Developed custom triangulation algorithms to transform pixel-space phase maps into a global coordinate point cloud. The investigation revealed that while the RGB phase shifting method increased data density by an order of magnitude, it required advanced chromatic aberration calibration to maintain sub-millimeter geometric accuracy across complex surface gradients.
Other
Gnome rotary engine training
University of Cagliari
Stripped down and reassembled a vintage Gnome rotary engine as part of a hands-on mechanical training module. This practical teardown built direct familiarity with radial engine architecture, master-and-articulated rod crankshaft dynamics, and precision mechanical assembly tolerances.
Multi-facility 5-hole probe cross-calibration
Oxford · Cambridge · RUB
Technical challenge: Quantifying the end-to-end measurement uncertainty of five-hole pneumatic probes by decoupling manufacturing errors from facility-induced aerodynamic biases.
Achievement: Coordinated the testing of sixteen AM probes across four European transonic wind tunnels. Engineered a high-precision modular probe holder to eliminate mounting variance.
Insights: Developed a MATLAB data reduction suite to derive calibration coefficients and propagate error rigorously via Monte Carlo analysis.
Fan performance mapping
University of Cagliari
Technical challenge: Translating raw pressure differentials from an experimental test rig into accurate performance maps, while identifying the physical limits of aerodynamic scaling laws at low flow regimes.
Achievement: Mapped the full operational envelope of a Solar & Palau TD-500/160 elicocentrifugal fan at 1850 and 2500 RPM. I managed the instrumentation suite, including Pitot-static probes and Betz micro-manometers, and utilized a calibrated nozzle to determine precise volumetric flow rates through the circuit.
Insights: By computing the dimensionless flow and pressure coefficients, I proved that Similarity Theory holds strictly only at high flow rates where Reynolds number effects are negligible. To model multi-fan systems, I developed an iterative solver in MATLAB to resolve a 5th-degree polynomial characteristic equation, allowing for the precise prediction of flow distribution in complex parallel configurations.
Flat plate aerodynamics & wake analysis
University of Cambridge
Technical challenge: Executing a multi-stage experimental characterisation of flow around a flat plate at zero angle of attack, transitioning from steady surface pressure mapping to high-frequency unsteady wake analysis[cite: 399, 400, 5].
Achievement: Conducted a comprehensive wind tunnel campaign utilizing a 3-hole pneumatic yaw probe for mean velocity traversing and a constant-temperature hot-wire anemometer (HWA) for unsteady data acquisition[cite: 402, 14, 5]. I instrumented the plate leading edge with trip wires to induce early laminar-to-turbulent transition and utilized 104 pressure tappings to identify adverse gradients responsible for flow separation[cite: 6, 449, 404].
Insights: By performing Fast Fourier Transforms (FFT) on 50 kHz sampled signals, I isolated the primary vortex shedding frequency (St = 0.2) from electrical and random noise[cite: 39, 47, 51]. The study proved that while vortex shedding frequency increases with Reynolds number (2.09e4 to 3.27e4), the Strouhal number remains Re-independent[cite: 382]. I successfully re-phased out-of-phase periodic waves using a bandwidth filter (f_max +/- 1 percent) and stored phase shifts to perform ensemble averaging on unfiltered wake data[cite: 57, 58].
Open to R&D roles, consulting, research partnerships, and academic mentoring.