The formation of ice on the leading edge of an aircraft wing alters the shape of the surface and consequently the flow field. This phenomenon affects the pressure distribution and aerodynamic performance, leading to increased drag, reduced maximum lift, premature aerodynamic stall, and, in extreme cases, loss of aircraft control. This thesis aims to investigate the impact of ice formation on a transonic airfoil using DNS and LES. The study will focus on analyzing how ice-induced modifications influence the buffet phenomenon, providing insights into the resulting aerodynamic and structural effects.

Flow solver: in-house GPU code STREAmS

Supersonic jets operating at off-design conditions include a shock-noise source in addition to the turbulent mixing noise that is usually dominant in subsonic and perfectly expanded supersonic jets. The shock-associated noise includes a broadband component and a tonal component known as screech. Both are due to the interaction between the convected flow disturbances and the quasi-periodic shock-cell structure. The purpose of this thesis is to characterise and model the various screech modes in supersonic jets by performing a campaign of large-eddy simulations using the in-house high-fidelity solver STREAmS available in the research group.

Flow solver: in-house GPU code STREAmS

Control of shock wave turbulent boundary layer interactions using streamwise traveling waves (StTW) of the spanwise velocity. The ability of StTW to reduce the turbulent skin friction drag has been widely assessed in literature for both low-speed and high-speed regimes. This thesis aims to explore the possibility of exploiting StTW to alleviate the detrimental effects associated with oblique shock waves/turbulent boundary layer interactions. The candidate will conduct a campaign of direct numerical simulations of SBLI control using the in-house high-fidelity solver STREAmS available in the research group.

Flow solver: in-house GPU code STREAmS

Control of shock wave turbulent boundary layer interactions using micro-vortex generators. The interaction between shock waves and turbulent boundary layers represents a critical aspect of aerodynamic performance, influencing the efficiency and stability of various aerospace vehicles. This thesis deals with the numerical simulation of microramp control of SBLI using Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations. The primary objective is to explore the efficacy of microramps in mitigating SBLI effects with the ultimate goal of performing an optimization study on the shape of the MVGs.

Flow solver: Ansys Fluent or OpenFoam

Sapienza-UT Dallas collaboration

The following theses include a visiting period at the University of Texas at Dallas to carry out scientific activities in collaboration with the research group of Prof. Stefano Leonardi. Financial support is provided for the period abroad.

Thesis #1: Impact of offshore wind farms on ocean circulation and wildlife

Thesis #2: Wind turbines modeling over complex topography

Thesis #3: Aeroelastic response of wind turbine blades to turbulent wind

Flow solver: in-house code available at UT Dallas

Sapienza-ENEA collaboration

Thesis #1: LES of a hydrogen/air Cyclonic Burner operating in the MILD combustion regime at high pressure. The objective is to study the production of NOx as the operating pressure varies. 

Thesis #2: LES simulation of a hydrogen/ammonia/air Cyclonic Burner operating in the MILD combustion regime. The objective is to investigate the effects of the hydrogen concentration within the mixture on the combustion.

Thesis #3: DNS of a non-reacting flow under radiative heat exchange. The objective is to understand the effects of radiation species on fluid dynamics at various pressure and temperature regimes.