Contact Dr David Alejandro Block Novelo
Background
Prior to Joining Cranfield, Alejandro Block worked as a fluid power and power transmission engineer for different firms in New Zealand where he also obtained his masters degree in thermodynamics and aerodynamics (University of Auckland, New Zealand). Alejandro completed a bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering with first class honours (Tec de Monterrey- Mexico) and a postgraduate diploma in Aerospace engineering (Politecnico di Torino, Italy)
Current activities
Currently Alejandro works on researching the aviation ecosystem-wide implications of the different technologies and fuels that can help aviation decarbonise.
He has been an advisor to the EnableH2 project since 2019, a nominated expert in ICAO's committee on aviation environmental protection (CAEP) also since 2019 and continues collaborating with different parties from industrial partners to the United Nations. Alejandro has contributed to some of the most influential reports written on aviation decarbonisation including the industry's pathway to net zero (ATAG- Waypoint 2050), ICAO's Long-Term Aspirational Goal study, Airport Council International (ACI) global carbon goal study, and most recently the Aerospace Technology Institute's 2022 Technology Strategy which sets the technology direction for R&D spending in the UK and offers a decarbonisation pathway for aviation.
Publications
Articles In Journals
- San Benito Pastor DG, Nalianda D, Sethi V, Midgley R, Rolt A & Block Novelo DA (2021) Preliminary design framework for the power gearbox in a contra-rotating open rotor, Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power, 143 (4) Article No. GTP-20-1061.
- Block Novelo DA, Igie U, Prakash V & Szymanski A (2019) Experimental investigation of gas turbine compressor water injection for NOx emission reductions, Energy, 176 (June) 235-248.
- Block Novelo DA, Igie U & Nalianda D (2019) On-board compressor water injection for civil aircraft emission reductions: range performance with fuel burn analysis, Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 67 (February) 449-463.
- Block Novelo DA & Igie U (2018) Aero engine compressor cooling by water injection - Part 2: Performance and emission reductions, Energy, 160 (October) 1236-1243.
- Block Novelo DA & Igie I (2018) Aero engine compressor cooling by water injection - Part 1: evaporative compressor model, Energy, 160 (October) 1224-1235.
- Block-Novelo DA & Igie U (2018) Reducing airport emissions through aircraft gas turbine water injection at take-off, Revista Internacional de Investigacion de Innovacion Tecnologica, 6 (34).
Conference Papers
- Zawadzki N, Szymanski A, Block Novelo DA & Igie U (2020) Entropy generation and efficiency of a transonic rotor with water injection - a numerical study. In: ASME Turbo Expo 2020: Turbomachinery Technical Conference and Exposition (GT2020), London: Virtual Event, 21-25 September 2020.
- Block Novelo DA & Igie U (2017) Case for exploring compressor water injection for airport emission reduction. In: ASME Turbo Expo 2017: Turbomachinery Technical Conference and Exposition (GT2017), Charlotte, NC, 26-30 June 2017.
Books
- Block A, Garcia Duffy C, Weeks S, Scavuzzi J & et al (2022) Integration of sustainable aviation fuels into the air transport system. Quebec: Airports Council International.
- Block Novelo DA & Scavuzzi J (2021) Sustainable energy sources for aviation: an airport perspective. Airports Council International.
- Block A, Garcia-Duffy C, Weeks S, Scavuzzi J & Romig T et al (2021) Integration of hydrogen aircraft into the air transport system: an airport operations and infrastructure review. Quebec: Airports Council International.
- Roetger T & Boyd R (2019) Liquid hydrogen as a potential low-carbon fuel for aviation: Fact Sheet 7. Montreal: IATA.