Contact Dr Robert Christie
- Tel: +44 (0) 1234 754681
- Email: r.christie@cranfield.ac.uk
- ORCID
- Google Scholar
- ResearchGate
Background
Dr Robert Christie is a Lecturer in Aerospace Engineering Design in the ‘Aero-engine Installations Research Group’ within the Rolls-Royce UTC at CU, which is part of the ‘Centre for Propulsion and Thermal Power Engineering’, within SATM. He graduated from the University of Limerick with a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Aeronautical Engineering in 2009 achieving a first class honours. During his time at Limerick Dr Christie undertook an internship at the Stokes Research Institute working on flow characterisation through heat sinks. Following this he studied for a Masters by Research at Cranfield University investigating the detailed flow physics of lateral jets in supersonic flow, both experimentally and computationally. Upon the successful completion of his MSc by Research Dr Christie began his PhD in Aerodynamics entitled ‘’ Propulsion system integration and modelling synthesis” completing his studies in 2015. His doctoral studies involved research into propulsion system integration aerodynamics with the main focus being the quantification of installation drag and its effect on overall flight performance and how this can be taken into account in the preliminary design stage. In 2014, Dr Christie was appointed as a Research Fellow within the Rolls-Royce UTC at CU.
Dr Christie has been involved in a wide range of aerospace engineering projects including the Innovate UK SILOET II, NADIT, iFAN, APROCONE and FANFARE projects. His current research activities include civil aero-engine installation aerodynamics, aero-engine intake design, propulsion aerodynamics, computational fluid dynamics, machine learning and surrogate modelling. Furthermore, Dr Christie lectures on the topics of thermofluids, gas turbine component technologies, and blade cooling within SATM at CU. Dr Christie has published over 10 articles in scientific journals and international peer-reviewed conference
Current activities
Aero-engine installation aerodynamics
Aero-engine intake design
Propulsion aerodynamics
Computational fluid dynamics
Machine learning
Surrogate modelling
Clients
- Rolls-Royce plc
- Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL)
- Technology Strategy Board (TSB)
- Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI)
- Clean Sky Joint Technology Initiative (JTI)
Publications
Articles In Journals
- Boscagli L, Christie R, MacManus D & Piovesan T (2022) Aerodynamics of a short intake in crosswind, Aerospace Science and Technology, 129 (October) Article No. 107826.
- Tejero F, Christie R, MacManus D & Sheaf C (2021) Non-axisymmetric aero-engine nacelle design by surrogate-based methods, Aerospace Science and Technology, 117 (October) Article No. 106890.
- Otter JJ, Goulos I, Christie R & MacManus DG (2020) Design and analysis of non-axisymmetric installed aero-engine exhaust systems, Aerospace Science and Technology, 106 (November) Article No. 106210.
- Robinson M, MacManus DG, Christie R, Sheaf C & Grech N (2020) Nacelle design for ultra-high bypass ratio engines with CFD based optimisation, Aerospace Science and Technology, 113 (June) Article No. 106191.
- Christie R, Robinson M, Tejero F & MacManus D (2019) The use of hybrid intuitive class shape transformation curves in aerodynamic design, Aerospace Science and Technology, 95 (December) Article No. 105473.
- Otter JJ, Christie R, Goulos I, MacManus DG & Grech N (2019) Parametric design of non-axisymmetric separate-jet aero-engine exhaust systems, Aerospace Science and Technology, 93 (October) Article No. 105186.
- Christie R, Heidebrecht A & MacManus D (2017) An automated approach to nacelle parameterization using intuitive class shape transformation curves, Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power, 139 (6) Article No. GTP-16-1227 062601-1-062601-9.
- MacManus D, Stankowski T & Christie R (2016) Aerodynamics of aero-engine installation, Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part G: Journal of Aerospace Engineering, 230 (14) 2673-2692.
Conference Papers
- Zuccolo G, MacManus D, Christie R, Goulos I & Martin P (2020) Low order models for transonic afterbody aerodynamic characteristics. In: 2020 AIAA SciTech Forum, Orlando, Florida, 6-10 January 2020.
- Boscagli L, Christie R & MacManus DG (2020) Methodology assessment for the design and analysis of aero-engine short intakes. In: Aerospace Europe Conference 2020 (AEC2020), Bordeaux, France, 25-28 February 2020.
- Matesanz-Garcia J, Christie R, Tejero F, MacManus D & Heidebrecht A (2020) An automated approach for the aerodynamic design of close-coupled propulsion/airframe configurations. In: Aerospace Europe Conference 2020 (AEC2020), Bordeaux, France, 25-28 February 2020.
- Christie R, Heidebrecht A & MacManus D (2016) An automated approach to nacelle parameterization using intuitive class shape transformation curves. In: ASME Turbo Expo 2016: Turbomachinery Technical Conference and Exposition, Seoul, 13-17 June 2016.
- Christie R, Ramirez S & MacManus D (2014) Aero-engine installation modelling and the impact on overall flight performance. In: Applied Aerodynamics Conference 2014 (RAeS): Advanced Aero Concepts, Design and Operations, Bristol, 22-24 July 2014.