Nicolás Soto San Pedro

Areas of expertise

• Gas Turbines & Propulsion

Background

I am a PhD researcher at Cranfield University within the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Net Zero Aviation, working in partnership with Rolls-Royce plc. My research focuses on the off-design aerodynamics of coupled intake and fan systems for future propulsion systems. Specifically, I investigate the flow phisics and separation phenomena that occur under crosswind on short coupled fan/intake UHBR engines, operating conditions that directly impacts propulsion efficiency, fuel burn, and fan operability. My work combines high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling with the analysis of a unique experimental dataset from the NIFTI programme, which captured world-first stereoscopic PIV measurements of a coupled fan-intake system under crosswind. The ultimate goal is to improve confidence in the computational tools used to design compact, low-specific-thrust intake systems that are central to achieving Net Zero aviation targets.

Research opportunities

- Intake aerodynamics and flow separation under off-design conditions

- Coupled intake and fan aerodynamic interactions and distortion

- High-fidelity CFD modelling: RANS, URANS, and eddy-resolving methods (DES/hybrid LES)

- Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) data processing and experimental-computational data synthesis

- Intake flow distortion metrics and fan operability

- Computational method validation and verification for aero-engine intake design

- Ultra-High Bypass Ratio (UHBR) propulsion systems and compact intake design

- Net Zero aviation technologies and propulsion system integration

Clients

• Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC