Taif, an engineer, completed his BEng in Aerospace Engineering (Honours) at Queen Mary, University of London, in 2016. His undergraduate thesis primarily concentrated on mitigating acoustic disturbances in drone propellers. This research encompassed comprehensive design and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) testing. Taif achieved notable success in reducing noise emissions and received a first-class grade for his exceptional research efforts.
Following his graduation, he gained professional experience as an Aviation Workshop Engineer and Aviation Teacher in the United Arab Emirates. He possesses expertise in CAE software and holds certifications in AutoCAD, Inventor, and Ultimaker Cura. Presently, he is a member of cohort 5 at the AAPS CDT, where he will leverage his accumulated knowledge and skills to research the Fundamental Fluid Dynamics of Gas Turbine Brush Seals.
Participating in the AAPS program will not only help improve Taif's research skills and industry impact but also allow him to contribute to innovation in aerospace engineering, where he can assist in advancements and address complex challenges within propulsion systems.
Sealing has been identified as the most cost-effective method of enhancing engine efficiency and performance, critical to reaching net-zero propulsion. Hybrid-electric propulsion systems, ultra-high bypass ratio engines, geared turbofans and NASA N+3 concepts all require new sealing and clearance control solutions. Brush seals are one type of seal typically used in gas turbines and electric motors to prevent parasitic leakages that result in loss of power delivery and an increase in specific fuel consumption. Labyrinth seals are most common in turbomachinery, however, the development limits for this type of seal have been reached. Brush seals typically provide an order of magnitude improvement in leakage reduction compared to a labyrinth seal, while better accommodating radial rotor excursions. However, well-known drawbacks such as excessive wear have prevented widespread application of brush seals to aerospace jet engines in particular.
Generally, gas turbine research has been undertaken using turbine-based rigs running close to engine-operating conditions. The approach at Bath is to conduct more fundamental work to measure, to compute and, most importantly, to understand the flow and heat transfer using generic, fully-instrumented experiments specifically designed for instrumentation access. The understanding obtained from these fundamental investigations assists the interpretation of results obtained for more specific engine conditions and geometries, and this in turn informs their design.
Taif's PhD project will make use of a novel experimental facility designed to produce unique measurements that give unparallel insight into brush seal operation. A fluid dynamically scaled brush seal model will be tested to determine fundamental flow characteristics that are currently lacking from the literature. This increased understanding in brush seal behaviour will inform the design of future industrial hardware to be used in aerospace and electric propulsion applications.
This research project is related to green technology and sustainability, and will be conducted in collaboration with Cross Manufacturing Ltd., a leading supplier of brush seal components to the aerospace and power generation industries. Cross will support the project through their expertise designing, testing and manufacturing brush seals for the past 40 years. Taif will work closely with the company to perform the experiments and ensure the results are implemented into in-house design codes. There is also an expectation that the research is disseminated through publications and presented at the annual ASME Turbo Expo conference.
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